AO Arena ups Gemma Vaughan to acting GM

ASM Global has promoted Gemma Vaughan to acting general manager of AO Arena in Manchester, UK, with immediate effect.

Vaughan joined ASM Global in 2023 as sales and marketing director at AO Arena, having previously held roles at Live Nation, Cuffe & Taylor and Manchester’s Escape to Freight Island.

During her 14-year career, she has worked as a promoter and marketer, and supported artists such as Faithless, Cliff Richard, Mariah Carey and Britney Spears.

Since joining ASM, Vaughan has been involved in the re-imagining of the AO Arena with the launch of The Mezz, the UK’s first celebrity chef restaurant and bar experience inside a live music venue. The Manchester-born exec also sits on the board of Brighter Sound and the Manchester Music City network.

“Gemma has a wealth of understanding of the wider UK music business and the needs of the local Manchester market”

Vaughan takes over from Jen Mitchell, who has managed the AO Arena since 2022.

“The AO Arena is embarking on another year of unprecedented demand,” says Chris Bray, president of ASM Global Europe. “Gemma has a wealth of understanding of the wider UK music business and the needs of the local Manchester market. Through her work at the forefront of the recent £60m reimagination of the arena, she has demonstrated her passion for this brilliant city, its cultural footprint and our ambition to deliver the ultimate in live entertainment experiences to the people who live here. It’s a very exciting time for the venue and for the city.”

In January 2024, AO Arena announced the completion of its £60 million redevelopment, as well as the extension of its naming rights partnership.

As a result of the redevelopment, the arena’s capacity has increased to 23,000, reinforcing its place as one of Europe’s biggest indoor venues.

The arena, which welcomes more than one million people to the venue annually, is set to host events with Peter Kay Live, Chris Stapleton, Becky Hill and Les Misérables.

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