NEC Group names Jen Mitchell MD for arenas
Birmingham’s NEC Group has announced the appointment of Jen Mitchell as managing director for arenas.
Mitchell, who was most recently general manager at Manchester’s AO Arena, will lead the teams at BP Pulse LIVE and Utilita Arena Birmingham, with an initial focus on launching the new premium seating and hospitality areas at the UK venues.
“It’s fantastic to be joining the team at the NEC Group at such an exciting time,” says Mitchell. “It’s a unique opportunity to lead a team across two of the best arenas in the country and I’m looking forward to getting started.
“The redevelopment of the premium areas is a huge opportunity and will enable guests to experience shows at a whole new level. I can’t wait to work with the team at the arenas and continue to bring exceptional experiences to all the guests who walk through our doors.”
“Jen brings a wealth of industry experience and I look forward to working closely with her”
Mitchell brings more than 25 years of experience working in the live events industry. Her previous roles also include general manager at First Direct Arena in Leeds and MD at Kings Place. She succeeds NEC Group veteran Guy Dunstan, who recently joined the Manchester’s Co-op Live as general manager and SVP.
“I’m delighted to welcome Jen on board, at such an exciting time for the NEC Group,” adds NEC Group CEO Melanie Smith. “Jen brings a wealth of industry experience and I look forward to working closely with her to deliver a magical experience for guests at our arenas.”
Upcoming concerts at the 15,600-cap BP Pulse LIVE include Kasabian, The Corrs, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Charli XCX and Cyndi Lauper, while the 15,800-cap Utilita Arena Birmingham will host the likes of The Script, Courteeners, Sleep Token, Sam Fender and Slipknot.
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Birmingham arena renamed in new sponsorship deal
Birmingham’s Resorts World Arena is to be renamed bp pulse LIVE as part of a new sponsorship agreement between the NEC Group and the UK electric vehicle (EV) charging network.
Located on the NEC Campus, the 15,600-cap venue will adopt its new name on 1 September.
“We are delighted to partner with the innovative bp pulse, providing electrifying experiences in the venue as well as supporting audiences to make the transition to electric vehicles,” says NEC Group CEO Melanie Smith. “The best partners are those who can add value for the millions of live-event fans that walk through our doors each year, so we can’t wait to start working with bp pulse.”
The deal expands bp pulse’s relationships in the music industry, which already include its sponsorship of community music charity, Music Workshop, and title sponsorship of CarFest, the UK’s largest family fundraising festival.
“We are excited by our thrilling new partnership and to add our name to such a prestigious music venue”
“We are excited by our thrilling new partnership and to add our name to such a prestigious music venue,” says Elen Macaskill, chief customer officer at bp pulse. “Our focus at bp pulse is on delivering convenient and reliable EV charging for customers. By teaming up with a well-known arena at the heart of the UK, we aim to raise awareness of our brand and confidence in EV charging, given how conveniently close it is to our EV charging Gigahub.”
Upcoming concerts at the venue include Doja Cat, Girls Aloud, Deep Purple, The Corrs, Charli XCX, Culture Club, Craig David, Snow Patrol, Gabrielle, Twenty One Pilots and Andre Rieu.
“As the arena takes on a new headline partner in bp pulse LIVE we wish them every success and also look forward to continuing our relationship and affiliation with NEC Group,” adds Vince Williams, marketing director for Resorts World Birmingham. “Enjoying a position adjacent to the arena, we look forward to playing our part in the exciting developments for the NEC in the years to come.”
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AXS takes over NEC Group’s The Ticket Factory
AEG-owned ticketing firm AXS is taking over the ticketing operations previously handled by NEC Group’s internal ticketing arm, The Ticket Factory.
As part of the deal, AXS will now provide its ticketing services to NEC Group’s venues, the Resorts World Arena (cap. 15,685) and Utilita Arena Birmingham (15,800).
In addition, AXS will establish a ticketing hub in Birmingham adjacent to the NEC Campus, and all existing employee roles within The Ticket Factory at the NEC Group will become part of the firm.
“We want to make every customer’s experience brilliant, from the moment they think about buying a ticket, to the experience they have at our venues, and every interaction beyond,” says NEC Group CEO Mel Smith, who last year succeeded Paul Thandi.
“The AXS platform opens new and exciting opportunities for us to connect with customers and enhance their journey with us. We are delighted AXS has chosen to establish a centre of ticketing operations in Birmingham and look forward to a long-term partnership for the benefit of customers and the community.”
“The AXS platform opens new and exciting opportunities for us to connect with customers and enhance their journey with us”
Bryan Perez, CEO, AXS, adds: “We have long admired the NEC Group and The Ticket Factory and are therefore thrilled to welcome them into the AXS family. We share their vision for transforming the entire customer journey for fans at Resorts World Arena and Utilita Arena Birmingham and look forward to deploying our industry-leading AXS Mobile ID for fans and Apex platform for arenas to meet that goal. We are also excited to establish another base of operations in the West Midlands that will help grow and service our partners throughout the UK.”
AXS is the ticketing partner for more than 500 venues, sports teams and event organisers across North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. With offices in London and Manchester, the global ticketing firm’s clients include USGA, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Crypto.com Arena, Coachella, Stagecoach, Stockholm Live, The O2, and B. League (Japan).
In the past fortnight, AXS has acquired a majority stake in event tech firm WRSTBND and secured a partnership with TikTok on an in-app ticketing feature.
AXS’s parent company AEG was reportedly interested in acquiring Vivendi-owned See Tickets but the UK-headquartered ticketing company was snapped up by CTS Eventim earlier this month.
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Metropolis Music launches Birmingham summer series
Metropolis Music has announced a new four-day festival series in the heart of Birmingham, UK.
The 4,999-cap Centenary Square Summer Series will debut across the August Bank Holiday weekend, transforming the city’s Centenary Square into a concert venue featuring “world-class” artists.
The outdoor event, which will be powered solely by the national grid and be single use plastic free, is programmed by Live Nation’s Metropolis Music and produced in partnership with Cuffe & Taylor.
“Birmingham and the people of the West Midlands deserve a flagship summer festival series”
“Birmingham and the people of the West Midlands deserve a flagship summer festival series,” says Dan Roberts, series programmer, Metropolis Music. “In that spirit, we are excited to announce the inaugural Centenary Square Summer Series. Thanks to everyone at Birmingham City Council, [music charity] B:Music, friends and residents around the square for supporting this concept. Bookings are complete; we’ve got some amazing artists lined up for you, more news soon.”
Organisers say the series will mirror the format of the Summer Series at London’s Somerset House and The Piece Hall in Halifax, Yorkshire, Artist announcement is scheduled for Friday 1 March.
“The Centenary Square Summer Series will offer Birmingham residents and visitors the opportunity to see high-profile bands and musicians in the heart of the city centre next summer,” adds Cllr Saima Suleman, cabinet member for digital, culture, heritage and tourism. “The city council alongside B:Music and key stakeholders around Centenary Square have supported Metropolis Music to develop this event which we hope will grow to be a key annual event in Birmingham.”
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NEC Group chief Paul Thandi to become chair
Birmingham-based NEC Group has announced that Paul Thandi is to move into the position of chair after 16 years as CEO.
NEC Group manages five of the UK’s leading business, leisure, and entertainment venues including the 15,700-cap Resorts World Arena and 16,118-cap Utilita Arena Birmingham, as well as national ticketing agency The Ticket Factory.
Under Thandi’s leadership, the group has secured record levels of growth and hosted events from the G7 Summit and Conservative Party Conferences, to Crufts, Concert for Ukraine, Wireless Festival and last summer’s Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
In recent years, he has also spearheaded an NEC Masterplan initiative and steered the group from public sector ownership to private ownership through two management buyouts.
“To be at the helm of this incredible business for so many years has been an honour and I look forward to maintaining a key role”
Thandi will succeed current chairman, Peter Phillipson, who is stepping down from the board in September, while Melanie Smith will take on the role of NEC Group CEO.
Smith was most recently CEO of Ocado.com, and previously held senior roles at Marks & Spencer, Bupa and TalkTalk.
“To be at the helm of this incredible business for so many years has been an honour and I look forward to maintaining a key role in driving the growth of the group,” says Thandi. “We have been lucky to secure Mel to take on the leadership position. The importance of our people and my belief in giving them the best leadership, support and strategy, are all values that Mel shares close to her in her business and personal life, and I look forward to working with her over the coming years. It has been the greatest pleasure being CEO – there are more incredible things to come for the NEC Group.”
In addition, Paul Reeve expected to join the Group as Chief Financial Officer in October, succeeding Richard Ashton. Reeve has spent the last 10 years of his career in senior finance roles at AEG, most recently as CFO.
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TEG Live Europe launches new UK festival
TEG Live Europe has announced a new one-day festival in Birmingham “celebrating diversity, inclusion and gender balance”.
InterMission festival will explore sounds from the UK’s jazz, afro, global, electronica and hip-hop scenes via live music, sound workshops, industry talks and food stalls.
Steam Down, Shy One, Tash LC, QuinzeQuinze, Hagan, TC and the Groove Family are among the acts that will perform at the event, slated for The Mill in Digbeth on 22 July.
In addition to two stages of live music, InterMission will also feature a creative area with music industry lead talks, DJ workshops led by Pioneer, mental health workshops, an outdoor yard with food traders and stalls, and a rooftop takeover from female & gender-minority DJ collectives.
“Music festivals aren’t always a space where minorities feel included, so InterMission is an invitation for all to join”
“I’m so excited for the launch of InterMission,” says TEG promoter and founder of InterMission festival Betty Adesanya. “Birmingham is such a culturally rich place, it was important to me that the festival program reflects this; a celebration of different people and artists coming together in a space that feels safe, that’s curated with them in mind. From personal experience, music festivals aren’t always a space where minorities feel included, so InterMission is an invitation for all to join.
“We need to keep pushing for more diverse and gender-balanced festival line-ups, but we also need to address the lack of black and minority promoters, agents, event managers, and live industry professionals running the shows. I’ve been working in the live music and festival industry for years and when it comes to the people at the top making the big decisions there is a long way to go.”
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Q&A with NEC Group’s Allie Bishop & Lily Tomkins
To mark International Women’s Day, IQ catches up with senior event manager Allie Bishop and event manager Lily Tomkins, to find out more about their day-to-day in the (predominantly female) events management team for NEC Group’s Resorts World Arena and Utilita Arena Birmingham.
What does your day usually look like?
Allie Bishop: Every day is different! But generally, I make sure the wider event management team have the time, resources and training they need to be able to deliver successful events. I also have my own event workload, which involves getting as much information as possible out of a tour, then translating it into an event that will fit safely and successfully into our buildings. Day-to-day this requires a lot of liaison with different people and departments to ensure everyone is working to the same information and objectives. I tend to find myself getting involved in wider projects too, offering operational input into projects that improve our customer journey.
Lily Tomkins: My role is split between planning and utilising information and being the duty manager for shows during the open period. When advancing shows I receive details from the client which is disseminated to our internal arenas teams to ensure the show can be run successfully. As a duty manager you are responsible for the safety of the public during the show, helped very much by the security event manager and event safety representative.
“Following Covid, it’s taken a long time for workers to fully return to the industry, and with events coming in quickly there are still gaps in experience across the board”
How did you start working in the events industry and more specifically for the NEC Group?
AB: I joined the NEC Box Office straight from finishing university, selling tickets in the contact centre. That was 16 years ago! I spent around 10 years in various roles there, before moving over to the event management team around six years ago.
LT: I started in events by volunteering at local festivals and events. Whilst completing a master’s degree in live events at Birmingham City University, I made invaluable contacts during Event Week Live – the NEC Group’s work experience programme for degree-level students – and then as a member of its subsequent Elite mentoring programme, which led me to this role.
What aspect of your job do you most enjoy?
AB: I enjoy problem solving and coming up with different ways of doing things. We’re given great opportunities in our position to challenge the norm and come up with new ideas and solutions, which is very satisfying.
LT: I love the production side and seeing what goes on behind the scenes to put a show together.
What can be the most challenging aspect of your job?
AB: Following Covid, it’s taken a long time for workers to fully return to the industry, and with events coming in quickly there are still gaps in experience across the board, with people often juggling a lot more. Our role has become a lot more reactive as opposed to proactive, which for people who love to plan, can be difficult.
LT: I’ve not been in the role long so learning all aspects of the job has been quite challenging and finding my way around each arena! Also remembering everyone’s names…
“I think arenas have led the way when it comes to bringing on board new talent into operational roles, regardless of gender”
Is there a project or particularly rewarding moment you can highlight?
AB: It’s always rewarding to enjoy the ‘calm before the storm’ – usually a five-minute window between the show being built, but not yet being open to the public. It’s just a snapshot view of the work you’ve put in over the last few months to get it to where it is.
LT: I found the first event I planned and managed last August most rewarding as it felt like a rite of passage into the team!
What is your favourite thing about working in a team of women?
AB: We’re a tight-knit team that always looks out for each other. If someone has had a rough day on a show or with their workload, there will always be someone who will offer to help in whatever way they can.
LT: The team are very supportive of each other as we all know how demanding the role can be, so we all look out for each other.
Do you feel there is a gender imbalance across the live events industry as a whole and if so, do you think enough is being done to address it?
AB: Looking out on the arena floor at 6am for a load in, often you’re one of a handful of women who make up the 100-plus people there to get the show built. It isn’t always the case though, and there are certainly more female reps, touring personnel and security than there were a few years ago. I think arenas have led the way when it comes to bringing on board new talent into operational roles, regardless of gender.
LT: I have been fortunate that most of the teams I have worked in have been mostly female-led and I have never felt held back or discriminated against as a female in any of my roles. However, I have found that when you hit a more senior level within an organisation these roles can often be predominantly male-led. I do think more industries are acknowledging this now and making changes where possible.
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NEC Group unveils new senior commercial team
NEC Group Ticketing & Arenas has unveiled its new senior commercial team.
The Birmingham-based team is spearheaded by commercial director, ticketing and arenas Andy Price and leads on business for the group’s premium hospitality provider Amplify and national ticket agency The Ticket Factory, as well as programming Utilita Arena Birmingham and Resorts World Arena.
“Despite the ongoing challenges our industry faces, performance has been extremely positive for the commercial division this year”
“Despite the ongoing challenges our industry faces, performance has been extremely positive for the commercial division this year, most notably with The Ticket Factory who have had an extremely busy year,” says Price. “As we look to drive future growth, it’s important we harness the experience we already have in the business and I’m excited to see its impact on revenues as we move into the new year.”
The new-look team incorporates three internal promotions. Ben Sharman becomes head of venue programming after bringing a string of major live events to the business, including the Concert for Ukraine, which was delivered with just three weeks’ notice last March.
In addition, Noel Edwards is stepping up to ticketing director and will be responsible for establishing The Ticket Factory as one of the UK’s leading ticketing agents.
The team is completed by Gareth Coleman, who will continue as ticketing general manager, and Nicky Burgess who was appointed as head of sales (premium & groups) last year.
PHOTO (L-R): Ben Sharman, Gareth Coleman, Noel Edwards, Andy Price, Nicky Burgess
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NEC Group’s Guy Dunstan’s 2023 arenas forecast
NEC Group’s ticketing and arenas MD Guy Dunstan has reflected on the past 12 months for the business and offered his forecast for the year ahead in a new interview with IQ.
Birmingham-based NEC Group manages five of the UK’s leading business, leisure, and entertainment venues including the 15,700-cap Resorts World Arena and 16,118-cap Utilita Arena Birmingham, as well as national ticketing agency The Ticket Factory.
The arenas have welcomed acts including Kasabian, Kendrick Lamar, Biffy Clyro, N-Dubz, Kaiser Chiefs, Nightwish and Evanescence this month alone, with the likes of Iron Maiden, Olly Murs, Blink 182, Michael Bublé, Lewis Capaldi, Lizzo and Paramore lined up for 2023.
Overall, however, Dunstan describes the arena sector’s first full year since returning from the pandemic as “decent” rather than “stellar”, and expects 2023 to provide a similar story.
“We all thought 18 months ago that when we got the green light, we were going to have record breaking years”
“When we get to November, you have a good feel for how things are going to look next year and – in terms of what we’ve got confirmed, on sale and pencilled – I’m hoping we’re going to be where we’ve been this year,” he says. “We’ve hit the level of business that we expected. It’s not been a stellar year, but it’s been a decent year in terms of getting back to business. We’ve been hit hard in terms of increased costs right across the board, which obviously then snowballs into costs for consumers and playing venues in the arena market.
“We all thought 18 months ago that when we got the green light, we were going to have record breaking years. It hasn’t been as positive as that but it’s been good enough from a level of shows point of view and I think that will continue next year. I think it’s going to be good, but not spectacular.
Nevertheless, the venues have seen “unprecedented” demand for tickets for British comedian Peter Kay’s first stand-up arena tour in over a decade. The tour, which currently includes 16 Birmingham dates, begins next month and is scheduled to run until July 2025.
“It’s the highest demand we’ve ever seen for an onsale on our website, it was just through the roof,” says Dunstan. “We knew from previous experience with him that it would be really strong, but this was off the chart, absolutely amazing.”
Dunstan is further buoyed by the strong sales performances of recent and upcoming first-time arena headliners such as Billie Eilish, Lewis Capaldi, Machine Gun Kelly, Dave, Yungblud and Tom Grennan, as well as non-music productions like The Masked Singer Live, Disney on Ice, Ru Paul’s Drag Race and Cirque du Soleil.
“People are still wanting to go to shows, which is encouraging”
“People are still wanting to go to shows, which is encouraging,” he adds. “The last month was a real litmus test based on the doom and gloom that we’d been hearing throughout the media. We get it that people’s incomes and costs have been squeezed on utilities and the last couple of months are where people were seeing their energy costs jump up significantly. But we’ve seen in previous recessions that people still want to come out and be entertained and hopefully that will continue.”
The former National Arenas Association chair also weighs in on the current volatility of the pound to dollar exchange rate and its impact on US acts coming to the UK.
“We might see a reduction in international acts over the next couple of years,” he surmises. “We’ve had some decent onsales with those acts from across the Atlantic, so I’m hoping that drives confidence but if we do see a slowdown, hopefully that gap can be filled by domestic acts and we still see the same levels of business.
“It is something we’re keeping an eye on, but right now the level of business is in line with what we were forecasting when we came back to business 12 months ago, so hopefully we’ll get to where we need to be.”
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Concert for Ukraine raises £12m+ for war relief
Last night’s (29 March) Concert For Ukraine fundraiser in Birmingham raised £12.2 million for the humanitarian relief effort in the country.
Stars including Ed Sheeran, Camila Cabello and Emeli Sande took to the stage at Birmingham’s Resorts World Arena for the televised event.
Anne Marie, Snow Patrol, Manic Street Preachers, Nile Rodgers and Chic and Gregory Porter also performed and, elsewhere, Ukrainian singer Jamala delivered a rendition of her Eurovision-winning track, 1944.
The two-hour show, held to raise money for the Disasters Emergency Committee’s (DEC) Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal, was expected to raise over £3m.
However, according to ITV, which broadcast the show, over £12m has been raised so far, with the number expected to increase.
As well as millions of pounds of public donations, the broadcasters donated an estimated £3m of advertising revenue
As well as millions of pounds of public donations, the broadcasters donated an estimated £3m of advertising revenue. Another £250,000 was generated by ticket sales.
Alongside ITV, Concert for Ukraine was organised by STV, Livewire Pictures, DEC and media and entertainment group Global.
Elsewhere, a spate of benefit concerts held in Europe over the past week together raised around €20 million for related causes. Sound of Peace, a televised live concert that took place on 20 March in Berlin and raised more than €12m, according to the organisers.
Together with Ukraine, a televised live concert held at the Atlas Arena (cap. 13,000) in Łódź, Poland, organised by promoter Follow the Step, reportedly raised more than €6m.
A pair of events spearheaded by Dutch promoter Alda also raised upwards of €1m for the Romanian Red Cross. We Are One took place at the National Arena in Bucharest, Romania, while Dance For Ukraine was staged at Poland’s Tauron Arena.
Jamala hitting the high notes and showing the love for Ukraine 💙 💛 #ConcertForUkraine
To donate, head to https://t.co/O6jz1ICo8e pic.twitter.com/imKS7OiXYT
— ITV (@ITV) March 29, 2022
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