Sphere Entertainment Expands Jennifer Koester's Role To President And COO

s.refik — SPHERE AS CANVAS: Artist Refik Anadol used the Exosphere’s 580,000 square feet of fully programmable LED paneling on Sept. 1 to debut his work “Machine Hallucinations: Sphere.” Photo by Sphere Entertainment

Less than six months after her arrival, Jennifer Koester is adding a new role at Sphere Entertainment: President and Chief Operating Officer of Sphere.

Koester was named President, Sphere Business Operations, in January and since then “she has played a critical role in leading the strategy and execution of all business aspects of Sphere,” the company said in a release.

In this expanded role, Koester will continue working with executive leadership and across the broader Sphere team to grow the business and optimize its operations.

Koester will now also provide strategic oversight for Sphere Studios in Burbank, California, which develops multi-sensory experiences exclusively for Sphere.

She will continue to focus on “maximizing venue utilization across a range of categories, such as original programming, attractions, concerts, residencies, and corporate and marquee events; driving strategic partnerships; delivering the best customer experience; and growing Sphere as a premium global brand,” according to a release.

“Since joining our team earlier this year, Jennifer’s contributions have had a significant impact,” said James Dolan, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Sphere Entertainment. “We believe we are just scratching the surface of what is possible with Sphere, and her expertise will be essential as we continue to advance on our long-term vision for this next-generation entertainment medium.”

“I welcome the opportunity to take on this expanded role,” Koester said. “Across the Sphere organization we are focused on both bringing unique experiences to life in Las Vegas, and developing new experiences that will keep Sphere at the forefront of immersive entertainment. I look forward to continuing to work with our world-class team to grow our business and deliver on Sphere’s vision for the future of entertainment.”

She joined Sphere Entertainment in February 2024 from Google, where she served as Managing Director, Americas Strategic Alliances, Global Partnerships. She also previously served as Director, Telecommunications and Video Distributors, Global Partnerships at Google. Her experience prior to Google includes serving as Senior Vice President of Advanced Advertising Product Development, Data Analytics and Ad Operations at Cablevision, as well as various legal positions.

Koester received a J.D. from St. John’s University School of Law and a B.S. in Management Information Systems from Binghamton University.