2025 Impact 50 Honoree: Omar Al-Joulani

OMAR AL-JOULANI
President of Touring, Live Nation Concerts
Live Nation

PREVIOUS JOB: ”A&W – as a cook.”
LIFE-CHANGING CONCERT: ”Edgefest in Ottawa (Green Day, Foo Fighters).”

In a business that morphs and changes gradually over the course of years and across multiple continents, Omar Al-joulani says there’s no such thing as a typical year.

Asked how he and Live Nation are handling uncertainty in the current economic climate, he responds, “Same as we handle every year – nothing ever stays the same, we pivot fast, embrace change, lean on our teams around the world for insights and look at where things are headed instead of where they currently are.”

Anyone worried about a slowdown in overall touring probably isn’t paying attention, he says.
“The Weeknd, Kendrick & SZA, Shakira and Travis Scott, to name a few,” he offers when asked what is on the horizon for the rest of 2025. “We’re also building the next wave of arena headliners with Gracie Abrams, Tate McRae, Feid and more. And I’m especially excited for the return of Mumford & Sons.”

One of many prominent Live Nation promoters hailing from Canada, Al-joulani recently took part in Departure Festival + Conference, a reimagined version of Canadian Music Week and under new ownership with Loft Entertainment and Oak View Group.

“I have this line I use with my grizzled veterans who think that they’re never going to not be here,” he said at the Toronto event in May. “Ultimately, our legacy is in who comes after you, not what building you build or what tour you promoted. I think you have a responsibility to where you work, a responsibility to yourself, to make sure that you’re doing everything you can to bring people along and, ultimately, to groom the next generation.”

Sharing that his last job not involved in live entertainment was as a cook at fast-food chain A&W, he says it’s important to be flexible in the workplace, surely important in a somewhat unorthodox walk of life involving creative personalities, heavy gear and lots of elbow grease.

“Flexibility is key,” he says. “Treat everyone like an adult and let your team work how they achieve and live best.”