Rob Wilmshurst to lead CTS Eventim’s UK ticketing
See Tickets UK co-founder and CEO Rob Wilmshurst has assumed responsibility for all of CTS Eventim Group’s ticketing activities in the territory.
The company operates in the UK under the See Tickets and Eventim UK brands, having completed its acquisition of Vivendi’s festival and international ticketing businesses – including See – in a €300 million deal earlier this year. The deal, which concluded in June, also included a portfolio of 11 festivals including the UK’s Love Supreme and Kite, plus Garorock in France.
Wilmshurst is taking on the enhanced role at the firm amid the exit of Eventim UK MD Martin Fitzgerald, who is leaving at his own request to devote more time to his personal projects outside of ticketing.
John Gibson will remain with the company as MD, forming part of an expanded management team under Wilmshurst’s leadership.
“I congratulate Rob on his new role and look forward to working closely with him,” says CTS Eventim COO Alexander Ruoff. “I would like to thank Martin for his contributions in building Eventim UK and wish him all the best in his personal and professional endeavours. I also welcome John’s continued commitment to expanding our UK business.
“We are confident that the newly integrated management team will play a key role in further developing both the brands See Tickets and Eventim UK, and in offering our partners even better, more tailored solutions. I wish Rob and his expanded team continued success.”
Wilmshurst co-founded the Way Ahead Group in 1998
Wilmshurst began his career at Nottingham record shop Way Ahead Records. In 1998, he co-founded the Way Ahead Group and expanded into ticket sales. Since 2004, the company has operated under the See Tickets brand.
Fitzgerald, meanwhile, joined London-based Eventim UK in 2021 after 18 years with See, latterly as chief commercial officer, and is stepping back from ticketing after serving in the sector for more than three decades.
Elaborating on his departure on LinkedIn, he wrote: “Anyone who has known me for more than an hour knows my real passion is writing. That received an outlet in 2017 when I wrote first book and, as a result of that, I was asked to write a film. I’m now very pleased to announce that the film is in pre-production and shooting starts this November in London, Scotland and Rome.
“So, in short, I’m off to follow my passion and hopefully write more, something I’m extremely excited about. In the future I may dip in with the odd bit of consultancy but, for now, it very much is goodbye and thank you.”
Last month, CTS Eventim raised its guidance for 2024 in light of its “excellent” Q2 financial results, which included its recently acquired festival and international ticketing businesses from Vivendi for the first time.
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Eventim UK chairman to step down
CTS Eventim has announced that Nick Blackburn is stepping down from his post as chairman of Eventim UK on 30 September 2021.
Blackburn joined the British subsidiary of the pan-European live entertainment giant in June 2011, two years after it launched.
At the London-based ticketing company, Nick was responsible for Eventim’s business development in the UK and Ireland. He was previously chairman and CEO of See Tickets in the UK.
“I have enjoyed my time at Eventim which turned out to be longer than I originally expected,” says Nick Blackburn.
“I would not leave until there was a strong management structure in place which could take the company forward”
“I informed Klaus-Peter Schulenberg [CEO of CTS Eventim] of my intentions last March as by then I had introduced John Gibson and Martin Fitzgerald to the company, both now managing directors at Eventim UK, thus keeping my promise that I would not leave until there was a strong management structure in place which could take the company forward.
“I am now free to move on to consultancy work, to spend more time on an educational charity of which I am a trustee and complete some items in my bucket list especially in travel.”
Schulenberg added: “Over the past ten years, Nick has taken Eventim UK forward and strengthened its position in this important market. In addition, I would like to thank him for setting the course for the continued positive development of our company in the UK. I wish Nick all the best for his future.”
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Eventim UK appoints John Gibson as MD
CTS Eventim has appointed John Gibson as managing director of its London-based British subsidiary, Eventim UK.
Gibson, who started his new role in January, joins Eventim UK from online marketplace Groupon UK, where he headed up the live ticketing business for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
The new Eventim UK MD previously held senior positions at SeatGeek, Vivaticket, Ticketmaster UK and See Tickets.
“I am delighted to have John on board in his role of managing director,” comments Eventim UK chairman Nick Blackburn.
“Gibson brings a wealth of experience with him, including an in-depth knowledge of all aspects of our industry”
“He brings a wealth of experience with him; which includes an in-depth knowledge, and understanding, of all aspects of our industry.”
According to the International Ticketing Yearbook 2019, Eventim UK is one of a number of major international corporates operating in the UK ticketing industry, along with Ticketmaster, See Tickets, AXS and Eventbrite.
Read IQ’s special anniversary feature on CTS Eventim here.
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