Christopher BarrettVenue management giant ASM Global has announced the formation of a central programming team and two team hires.
Tom Saunders (pictured right) joins as programming manager, and Katie Morgan as programming assistant. ASM Global said the duo will work alongside programming director James Harrison (pictured left) and programming manager Dave Hough, as part of a new central programming team responsible for live entertainment and sports content across ASM Global’s UK venues.
ASM Global was formed in October 2019 by the merger of AEG Facilities and SMG. It operates more than 325 venues worldwide, including the AO Arena in Manchester, First Direct Arena in Leeds, Bonus Arena Hull, the SSE Arena Wembley and Utilita Arena Newcastle, as well as supporting Aberdeen’s P&J Live.
Harrison said, “I’m delighted that Tom and Katie have joined our team, bringing expertise, insight and energy to the company, as our venues return to doing what they do best. We have a proposition that’s unique in the UK, with venues spanning the length and breadth of the country. This department offers a single point of contact for promoters, producers and partners to help route their tours across our portfolio of venues, with a combined capacity of over 70,000 tickets on any given night.”
ASM Global Europe executive VP John Sharkey added, “Looking after our clients and dealing with the complexity of the portfolio calendar has never been more important and we’re delighted that Tom and Katie are coming on board – it’s fantastic to be in such a strong position to look after our clients in the best way possible.”