AO Arena Manchester: New GM As Building Sets Davis Cup Attendance Record

ASM Global today announced, that Gemma Vaughan has been promoted to acting general manager of AO Arena, in Manchester, England.

Vaughan joined ASM Global in 2023 as sales and marketing director at AO Arena, and now steps into the role of acting GM.

From Live Nation Entertainment and Cuffe & Taylor to Escape to Freight Island, and now AO Arena, Vaughan has 14 years’ of experience within the live entertainment industry. Her new role adds the job as venue manager to her experience as a promoter, and marketer.

Vaughan has been integral to the re-imagining of the AO Arena, which includes the launch of The Mezz, “the UK’s first celebrity chef restaurant and bar experience inside a live music venue,” according to a press release from ASM Global.

Vaughan sits on the board of Brighter Sound, a music development organization dedicated to young creatives, emerging artists, and up-and-coming music professionals. She’s also on the board of the Manchester Music City network, demonstrating her commitment to this city’s musical future.

Hailing from Manchester herself, Vaughan now takes the helm of the city’s long-standing live entertainment venue, which she grew up with.

See: AO Arena Redevelopment Completed

Chris Bray, president of ASM Global Europe, commented, “The AO Arena is embarking on another year of unprecedented demand. Gemma has a wealth of understanding of the wider UK music business and the needs of the local Manchester market. Through her work at the forefront of the recent £60m reimagination of the Arena she has demonstrated her passion for this brilliant city, its cultural footprint and our ambition to deliver the ultimate in live entertainment experiences to the people who live here. It’s a very exciting time for the venue and for the city.”

Vaughan commences her new role with immediate effect. Jen Mitchell, who’s been managing the building since 2022, is “moving on to an exciting new challenge outside of ASM Global,” according to the press release.

2024 has been AO Arena’s best year yet. It just completed its second Davis Cup residency, hosting the tournament’s finals group stage, Sept. 10-15. More than 37,000 spectators attended three days of tournament matches – a new record for both the arena and the tournament. Sunday alone sold 15,700 tickets, which is a greater capacity than Wimbledon’s Centre Court, which can host just under 15,000.

AO Arena’s just finished a £50 million ($66 million) redevelopment, updating facilities and features for both fans, artists, athletes, and their teams.

Subscribe to Pollstar HERE