SHANGHAI (CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — John Cappo has been named President
& CEO, AEG China, it was announced by Andrew Messick, Executive Vice
President Marketing & International and member of AEG's executive board. In
assuming the newly created position, Cappo, who recently served as Managing
Director, IMG China, will oversee all of AEG's initiatives throughout
Greater China including sponsorship sales, the production and promotion of
live entertainment events, venue booking and operations and management of
AEG's interests of a recently created joint venture with the NBA.
Announced last October, the AEG/NBA joint venture was established to design,
market, program and operate 10-12 multi-purpose, NBA-style sports and
entertainment arenas and entertainment districts in major cities throughout
Greater China.
Based within AEG's already established offices in Shanghai, Cappo's
immediate responsibilities will include overseeing the existing AEG
Facilities management team operating the Wukesong Basketball Arena in
Beijing. His team will also supervise the ongoing construction, sales and
programming of the 18,000-seat arena which will anchor the Shanghai World
Expo Performing Arts Center set to open May 1, 2010 in conjunction with the
World Expo. He will have comparable responsibilities with a sports and
entertainment arena in Guangzhou which broke ground October 15, 2008 and
will be completed prior to the Asian Games in, 2010.
Cappo will be the day-to-day leader of AEG's partnership with the NBA and
will work closely with NBA China to ensure that best practices regarding
design, development, booking, operations and sales are incorporated into
each arena and entertainment district project in which AEG is involved in
China.
"We are delighted that John has chosen to join AEG," stated Messick.
"John is an exceptional fit for our organization. Besides having been based
in greater China for over 20 years and speaking perfect Chinese, John has
extensive sales and sports experience which are essential to AEG's goals in
the region."
"Having the opportunity to join AEG and play a role in creating a completely
new industry for China is truly a challenge that I look forward to
undertaking," said Cappo. "The entertainment districts that we will develop
will provide integrated branding and hospitality opportunities for our
partners to interactively communicate to their target audiences."
In addition to his tenure with IMG which began in 1998, Cappo worked for
Sports International in Taiwan for a period of 3 1/2 years. He moved to
Taiwan in 1985 and attended university in Taipei and still holds the
distinction of being the only native English speaking American student to
graduate from the Business Administration department at Taiwan National
University (Tai Da). –by CelebrityAccess Staff Writers
