Industry News

Vivid Seats hires new CCO

Secondary ticketing firm Vivid Seats has appointed former StubHub exec Geoff Lester as its new chief commercial officer.

In his new role, Lester will take the lead on partnerships, business developments and growth opportunities for the firm.

Previously, Lester worked for eight years in StubHub’s partnerships and business development function, most recently leading it. In this position he was responsible for the development, execution, and management of all business development and partnership opportunities, bringing in, renewing, and managing more than 150 sports, music, theatre, venue, and ticketing partnerships, as well as new business opportunities and strategic partnerships with brands, publishers, and technology companies.

“The addition of Geoff to our talented team is a testament to our mission to lead the industry in providing fans a safe, affordable, and superior ticket purchasing experience every day,” said Eric Vassilatos, co-founder of Vivid Seats.

“We are excited for Geoff to take the lead in extending and enhancing our value proposition as the industry’s premier ticketing partner across all stakeholders, from teams and leagues, to artists, venues, media properties, and more.

“Geoff is known industry-wide for his integrity and authenticity, and his track record in business development and partnership cultivation speaks for itself.”

Lester has nearly 20 years of experience across e-commerce, business development and partnership activation, particularly in sports and entertainment.

The new Vivid Seats executive was previously senior vice president of global solutions at Fox Networks Group, helping lead partnerships across the 21st Century Fox portfolio.  

In addition to his time at StubHub, Lester previously held various roles at NASCAR across broadcasting, digital media, e-commerce, and marketing, including management of NASCAR’s broadcast rights and digital media business.

Lester said: “The talented team at Vivid Seats has done an exceptional job during the past two decades driving innovation with its powerful technology and using its agility and commitment to deliver value to both fans and industry partners alike.

“I am honoured to join them to work together to continue building on Vivid Seats’ upward trajectory and help strengthen its leading position.  The opportunity to deliver value to more industry stakeholders, and ultimately their fans, is incredibly exciting, as is helping to grow the Vivid Seats brand through strategic partnerships and expansive new business ventures.”