We round up the latest movements from the stadium ecosystem…
AS Roma has appointed Lina Souloukou as its new chief executive officer and general manager.
Souloukou was chief executive of Greek side Olympiacos FC between 2018-2022. After studying law with a specialisation in sport, she has worked in football for over 15 years.
Souloukou will take office at the Serie A club with immediate effect having completed the relative corporate procedures.
Roma owners Dan and Ryan Friedkin said: “Lina is an experienced, respected and recognised leader in the world of football and business: we are happy to welcome her to the AS Roma family. We will work closely with her to continue to take the club to the highest level, as the fans and city deserve.”
In 2019, Souloukou was appointed a member of the executive board of the European Clubs’ Association (ECA), a position she still holds today.
Souloukou said: “I would like to express my gratitude to the Friedkin family for the opportunity they have given me: I have had the opportunity to understand and appreciate the spirit and ambition that animate the property and I am honoured to have the opportunity to share the challenges that await the AS Rome.”
Co-op Live, a new 23,500-capacity arena scheduled to open in Manchester later this year, has appointed former Ticketmaster UK executive Gary Roden as its executive director and general manager.
Roden will oversee operation of Co-op Live and spearhead the future vision and strategy of the venue, which will be the UK’s largest live entertainment arena.
He joins Co-op Live after eight years at Ticketmaster UK, most recently serving as senior vice-president of client development and commercial. Roden will assume control of the strategic and operational delivery of Co-op Live, leading the arena’s eight-strong executive team. Read more here.
Australia’s National Basketball League has appointed David Stevenson as chief executive officer.
Stevenson previously held positions at the AFL as general manager of operations, the Western Bulldogs as CEO and Nike as VP & GM of Emerging Markets. During almost seven years at the AFL and 17 years at Nike, Stevenson held many executive positions in sports, commercial, operations, and retail both in Australia, New Zealand and Internationally across Asia and the USA.
Stevenson also has strong governance experience as the board chair of a state government health service.
“David is a growth focused executive and the perfect fit for the NBL as we enter the most exciting period in our history,” said Larry Kestelman, the League’s executive director and owner.
“We have seen unprecedented growth and achieved significant records in key areas across the business including TV viewership, commercial revenue, attendances, fan growth, database, digital media following and engagement, and media exposure, but we are striving for much, much more.”
Helen Phillips has been elected as the new President of Commonwealth Games Wales (CGW).
Phillips was nominated by the CGW Board and is set to take over from Anne Ellis, who held the role for two Games cycles.
She has been an integral part of Team Wales’ planning and delivery at five Commonwealth Games including Melbourne 2006, New Delhi 2010, and most recently as chair for Glasgow 2014, Gold Coast 2018 and Birmingham 2022.
“I am honoured to accept the role as President, and the opportunity to take the baton from the great Anne Ellis OBE, who has inspired so many in Welsh Sport heightens the honour that goes beyond any of my previous achievements,” Phillips said.
Former Scotland player John Jeffrey has announced he is stepping down from his position as director and chair of Scottish Rugby to focus on his new global role as vice-chair of World Rugby role.
The former international, who played for Scotland between 1984 and 1991, has been chair of Scottish Rugby for three years.
Last week, he informed the board of the Scottish Rugby Union, the custodian body which represents Scottish rugby clubs – the owners of the game in Scotland – that he would be stepping down immediately and would not seek re-appointment as a non-executive director.
Jeffrey’s new role will be ratified by the World Rugby Council at its annual meeting on May 11 and he will serve until November 2024, the end of the current term.
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.
