2025 Impact Intl. UK/Euro Honoree: Arnaud Meersseman

ARNAUD MEERSSEMAN
Managing Director
AEG Presents France

BUILDING SUCCESS IS ‘ALL ABOUT THE TEAM’

When you look at AEG Presents’ calendar in France – from the acclaimed Rock En Seine Festival in Paris to its healthy touring business – you wouldn’t think it all began with just three people sitting around Arnaud Meersseman’s living room, formulating a vision for the future.

“Building something from the ground up taught me that success is never about one person,” he says. “It’s about the collective. My greatest contribution has been assembling and nurturing the fantastic team we now have. Together, we’ve developed a strong identity, built trust within the industry, and positioned AEG Presents as a key player in France’s live music landscape.”

For Meersseman, “it’s all about the people. In business, as in life, nothing matters more than the team you build, and the relationships you nurture. Success comes from surrounding yourself with passionate, talented individuals and creating an environment where they can thrive. That belief guides everything I do, from how we approach artists and partners to how we support and empower our teams internally.”

Of the many aspects of the French live business he oversees today, the domestic scene stands out as “incredibly vibrant, full of fresh talent, creative ambition, and diverse voices,” he says. “With the rise of streaming and social platforms, the potential for French artists to reach audiences far beyond our borders has never been greater. That’s where I see a huge opportunity: helping our local artists and projects grow on a global scale.”

The goal is to build artists who will make fans experience what Meersseman first experienced in 2002 as a guest at Benicàssim Festival in Spain, standing in the crowd during Radiohead’s set.

“The energy, the connection between the band and the audience, the feeling that something truly special was happening in that moment, it was overwhelming,” he says. “I knew then that I wanted to dedicate my life to creating those kinds of experiences for others.”