King crowned head of new AEG festivals division

GLOBAL PROMOTER AEG Presents has launched a new European Festivals arm to grow its presence in the festival market, appointing Jim King as CEO of the division.

King, previously the company’s executive vice-president of live music, oversees events such as British Summer Time (65,000) in London’s Hyde Park, headlined this year by Florence + The Machine, Robbie Williams, Stevie Wonder & Lionel Richie, Barbra Streisand and Celine Dion, plus All Points East (40,000) in London’s Victoria Park.

Working closely with AEG UK co-CEOs Steve Homer and Toby Leighton-Pope, King will report to AEG Europe president Alex Hill,

“We wanted to give [Jim] the freedom to accelerate AEG’s activity in the festival space, hence the creation of this division and his role at the head of it,” says Hill.

King says, “I really believe that AEG does something truly special when it comes to festivals. Music fans and the artistes are always at the heart of our thinking and this has meant we have been able to curate shows that resonate with them and keep both coming back.”