Pinkpop festival manager to leave after 20 years

Pinkpop festival manager Niek Murray has announced his departure from the Dutch festival and its parent company MOJO after over 20 years.

Murray joined the organisation in 2002 as an intern before becoming a marketing executive and then the right-hand man of former festival manager Jan Smeets.

When Smeets retired in 2020 after 50+ years at the helm, Murray succeeded him in the top position at the 70,000-capacity Limburg event.

According to Murray, his decision to leave Live Nation-backed MOJO was mutually agreed upon. His replacement has not yet been announced.

“With the last three editions of Pinkpop, we have determined the new festival direction with a well-oiled team”

“With the last three editions of Pinkpop, we have determined the new festival direction with an increasingly expanded and well-oiled team and have already made great strides in this direction,” says Murray.

“That is why it feels somewhat ambiguous to me to take this step now, but I am confident that in this way I am making room for a new direction in my career.”

Launched in 1970, Pinkpop is organised by Mojo Concerts and is now the longest-running open-air festival in the world.

This year’s festival took place between 21–23 June in Megaland in Landgraaf with acts including Ed Sheeran, Avril Lavigne, Nothing But Thieves, Måneskin, Sam Smith, Calvin Harris, Limp Bizkit and more.

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