AEG Presents has appointed Lisa Mart to the newly created position of regional general manager of Indigo at The O2 and Watford Colosseum.

Mart, who will be based in London, brings more than 15 years of experience across the live events and venue industry, will be responsible for overseeing the commercial and operational performances of both venues.

She has spent the past 13 years with ATG Entertainment, initially serving as front of house manager at New Wimbledon Theatre and later as general manager.

She joined The Alexandra, Birmingham, in 2016 as theatre director and has most recently been venue director at Swansea Building Society Arena, where she managed the full venue launch and opening.

“I am really honoured to be joining the AEG Presents team as part of their exciting mid-size venue expansion,” says Mart. “This role is a really perfect culmination of my previous experience – both Indigo at The O2 and Watford Colosseum have impressive and iconic histories to date, and I am looking forward to celebrating that whilst taking advantage of their incredible potential.”

Mart will report to AEG Presents UK group venues operations director Stuart Dorn.

“We are delighted to welcome Lisa to AEG Presents, a key team member as we continue to grow our mid-size venue portfolio,” says Dorn. “She brings a wealth of experience, which will help with both the establishment of Watford Colosseum and the continued growth of indigo at The O2, which will host over 200 shows in 2025.”

Watford Colosseum is set to reopen in the autumn following a multi-million-pound refurbishment as AEG’s mid-size venue expansion gathers pace, with the Olympia music venue in London also set to launch in 2026 as part of the wider £1.3 billion regeneration of Olympia.

“The Middle East is home to an incredible range of innovative brands, and I look forward to showcasing their value on a global stage”

Earlier this week meanwhile, AEG Global Partnerships appointed Fadi Zouein to the role of VP, global partnerships, Middle East.

In the newly created role, Zouein will focus on developing strategic partnerships with Middle Eastern brands for the company’s portfolio of global assets. He will be responsible for identifying brand partners from the region and introducing opportunities across AEG venues including LA’s Crypto.com Arena, The O2 in London and multi-purpose arena projects in APAC, as well as festivals such as Coachella, BST Hyde Park and Rock en Seine.

“Our Global Partnerships business is unrivalled in its ability to create innovative campaigns and sponsorships that enable brands to build deeper relationships with their customers, and I’m looking forward to seeing the growth and value that Fadi can unlock not only for our business, but among our future business partners from the Middle East,” says Paul Samuels, EVP of AEG Global Partnerships.

Zouein joins from Al Jazira Club, where he was group chief commercial and marketing officer.

“I am truly excited to join AEG Global Partnerships,” says Zouein. “The Middle East is home to an incredible range of innovative brands, and I look forward to showcasing their value on a global stage through dynamic, strategic partnerships.”

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The CEO of AEG Presents UK, Steve Homer, has previewed the promoter’s tour pipeline and opened up on its expanding venue portfolio and burgeoning business outside live music.

The company has confirmed 2025 runs with acts including Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen and Kylie Minogue, Tyler, the Creator, Chase & Status, The Offspring, Olly Murs and The Darkness, with further announcements expected before the end of the year.

Speaking to IQ, Homer believes the firm is “in good shape” for the year ahead.

“The framework of our year is looking very solid at the moment, so that’s encouraging,” Homer tells IQ. “There’s still more arena and stadium stuff to come before the end of the year and other, more perennial theatre tours going out. But 2025 feels like it’s in good shape at the moment. You never count your chickens, but it feels quite promising.”

A personal highlight for Homer will be The Darkness’ 29 March concert at OVO Arena Wembley, which will see the rockers supported by Ash.

“It’s a little bit déjà vu, because I’ve worked with them right from the start and the Permission To Land tour that I did with them over 20 years ago had Ash as support,” he says. “Now it’s come full circle and they’re back supporting them on this tour.”

“The catchment area for Watford is staggeringly big, so to be able to do a Watford and a London show is not going to be difficult”

Earlier this month, AEG announced that Watford Colosseum is officially open for bookings ahead of its 2025 relaunch. The company and Watford Borough Council have signed contracts for the venue, which has a capacity of 2,345 standing/1,189 seated.

It follows its successful relaunch of The Halls Wolverhampton, which reopened in May last year with a special show by Blur.

“Wolverhampton has exceeded its target for live music,” explains Homer. “We’ve had some really strong shows with things like Paul Weller, Liam Gallagher & John Squire and Richard Ashcroft. We’ve also got Bob Dylan coming to do two shows in a couple of weeks and The Prodigy coming before the end of the year, so it’s back on the map.”

He continues: “We’re looking to do an opening series [at Watford] in the same way that we did with Wolverhampton, which will be September ’25. Watford is an interesting one as it had been closed for quite a while, but we’re very much on the front foot in terms of addressing the diary and going out there and selling it. Even though it’s quite close into London, the catchment area for Watford is staggeringly big, so to be able to do a Watford and a London show is not going to be difficult.”

In London, Homer reports that Indigo at The O2 is on track to post its busiest year yet with around 230 shows, while business at Hammersmith’s Eventim Apollo has also remained strong despite the reopening of O2 Academy Brixton (“It’s great to have Brixton back and we’re not seeing a downturn in shows in Hammersmith, which is positive,” he adds). AEG’s 4,400-cap live music venue within the Olympia London scheme, meanwhile, is in line to enter the fray by 2026.

“Other parts of the venue business are not quite as strong,” notes Homer. “The corporate side needs a bit of work. It’s not as exciting as live music, but it’s what pays the bills. So there’s some work to be done there for us, because that market has been variable, to say the least. But on the whole, it’s feeling like it’s in healthy shape.”

“There’s a real focus on keeping the business growing at every opportunity, but music is always the main thing”

Homer also touches upon AEG’s expanded remit outside of music, including its comedy and entertainment division.

“It’s becoming an ever-more diverse but important part of our business, and it’s bringing in significant numbers,” he says. “Out of the 1,500 shows we did this year, it accounts for around 350 and there’s more planned for next year. The broader entertainment side – involving podcasts and gaming and things like that – is becoming far more part of our core business, rather than like a bolt on.

“One thing I think we’ve done well over the past 18 months is develop the other parts of entertainment that we provide – we’ve also got [AEG artistic director] Lucy Noble developing the classical and orchestral side of things. There’s a real focus on keeping the business growing at every opportunity, but music is always the main thing.”

Meanwhile, US country music superstar Zach Bryan has announced an additional date at AEG’s BST Hyde Park after the first night sold out. The US singer-songwriter will now perform at the event on 28 & 29 June 2025.

Read part one of IQ‘s interview with Homer, where he focuses on the resurgence of guitar music, ticket pricing and the company’s latest London festival Lido, here.

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AEG Presents has announced Watford Colosseum is officially open for bookings ahead of its 2025 relaunch.

The company and Watford Borough Council have signed contracts for the venue, which has a standing capacity of 2,345, or 1,189 seated, and is undergoing an extensive multi-million pound refurbishment programme ahead of its reopening.

Enhancements include a new stage and reopened main entrance, plus major improvements to its mechanical and electrical systems.

“The diary is now officially open for venue bookings and we’re looking forward to connecting with our network to curate an events calendar that resonates with the residents of Watford and its visitors,” says AEG Presents UK CEO Steve Homer. “It’s a real honour to collaborate with Watford Borough Council and to bring our expertise to the ongoing developments of the venue and area.”

The ongoing upgrades to Watford Colosseum, initiated in 2022, focus on sustainability and preservation of the venue’s history. When complete, the project will inject just under £2million into the local economy annually, creating new job and volunteer opportunities.

AEG has also revealed details of 2025 concert series The Warwick Sessions

“This is great news for Watford,” adds Watford mayor Peter Taylor. “AEG Presents UK are globally acclaimed for outstanding venues and live performances. I am delighted that they are now partners with us. This is a significant vote of confidence in our multi-million investment in the iconic cultural landmark. With enhanced facilities, the Colosseum will soon host fantastic performances, boosting our town’s cultural scene and local economy.”

Watford Colosseum is the newest addition to the AEG Presents UK mid-sized venue expansion alongside Eventim Apollo, Indigo at The O2 and University of Wolverhampton at The Halls. AXS, AEG’s global ticketing platform, will be the official ticketing partner for the venue.

AEG has also revealed details of The Warwick Sessions 2025, which will take place at St Nicholas’ Park from 4-6 July next year, headlined by The Stranglers, S Club and Elbow. The concert series will build upon The Castle Sessions, held at Warwick Castle earlier this year.

Promoters Chloe Pean and Rachel Lloyd say: “AEG Presents is delighted to announce The Warwick Sessions for summer 2025 following the success of The Castle Sessions. St Nicholas Park is a unique setting in a town with a great appetite for live music.”

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AEG Presents is to manage the 2,000-cap Watford Colosseum when it reopens in 2024 following an extensive multi-million pound refurbishment programme.

The appointment, which follows a procurement process run by Watford Borough Council, comes on the heels of AEG’s partnership with the City of Wolverhampton Council to revive The Halls Wolverhampton, which will re-open its doors on 1 June.

With many original art deco features, the 10,210 square foot Colosseum can accommodate 2,000 people standing or 1,392 people seated.

“We see great potential for this historic venue that has hosted a long list of big names over the years”

“We are delighted to bring live music and entertainment back to the stage at this much-loved venue in the heart of Watford,” says AEG Presents UK CEO Steve Homer. “As AEG Presents continues to expand its network of mid-sized venues around the world, we see great potential for this historic venue that has hosted a long list of big names over the years. From live music and dance to comedy, we’re excited to bring world-class artists back to Watford for the local community to enjoy.”

Watford Colosseum and The Halls Wolverhampton join AEG’s global network of more than 350 owned, operated and affiliated venues. In the UK, these include the Eventim Apollo London, Indigo at The O2 in London and the new live music venue at Olympia London set to open in 2024.

Last December, AEG Europe announced a handful of new appointments within AEG Presents UK as part of its growth and development plans across the venues and touring business. The company also hired Chris Wareing and Paris Harding from SJM, named Lucy Noble, previously of the Royal Albert Hall, as its inaugural artistic director and hired Georgie Donnelly as its first head of comedy .

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