Jim King Promoted To CEO Of AEG Presents’ New European Festivals Division

AEG Presents announced today that Jim King, currently executive vice president of live music, is to take on a new role as CEO of European Festivals. 

This new AEG Presents division launches with the appointment of King and will build on the company’s presence in the European festival market which currently includes Barclaycard presents British Summer Time Hyde Park, All Points East and Rock En Seine. 

Having launched and established Barclaycard presents British Summer Time Hyde Park as one of the world’s premier festivals, the 2019 series kicked off last weekend with headline shows by music legends Celine Dion, Stevie Wonder and Barbra Streisand.

According to the announcement by AEG, King will be tasked with seeking out and developing a host of new opportunities in the festival space. “He will lead on all aspects of talent and operations for the current and future portfolio of festivals to deliver AEG’s festival vision,” it states. 

King will continue to be based in AEG’s London office and work alongside AEG Presents’ UK Co-CEO’s Steve Homer and Toby Leighton-Pope, who will continue to focus on growing the touring business in Europe and the UK. All three men will be reporting to AEG Europe president Alex Hill. 

AEG Presents’ total offering in the UK stands at around one thousand shows. The company also owns the Eventim Apollo and Indigo at The O2 in the UK.

Said King: “I really believe that AEG does something truly special when it comes to festivals. The music fans and the artists are always at the heart of our thinking and this has meant we have been able to curate shows that resonate with them and keep both coming back. 

“We have an incredible team and together we will meet this exciting challenge. I’m looking forward to working closely with Alex in finding and developing new opportunities to build on and maintain AEG’s leadership in this sector.”

Added Hill: “Jim is without a doubt the very best at what he does. We wanted to give him the freedom to accelerate AEG’s activity in the festival space hence the creation of this division and his leadership role at the head of it. 

“I know that he and his team are going to do great things and being able to confirm him in this job as we approach the second weekend of BST Hyde Park seems very fitting indeed.”

King has worked at AEG Presents for over a decade following his time working for club brand Cream which saw him launch and run Creamfields. Prior to joining AEG King ran his own company Loud Sound that produced a variety of UK festivals.