Faces + Places
Lynsey Wollaston
AEG Europe has appointed Lynsey Wollaston as vice president and general manager for its European festivals division. Wollaston brings over 16 years of commercial and operations experience to AEG. She will “oversee the European festival team’s day-to-day operations and play a key role in developing and supporting the strategic vision for the division alongside the U.S. AEG Presents senior leadership team,” according to the announcement. AEG’s roster of festivals in the UK and Europe includes American Express Presents BST Hyde Park, and Luno Presents All Points East in London, Rock en Seine in Paris, and the newest addition, the Bristol-based Forwards. Prior to joining AEG, Wollaston held the role of managing director of festivals and events at Vision Nine Group, and previously served as the global operations director at IMG (Arts, Entertainment and Culinary), operations manager for the Royal Horticultural Society.
Gary Roden
Co-op Live, the 23,500-capacity arena scheduled to open in Manchester, United Kingdom, 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. He joins Co-op Live, developed by VenuesNow parent company Oak View Group, 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-member executive team. Co-op Live is a joint venture between OVG and City Football Group and will form part of Manchester’s Etihad Campus.
Keia Cole
BSE Global has appointed Keia Cole as chief digital officer, where she will oversee all technology, digital products, information systems and analytics for the parent company of the Brooklyn Nets and Barclays Center. Before BSE Global, Cole held multiple positions at MassMutual, including head of digital experiences.
Tim Savona
ASM Global announced Tim Savona as the new general manager of Pinnacle Bank Arena and Pinewood Bowl in Lincoln, Nebraska. Savona succeeds previous GM Tom Lorenz, who died in October and had served in the role since the arena opened in 2013. Savona was most recently general manager of the Tyson Event Center and Orpheum Theater in Sioux City, Iowa. He started his new job in February. Savona also served as GM at the Ford Idaho Center and Nampa Civic Center in Idaho from 2015 to 2019. From 2013 to 2015, he was a member of the senior management team at the Budweiser Events Center in Loveland, Colorado, as assistant GM and director of events.
Christian Navarro
Oak View Group has tapped renowned Wally’s Wine and Spirits entrepreneur and wine expert Christian Navarro to curate
ultra-premium culinary experiences for guests of its company’s sports and entertainment venues. The partnership with Navarro aims “to curate a luxurious, ultra-premium culinary experience for guests” while reimagining “the premium hospitality and spirits landscape.” The goal is to “set a new elevated standard at the pinnacle of VIP hospitality for live events including arenas, stadiums, and festivals around the globe.” Navarro stated that he “couldn’t feel more bullish about what we are going to do together.”
Santa Barbara Bowl
The partnership between Goldenvoice and the Santa Barbara Bowl Foundation will continue through 2032. Goldenvoice, a subsidiary of AEG Presents, has been the exclusive event promotion company for the venue since 2016. Goldenvoice senior vice president Moss Jacobs will continue booking the venue, which has hosted performances from Bob Marley, James Taylor, Stevie Wonder, Joni Mitchell, Radiohead, Depeche Mode, Katy Perry and more since first opening in 1936 as a WPA project.
