Features

People on the move: ASM Global, Utah Jazz and more

ASM Global has appointed Alex Merchán as executive vice-president of marketing as it looks to substantially increase the company’s programs for its portfolio of facilities across the world.

Merchán (pictured left) joins ASM having served as executive vice-president of Live Nation Entertainment from June 2017, specifically for its clubs and theatres division.

Read our story from last week for full details on Merchán’s appointment.

Danny Ainge has been named chief executive of the Utah Jazz NBA basketball team.

Ainge was appointed to the role by Smith Entertainment Group, the operating company which owns the Jazz and the team’s Vivint Arena. Ainge will also represent SEG as an alternate governor for the Jazz on the NBA’s board of governors.

Ainge joins SEG and the Jazz after 18 years with the Boston Celtics, where he most recently served as president of basketball operations. He was previously head coach of the Phoenix Suns.

The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) has appointed David Courell as its new chief operating officer.

Courell will join the FAI from the English Football Association (FA), where he serves as head of the UK and Ireland’s 2030 FIFA World Cup bid. He will begin his new role in January and will replace outgoing chief operating officer Rea Walshe, who is leaving the body to establish a consultancy business.

Prior to joining the FA, Courell played a key role in the London 2012 Olympic Games as operations manager for the Olympic Stadium. He worked as director of operations for the British Paralympic Association before joining the FA in 2017.

Ticketing company AXS has appointed Jay Sietsema (pictured centre) as general manager for its Swedish unit.

Sietsema will be targeting the continued development of AXS Sweden and will work with its portfolio of clients which include Stockholm Live and clubs in the Swedish Ice Hockey League and Swedish Elite Football League.

Sietsema has previously worked at Live Nation and AEG Facilities, and most recently served as managing director for Eventim Sweden. In his new role, he will report to AXS chief operating officer Tom Andrus. He replaces Oscar Klingensjö and officially begins the role on January 3.

Live entertainment and ticketing technology company TEG has appointed Randy Phillips (pictured right) to its board of directors.

Phillips’ role will be both advisory and operational. He will work alongside TEG’s Los Angeles-based executive Amos Pizzey to contribute to the expansion of the TEG footprint in live entertainment.

Phillips most recently served as president and chief executive of music event producer LiveStyle and previously worked as chief executive of AEG Live for 13 years.

Ticketmaster has named Chris Donohue as general manager of Front Gate Tickets, its festival ticketing platform for North America.

Donohue will oversee a wide range of global strategic initiatives spanning multiple departments, from field technology to product, account management, marketing and sales.

Do you have news of an appointment that we should know about? Get in touch by emailing news.editor@thestadiumbusiness.com and we’ll include it in our next round-up.