Aussie music executive Matthew Lazarus-Hall joins AEG Asia-Pacific

Matthew Lazarus-Hall has joined the second-largest promoter in the world.

He takes over in October as senior vice president for AEG Presents, Asia Pacific.

He will oversee all touring, festivals and sports across the Pan-Asian region, the California-based company said.

Lazarus-Hall will be based in Singapore, AEG’s new regional HQ to overlook 40 markets. It was previously based in Shanghai.

He tells TMN, “Singapore is in a really got a central position, everybody goes through there. China is obviously still a very important part of the business.”

The new hub employs about 25 people, with AEG bringing in two other executives. Taylor Agisim rejoining the company after a spell in Abu Dhabi as VP of business development, and Ryan Sandilands as VP, global partnerships.

Lazarus-Hall adds, “There’s a lot of opportunities here for growth, from the quality acts in the region which we will promote to the rest of the world, to the many international acts who’re coming through the region.

“Asia is no longer an after-thought but a definite part of the plan, and AEG’s mission is to take artists on that journey.”

Lazarus-Hall, 48, was previously CEO of Chugg Entertainment for 12 years.

He is also GM of CMC Rocks Queensland, now the largest country music festival in the southern hemisphere.

He confirms he’ll continue his role at CMC Rocks: “I’m very focussed on that.”

Before Chugg, Lazarus-Hall, he was at ticketing agency Ticketek, with the Sydney Olympic Games and the Rugby World Cup among the events he oversaw as operations manager.

More recently ran his own consultancy, Uncommon Cord.

In his new role, he reports to Adam Wilkes, president and CEO of AEG Asia, who lived in China for 18 years.

AEG is also entering in local partnerships to build venues.

These included the Mercedes Benz Arena in Shanghai, developing two venues in Bangkok, and in June announced it was building a 20,000 stadium in Seoul, South Korea.

CJ LiveCity will include the Seoul Metropolitan Arena, as well as a studio complex, a K-culture themed entertainment district and waterfront park.

Built in the middle of five major cities with a combined population of 150 million, it is expected to draw 20 million visitors each year.

In April TMN reported that AEG partnered with Australia’s Frontier Touring to establish a touring circuit in Southeast Asia after taking a 50% stake in Frontier.

In Billboard’s Top Promoters list for 2018, Live Nation was #1 with US$3.7 billion in sales, AEG at second spot with $1.5 billion and Frontier at #3 with $245 million.