MARIE LINDQVIST
Senior Vice President Operations Europe | ASM Global
ASM Global’s venues are open, teams are rebuilt and artists and fans are back in its buildings.
“We are heading into 2023 with positivity. Whilst there are still some challenges and uncertainties, we have proven as an industry that we are resilient and can navigate through difficult waters,” said Marie Lindqvist, ASM Global’s senior vice president operations, Europe.
ASM Global has added several venues to its European portfolio, including the iconic Olympia London, and plans to expand in new European markets as well as in the UK. Also, the redevelopment of AO Arena in Manchester has begun.
“In all our venues we are also introducing new technology in security and digitalization of our processes,” Lindqvist said. “We are also working with (consultant) Greener Arena to certify our venues and introduce the latest sustainability strategies and technology.”
While some markets are big enough to have purpose-built venues that focus on one type of production, the majority need to accommodate a wider range of genres to manage the calendar and be profitable, she noted.
“The expectations from our guests are usually the same, independent of genre,” Lindqvist said. “They expect a safe, welcoming customer journey with fantastic food and beverages, service and welcoming hospitality. Seats, sight lines and acoustics are also really important.”
She expects the cost base to remain a challenge.
“We will need to work together as an industry to manage that without putting too much pressure on ticket prices,” Lindqvist said. “We will develop new business models and revenue streams and continue to develop the customer experience. We also must be a very attractive employer to get the best talent and to develop our own talent.”
Lindqvist is most proud of ASM Global’s development and growth of its Swedish business, Stockholm Live, adding Friends Arena and Södra Teatern in recent years.
“We now have six venues of different sizes in Stockholm and have developed a unique operating model where we have one team working across all of them,” she said.
