ESNS appoints Anna van Nunen as GM
ESNS (Eurosonic Noorderslag) has appointed Anna van Nunen as the new general manager.
Her appointment is effective from 18 March, succeeding Dago Houben, who announced his departure last June. Frans Vreeke temporarily filled the position in the interim.
Nunen is an experienced executive who places sustainable entrepreneurship at the core of her career. She founded Innofest, a platform where numerous sustainable enterprises can test their innovations at Dutch festivals.
As the commercial director of Greener Power Solutions, a pioneer in clean mobile battery power at events, she was responsible for the startup’s growth into a European scale-up. She is also the founder of the lobbying platform ‘Ikd Lobby’ and actively participates as a keynote speaker, panellist, and moderator at events such as ESNS, Amsterdam Dance Event, and Dutch Design Week.
“ESNS is entering a new phase, one that requires new leadership”
Having grown up frequenting Groningen’s pop venues Vera and Simplon, Anna has ESNS marked in her calendar every year. She eagerly anticipates her new role, stating: “Having grown up in Groningen and with a big heart for the music sector, it is a huge honour to start working as director at Eurosonic Noorderslag. I am eager to strengthen the conference and festival with the team. In the coming years, I want to ensure a future-proof organisation and a rock-solid positioning of ESNS in Europe.”
Jeroen van Erp, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of ESNS adds: “ESNS is entering a new phase, one that requires new leadership. As a Supervisory Board, we are very pleased with the appointment of Anna van Nunen as director. With her background in the festival world, experience in sustainability and the start-up world, she embodies what we stand for: Always looking for new talent, new developments where inclusivity and sustainability are of paramount importance.”
ESNS will take place between 17–20 January 2024 in Groningen, the Netherlands.
Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.
Eurosonic chief quits showcase event
Eurosonic Noorderslaag (ESNS) has announced that general manager Dago Houben has quit the organisation with immediate effect.
A statement issued by the event’s Supervisory Board says that Houben’s departure is “ due to a difference of opinion within the ESNS leadership about the way in which an organisational development considered necessary by all parties involved should take shape.”
Houben is the second senior staffer to quit in recent months following the departure of conference head Ruud Berends in May, also due to a “difference of opinion”.
Houben has run the European showcase event since 2009 and is credited by the organisation with growing its programming, media attention, budget, number of stages and visitor numbers over that time.
“It is with pride, but certainly also with sentiment, that I bid farewell to a great event and a wonderful organisation with great cultural relevance”
Antje Diertens, chair of the Supervisory Board, says that the board regrets Houben’s departure, and that, “Dago was director since 2009, a very successful period for ESNS in which it has grown into a globally respected platform for European pop music. We thank him for his commitment.”
In turn, Houben says “It is with pride, but certainly also with sentiment, that I bid farewell to a great event and a wonderful organisation with great cultural relevance. I thank everyone who has supported and assisted me and ESNS over the past years. It was a privilege to be able to lead this organisation.”
Frans Vreeke will start as interim director on 4 July with Daniële Streep acting as deputy director temporarily. The Supervisory Board has begun the process of identifying a successor.
Eurosonic Noorderslag takes place in Groningen in The Netherlands from 17-20 January 2024.
Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.