Arenas Appoints New Head of Sales

Ian Congdon joins the five-strong team from his previous post at Echo Arena Liverpool as Arena Sales Manager. 

Ian brings over 20 years’ experience in the live events industry which began whilst studying Engineering at the University of Teesside in the late eighties. It was there he got his first taste of the events industry performing in a band, DJ’ing and promoting club nights. After being elected as Services Officer which carried with it the responsibilities of running a commercial venue operation, Ian went on to be appointed full-time Entertainment’s Manager as his first ‘proper’ entertainments industry job. 

A career in the live events industry followed, with moves to Coventry University Student’s Union and then onto Whitehaven Civic Hall. Ian self-promoted entertainment at the venues to attract talent and concert promoters and also helped establish online ticketing in the venues when it was in its infancy. From there he went to The Sands Centre in Carlisle, a multi-purpose leisure complex, where he was responsible for putting the venue on the map attracting touring live music, comedy and theatre performances, as well as co-producing his first pantomime. 

He then moved to Birmingham as General Manager at the Carling Academy where club nights after gigs meant he was involved with over 700 events a year. After this he moved to a bigger venue, being appointed as Arena Sales Manager for Liverpool’s Echo Arena. There he launched EchoTwo (4,000 capacity) and its Auditorium (1,350 capacity). In Liverpool he worked on a plethora of arena level live music, comedy and family entertainment events including the prestigious MOBO Awards and helped establish the venue as one of the most competitive in the UK Arena marketplace. 

After seven and a half years’ in Liverpool Ian was ready for a new challenge.  Ian commented: “I’m delighted to join the NEC Group Arenas and be part of a forward-thinking organisation that already delivers great events.  I’m looking forward to getting my teeth into the role and meeting ambitious targets that will shape the future of the Barclaycard Arena and Genting Arena and see the number and portfolio of events at each venue grow.”