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AEG Germany VP Uwe Frommhold announces retirement

Veteran AEG Europe executive Uwe Frommhold is to retire from his position as VP and COO AEG Germany after 17 years with the company.

Frommhold, who joined the company in 2007 when the company purchased the 16,000-cap. Color Line Arena in Hamburg (now the Barclays Arena), of which he was MD, will continue to serve AEG in a consulting role, working across selected projects.

“After careful consideration, and with the support of AEG Europe president & CEO Alex Hill and AEG Europe COO John Langford, I have decided the time is right to wind down my journey with AEG after 17 years with the company and 22 years in the venue business,” says Frommhold. “I am extremely grateful that I have been able to work with many incredible people during my tenure and shape the German live events landscape together with them. With a strong German leadership team in place, the time is right for me to step back.

“I would like to thank AEG for what has been an unbelievable journey and for continuously trusting and supporting me. Most importantly, I want to thank all the people at AEG, especially the teams in Hamburg, Berlin and London, who I’ve had the pleasure of working with during this time. I’m excited to see what’s next for the future of AEG in Germany and will be cheering the team on from the sidelines.”

“Renowned as a respected and well-connected leader, Uwe has indelibly shaped our business, our team and the industry”

VP & CFO Jan Kienappel will be promoted to the role of COO & CFO AEG Germany, reporting to Hill, when Frommhold’s retirement takes effect on 1 February 2024.

“As Uwe takes a step back and looks toward his well-deserved retirement, we extend our gratitude for his exceptional leadership and commitment to AEG Germany throughout his impressive 17-year tenure,” says John Langford, COO of AEG Europe.

“Renowned as a respected and well-connected leader, Uwe has indelibly shaped our business, our team and the industry. It is hard to believe that when Uwe joined AEG back in 2007 as arena director in Hamburg, the Mercedes-Benz Arena, Mercedes Platz and Verti Music Hall did not yet exist. Uwe has been instrumental in guiding AEG Germany to the market-leading position it enjoys today. The values he instilled in our German business have become the benchmark for the industry, and that says it all.”

 


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AEG brings in reusable cup system at German venues

AEG has announced it is introducing a self-operated reusable cup system with in-house cup washing lines in its German venues.

Visitors to the Barclays Arena in Hamburg and the Mercedes-Benz Arena and Verti Music Hall in Berlin will consume their drinks at events from recycled cups of the Ökocup (eco-cup) brand, which will be washed directly on site.

The company says that cleaning the reusable cups at the arenas will allow it to achieve greater sustainability, avoiding the emissions that would normally be generated during transport to an external cup washing line.

“Regardless of how environmentally friendly the disposal of our cups has been up to now, it is simply better not to produce any waste in the first place”

“For us, the introduction of the reusable cup system with an in-house cup rinsing line is a decisive step in our efforts to achieve greater sustainability in the operation of our venues,” says Uwe Frommhold, VP & COO AEG Germany. “After all, regardless of how environmentally friendly the disposal of our cups has been up to now, it is simply better not to produce any waste in the first place.

“By acquiring an in-house rinsing line, we avoid transport-related emissions and solve the logistical challenges that previously prevented us from using a reusable system with external cup rinsing.”

The reusable system replaces the biodegradable PLA disposable cups previously used in AEG’s German venues for beer and soft drinks, as well as the paper cups for all hot drinks. In the future, the switch will eliminate a total of 90 tons of waste per year across all three venues.

AEG has commissioned rinsing technology specialist Meiko to install the rinsing systems in the Barclays Arena and the Mercedes-Benz Arena. The system in the Mercedes-Benz Arena will then also be used to clean the cups of the neighbouring Verti Music Hall. According to AEG, the systems in the German AEG arenas will be able to clean up to 5,300 cups per hour and meet the highest hygiene standards.

 


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Paul Cheetham leaves Verti Music Hall

Verti Music Hall booking director Paul Cheetham is leaving his role at the Berlin venue, effective 14 August.

Cheetham has served as the booking director at Verti Music Hall since its inception in 2018, joining the AEG team the year before. Cheetham was among those to attend the opening of the 4,350-capacity venue, which is adjacent to AEG’s Mercedes-Benz Arena (17,000-cap.) in Berlin’s city centre.

“The Anschutz Entertainment Group would like to thank Paul Cheetham for his great commitment and his successful work in recent years as the person responsible for booking the Verti Music Hall,” comments Uwe Frommhold, vice president and COO of AEG Germany.

“Paul was an important part of the team at the opening of the Verti Music Hall in October 2018 and the establishment of the new venue in the Berlin event market”

“Paul was an important part of the team at the opening of the Verti Music Hall in October 2018 and the establishment of the new venue in the Berlin event market. We wish him all the best for his future career.”

Before joining AEG, Cheetham – who has over 20 years experience in the live industry – was managing director for Heartburst Management, where he was involved in staging industry events Popkomm, Berlin Music Week and Reeperbahn Festival.

Previously, he worked for Mean Fiddler (now Festival Republic) and Live Nation Scandinavia in Finland.

According to Stadionwelt, AEG event manger Markus Jentsch will temporarily take over booking for the Verti Music Hall.

 


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Frommhold named VP, COO of AEG Facilities Germany

Uwe Frommhold has been appointed vice-president and chief operating officer (COO) of AEG Facilities Germany, which operates three arenas in Germany.

Frommhold joined AEG in 2007, when the company purchased the 16,000-cap. Color Line Arena in Hamburg (now the Barclaycard Arena), of which he was the managing director. He was most recently vice-president of AEG Facilities Germany, and in his new role, effective 1 April, will support the company’s entire business in Germany, including AEG Global Partnerships and AEG Real Estate.

He now hands over management of the Barclaycard Arena to Steve Schwenkglenks, who has been promoted to general manager of the venue.

“Uwe’s industry experience and leadership will be key in growing AEG’s business in Germany”

Richard Krezwick, senior vice-president of AEG Europe Facilities, comments: “Uwe’s industry experience and leadership will be key in growing AEG’s business in Germany. Barclaycard Arena in Hamburg, Mercedes-Benz Arena and the €200 million development of Mercedes Platz in Berlin make Germany a key component of our international operations. Uwe’s promotion exemplifies our keen interest and support of the German market.

“This is a well deserved promotion for Steve. He has done a tremendous job for the company in Hamburg and with all of his additional assignments” – which include spells in Brazil – “over the years.”

 


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