Pollstar & VenuesNow Announce 2022 Impact Int'l European Honorees

COVER — Folkert Koopmans on the cover of Pollstar’s Impact International special issue, which honors 20 European live execs, who’ve made an impact this year.

CONGRATULATIONS POLLSTAR’S 2022 IMPACT INTERNATIONAL EUROPE HONOREES

Here before you are 21 of the year’s top European live industry executives who under extraordinary circumstances moved this business forward and, in many cases, reached unprecedented heights of success.

To say this year’s slate of promoters, agents, managers, bookers, live industry advocates and others had their hands full would be a vast understatement. To say these innovators found ways to thrive despite unprecedented challenges would be more accurate, but still doesn’t paint a complete picture. How about ramping up their businesses amidst a malignant stew of rampant inflation, labor shortages, exorbitant energy prices, an abhorrent war, supply chain hold-ups, extreme weather, a surfeit of tours, political instability, a thankfully dwindling pandemic and weary consumers?

Yet, with their leadership and strategic vision, this industry is being built back better with new purpose, greater innovation, more efficiency and a renewed focus on sustainability and inclusivity as never seen before. To look at the Top 25 Highest Grossing European Shows (see page 22) is to see an industry exploding at its highest echelons.

Comprised entirely of eight-figure grosses, the list is topped by the indefatigable Ed Sheeran, who topped the survey with a $38.4 million gross from five
Wembley Stadium shows, which was co-promoted by this week’s cover subject FKP’s Folkert Koopmans (see page 42). The No. 2 and No. 3 entries, Garth Brooks and Coldplay, hit $28.6 million and $28 million, respectively, with multiple plays at Dublin’s Croke Park and Paris’ Stade de France.

There is still, undoubtedly, many challenges facing every level of this industry (see Leadoff page 10), and there are certainly more ahead; but what this slate of Impact International honorees have accomplished bodes exceedingly well for our future. Join us then in congratulating these impressive honorees for their invaluable contributions to this industry.

Folkert Koopmans
Founder & CEO, FKP Scorpio

Hannah Shogbola
Music Agent, UTA
Founder, DAJU

Jackie Lombard
Promoter & Producer, Inter Concerts

John Giddings
Founder, Solo Agency
Owner, Isle of Wight Festival

Maria May
Senior Music Agent / Head of Electronic – International, CAA

Stuart Camp
Director, Grumpy Old Management, Ltd.
Artist Manager, Ed Sheeran

Barrie Marshall
Founder & Chairman, Marshall Arts

Chen Castaño
Managing Director, Planet Events

Cindy Castillo
Mad Cool Festival

David Bradley
Partner, WME

Jens Michow
President, BDKV (Federal German Association for the Promoters & Event Industry)

Josh Javor
Agent, X-ray Touring