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The long-running Dutch festival will get a new director, while Mojo will gain a new chief commercial officer
By Lisa Henderson on 15 Oct 2024
NN North Sea Jazz Festival director Jan Willem Luyken will step down on 1 November, after almost 20 years in the position.
Luyken started as director in 2006, guiding the transition of the Mojo-promoted festival from The Hague to Rotterdam.
Prior to that, he worked at Mojo as head of marketing and communication for four years.
From 1 November, Luyken will become chief commercial officer (CCO) of Mojo, where he’ll be responsible for the entire commercial policy of the Live Nation-backed company as well as the sponsoring/brand partnerships, hospitality, ticketing and marketing/communication departments.
Irene Peters, who currently holds the position of business director at the Ziggo Dome and has previously worked at Mojo, will replace him as director of North Sea Jazz.
The appointments come amid a changing of the guard at Mojo, with former CEO John Mulder making way for a new leadership team and Lowlands director Eric van Eerdenburg handing over the reins.
“After two decades, however, I felt it was time for a new challenge.”
“It was a great privilege to be the director of NN North Sea Jazz – an absolute dream job; especially for someone who came to the festival as a visitor at a young age,” says Jan Willem Luyken.
“Over the past twenty years, I have worked with heart and soul on this great festival. I am incredibly grateful to my colleagues, partners and everyone who contributed to this, for the collaboration and this unforgettable time. After two decades, however, I felt it was time for a new challenge. As CCO, I look forward to using my extensive experience at MOJO to further develop and strengthen our strategy in the field of marketing, sales and sponsorship.”
Peters started as an intern at the North Sea Jazz Festival and then worked at MOJO until her transfer to the Ziggo Dome in 2010 as Manager HR and member of the management team.
“Building the Ziggo Dome from scratch was a unique experience,” says Peters. “Together with a close-knit and hard-working team and our partners, we have ensured in a short period of time that our venue is known and praised at home and abroad for the ultimate experience for both artists and fans. More than 1,000 shows have now taken place, a great time for a new step. Becoming director of NN North Sea Jazz is a wonderful opportunity in which I can combine my experiences of the past years with my passion for music and where I started as an intern in 1997. As a loyal visitor to the festival, I look forward to the new edition every year. I am really looking forward to this wonderful job.”
Luyken spoke to IQ earlier this year about the secret behind North Sea Jazz Festival’s decades-long legacy.
The 47th edition took place at Rotterdam Ahoy between 12–14 July with 150 acts including Sting, Raye, André 3000, Corinne Bailey Rae, Masego, Sampha, Noname, Jessie Ware and Jamie Cullum.
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