Ticketmaster Global President Saumil Mehta Confirmed For Pollstar Live! Keynote Case Study

Saumil Mehta, Global President at Ticketmaster, will take the stage at Pollstar Live! for the Keynote Case Study “From Big Tech to Box Office: AI’s Next Chapter in Live.”

The session will explore how AI playbooks proven in big tech are being applied to one of the most complex consumer marketplaces: live events. Drawing on his experience building AI products at a global scale, Mehta will unpack how these tools are reshaping ticket discovery, fraud prevention, and the fan experience at Ticketmaster. The discussion will focus on what’s live today, what’s being built next, and what it means for artists, venues, and fans.

Pollstar Live! takes place at Loews Hollywood Hotel in Los Angeles April 14-16, marking a return to the spring timeslot and an expansion to a third full day. This is in response to demand for deeper content with more sessions, more conversations, and more opportunities to learn, connect, and grow – running alongside the powerhouse Production Live!

Pollstar Live! is the world’s largest gathering of live entertainment professionals and the flagship event for Pollstar. The conference once again promises visionary speakers, unparalleled networking and standout panels covering talent booking, ticketing, sponsorships, sustainability, marketing and fan engagement. The event also includes the 37th annual Pollstar Awards, the only peer-voted live entertainment industry awards. 

Scheduled April 14, Production Live! features one day of panels and keynote conversations dedicated to lighting, rigging, audio, tech, transportation, staging and other topics related to how production brings the magic of live shows to life, led by the industry pros who dominate the scene backstage.

The 2026 conference is scheduled in between the two Coachella weekends taking place April 10-12 and 17-19.

Earlier this week CAA’s Allison McGregor, WME’s Sara Williams, Live Nation’s Fabi Kulick, The•Team’s Sam Alpert, Legends Global’s Brittany Herndon and NS2’s Sarah Madalinski were confirmed as speakers for the Pollstar Live! panel “Marketing to Today’s Live Music Fans.” These speakers are some of the industry’s top marketers and are all nominees for Pollstar’s Marketing Executive of the Year Award.

Peter Shapiro will take part in a Rainmaker conversation with Oak View Group Chief Content Director Ray Waddell. Shapiro is the visionary behind the Wetlands, Brooklyn Bowl, Lockn’ Festival, Fare Thee Well, the Rock and Roll Playhouse and the rebirth of the Capitol Theatre.

Charles Attal, partner in C3 Presents, and Kevin Shivers, EVP & Managing Executive, Wasserman Music, were previously confirmed to take part in a Rainmakers conversation called “Austin To Arenas” in which they’ll share stories from the trenches and the lessons learned along the way, breaking down the forces reshaping dealmaking and artist development across the global touring ecosystem. The duo will also discuss how mentorship has shaped their own paths and why investing in the next generation of live-music professionals is essential to the industry’s future.
 
Danny Wimmer Presents’ Chamie McCurry, WME’s Josh Kurfirst, C3 Presents’ Huston Powell, CAA’s Allyna Sanchez, Sixthman’s Darby Moeller and Capital One City Parks Foundation Summerstage’s Erika Elliott were announced as speakers for the panel “From Headliners to Fine Print: Putting the Festival Puzzle Together.”

Additional confirmed speakers include IAG’s Jared Arfa, First Avenue Productions’ Dayna Frank, Ineffable Music Group’s Thomas Cussins, Independent Artist Group’s Nick Storch, Entourage Talent Associates’ Wayne Forte, High Road Touring’s Frank Riley, CAA’s Lindsey Myers, MGM Grand Garden Arena’s Scott Preston, and Soundcheck Live’s Ben Ikwuagwu.

The 2026 Pollstar Awards, which will be held at the Loews Hollywood Hotel on April 15, honor the top tours, venues, live music executives, agencies, production companies and more in over 40 categories. Renowned iHeartRadio personality Valentine will return as the evening’s host, as iHeartRadio continues its partnership with the Pollstar Awards, bringing its vast reach and deep connection to music fans to the esteemed industry event.

The 2025 Pollstar Awards included appearances from an array of top artists, including Stevie Nicks, Missy Elliott, Jelly Roll, Eddie Vedder, Bob Weir, John Mayer, The Strokes’ Albert Hammond, Jr. and Ryan Ray and Rusty Anderson of Sir Paul McCartney’s band.

Registration is open for Pollstar Live!, here. Registration options include registering for Production Live! only ($565.00) or the three-day Pollstar Live! ($1,550), which includes a ticket to the 37th Annual Pollstar Awards.  A subscription bundle is also available.