Ticketmaster is one of the largest ticket sales and distribution companies in the world. The company sells tickets for various live entertainment events including concerts, sporting events, theater shows, and more. Ticketmaster has a leadership team made up of experienced executives across various functions including technology, operations, sales, marketing, and finance.
Ticketmaster’s President and CEO
The top executive at Ticketmaster is Michael Rapino who serves as President and Chief Executive Officer. Rapino has been President and CEO of Ticketmaster since 2005. He has extensive experience in the live entertainment and ticketing industry with over 25 years in the business. Prior to becoming CEO, Rapino served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Ticketmaster’s Music Division. He originally joined Ticketmaster in 2003 as Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing. As CEO, Rapino oversees all strategic, operational, and financial functions for the global ticketing company.
Key facts about Michael Rapino:
- Age: 57 years old (Born in 1965)
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from University of Phoenix
- Years with Ticketmaster: 20 years (since 2003)
- Total years of industry experience: Over 25 years in live entertainment and ticketing
As President and CEO, Rapino has focused on innovation and technology to transform Ticketmaster into a global live event technology platform. Key achievements under his leadership include:
- Oversaw major acquisitions including Ticketmaster’s merger with Live Nation in 2010.
- Grown Ticketmaster’s ticket sales from 120 million tickets to over 500 million tickets annually.
- Expanded Ticketmaster’s operations to over 30 global markets across 5 continents.
- Launched new product innovations like Presence digital ticketing and SafeTix mobile entry.
Rapino continues to focus on improving the live event experience through better technology and products for fans. Under his leadership, Ticketmaster looks to maintain its dominant position in ticketing and live entertainment.
President of Ticketing
Reporting directly to CEO Michael Rapino is Mark Yovich who serves as President of Ticketing at Ticketmaster. Yovich oversees all ticketing operations globally including sales, client relations, and product development. He has been in the role since 2020 after previously serving as Ticketmaster’s Executive Vice President and General Manager.
Key facts about Mark Yovich:
- Age: Early 40s
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in Arts from University of Georgia
- Years with Ticketmaster: 7 years (since 2015)
- Previous role: EVP and GM of Ticketing at Ticketmaster
As President of Ticketing, Yovich is responsible for Ticketmaster’s core product offering across thousands of venues and clients worldwide. He focuses on enhancing the ticket buying experience through better technology and products. Major initiatives under his leadership include:
- Launched Ticketmaster’s Presence digital ticketing technology across NFL, NBA, NHL.
- Rolled out features like Ticketmaster’s SafeTix mobile ticket entry.
- Expanded Ticketmaster’s global ticketing operations across Europe and Asia markets.
- Grown Ticketmaster’s ticket sales volume and client base each year.
Chief Financial Officer
Joe Berchtold is Ticketmaster’s Chief Financial Officer overseeing all financial operations including accounting, audit, tax, treasury, and investor relations. He has served as CFO at Ticketmaster since 2011.
Key facts about Joe Berchtold:
- Age: Mid 40s
- Education: MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business
- Years with Ticketmaster: 12 years (since 2011)
- Previous role: Managing Director at investment firm Hellman & Friedman
As CFO, Berchtold oversees Ticketmaster’s financial health, capital allocation, and shareholder returns. He was a key leader involved in Ticketmaster’s 2010 merger with Live Nation. Key achievements as CFO include:
- Oversaw Ticketmaster’s finances through the pandemic and helped company return to growth.
- Led initiatives to optimize capital structure including debt refinancing and share buybacks.
- Expanded Ticketmaster’s presence in capital markets through investor relations.
- Implemented financial discipline and controls to enable strategic growth.
Going forward, Berchtold will continue managing Ticketmaster’s finances and overseeing important capital decisions for the company.
Chief Technology Officer
Ticketmaster’s Chief Technology Officer is Justin Burleigh who oversees all aspects of product development, engineering, and technology. He has served as CTO at Ticketmaster since 2019.
Key facts about Justin Burleigh:
- Age: Late 30s
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from North Carolina State University
- Years with Ticketmaster: 4 years (since 2019)
- Previous role: VP of Product at online retailer Zulily
As CTO, Burleigh is responsible for Ticketmaster’s technology strategy and leading development of new products. Under his leadership, Ticketmaster has built a world-class engineering organization. Major technology initiatives include:
- Migrated Ticketmaster platform fully to cloud-based infrastructure.
- Rebuilt Ticketmaster’s mobile apps using latest web and app standards.
- Launched Presence digital ticketing across major sports leagues.
- Implemented machine learning algorithms to combat bots and fraud.
Going forward, Burleigh aims to leverage leading technologies like blockchain, AI, and cloud to further innovate Ticketmaster’s event technology platform.
Chief Marketing Officer
Ticketmaster’s Chief Marketing Officer is Kathryn Frederick who oversees all branding, communications, insights, and marketing initiatives worldwide. She assumed the CMO role in 2020.
Key facts about Kathryn Frederick:
- Age: Late 30s
- Education: MBA from Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University
- Years with Ticketmaster: 3 years (since 2020)
- Previous role: VP of Brand Strategy and Consumer Engagement at American Express
As CMO, Frederick is responsible for evolving Ticketmaster’s brand and driving growth through customer-focused marketing. Under her leadership, Ticketmaster has expanded fan engagement across media channels. Major marketing initiatives include:
- Refreshed Ticketmaster brand identity and slogan “Live Is Better When We’re Together”.
- Drove over 1 billion fan impressions through TikTok campaigns.
- Launched new CRM program and grew subscriber database by 40%.
- Increased social followers across Instagram, Twitter, Facebook.
Frederick aims to strengthen Ticketmaster’s connection with fans and leverage data-driven marketing to deliver more value to customers.
Other Notable Executives
In addition to the executives above, Ticketmaster has a deep leadership bench across key functions:
| Executive | Title | Responsibilities |
|---|---|---|
| Amy Howe | President, Ticketmaster North America | Leads all client relations, sales, and ticketing teams across North America. |
| Jared Smith | President, Ticketmaster International | Oversees all international ticketing operations across Europe, Asia, Australia, and emerging markets. |
| Sally Williams | Chief People Officer | Leads human resources including talent recruitment, diversity initiatives, compensation, and culture. |
| Arik Kerman | Chief Commercial Officer | Oversees sponsorship sales and manages key commercial relationships. |
| Jessica Jensen | Chief Communications Officer | Leads external and executive communications, PR, and media relations. |
This experienced leadership team provides valuable insights and expertise across live entertainment, technology, marketing, finance, and operations. Together, they enable Ticketmaster to continue innovating and maintaining dominance as a global ticketing leader.
Board of Directors
Ticketmaster is governed by a Board of Directors that provides oversight and strategic advice to management. Notable Board members include:
- Greg Maffei – Chairman of the Board; President and CEO of Liberty Media
- Jimmy Iovine – Music producer; Co-founder of Interscope Records and Beats Electronics
- Jim Kahan – Former President of Live Nation Media & Sponsorship
- Randall Mays – Former Vice Chairman, President & CFO of Clear Channel Communications
- Mark Shapiro – President of Endeavor
This experienced Board of Directors provides important guidance, connections, and expertise to help Ticketmaster’s executive team continue driving growth and innovation in live entertainment ticketing.
Conclusion
Ticketmaster is led by a highly experienced executive team covering all key business functions – technology, operations, marketing, finance, and more. President and CEO Michael Rapino sets the strategic vision focused on technology and fan experience. Other notable executives include Mark Yovich leading ticketing, Joe Berchtold overseeing finance, Justin Burleigh driving technology, and Kathryn Frederick spearheading marketing. Additionally, Ticketmaster has a diverse Board of Directors that advises and supports the leadership team. This combination of insightful executives and Board members enables Ticketmaster to maintain its industry dominance as demand grows for live event ticketing globally.
Under the leadership of this capable executive team, Ticketmaster is positioned to continue leading innovation in live entertainment ticketing technology and delivering more value to venues, promoters, and most importantly – fans.
