BOB NEWMAN

President
AEG Facilities

In February, AEG Facilities, the venue management subsidiary of AEG, and SMG announced an agreement to merge, combining to operate a diversified portfolio of 310 venues across five continents. Bob Newman, president of AEG Facilities and a former regional vice president at SMG, was tapped to serve as president and CEO of the merged company — to be called ASM Global — once the transaction is complete.

“It is an honor and privilege to be a part of this exciting new company, which brings together the two organizations where I have worked for the bulk of my professional career,” Newman said in a statement when the merger was announced. “This transaction draws upon the depth of our combined talent and resources to create an organization that will deliver value and long-term success, as well as innovative services to our clients around the world.” 

“AEG Facilities has flourished under Bob’s leadership since it was established a decade ago and this combination will position ASM for growth by joining the resources and talents of these two companies,” Dan Beckerman, president and CEO of AEG, noted in the statement. “ASM will offer an impressive array of capabilities that will accelerate the development and deployment of new services and bring diverse business, sports and entertainment experiences to municipalities, partners and fans around the world.”

ASM Global will face the challenge and opportunity of managing a massive list of venues around the world, and Newman stressed the importance of tailoring operations to each locality.

“It takes time,” Newman told Pollstar. “It takes effort. But if you want to have long-term success it’s something that you have to do. You have no choice.”