Aviva Arena has appointed Martyn Jenkin as head of partnerships.
Jenkin arrives at the 20,000-capacity Bristol venue (which is operated by YTL Live) from Momentum Worldwide, and will report to partnerships director Sarah McBride.
In his previous role, Martyn led American Express ticketing partnerships with F1, the NFL, Wimbledon, BST Hyde Park and AEG, and worked on Amex presale activations on tours for Harry Styles and Olivia Rodrigo.
Martyn has previously served at Academy Music Group working with brands such as O2, Barclaycard, Jägermeister and PepsiCo. He led O2's Priority Gig Series, working on shows with artists including Wizkid, Sam Fender and Raye.
Hiring Martyn demonstrates our continued commitment to building a venue and destination that sets new standards for live entertainment and commercial partnerships
Andrew Billingham, YTL Live
Andrew Billingham, CEO of YTL Live, has welcomed his appointment.
“Martyn’s experience of delivering innovative partnerships for some of the world's most recognised brands, rights holders and live events makes him an outstanding addition to our growing team,” he said. “Securing talent of Martyn's calibre demonstrates our continued commitment to building a venue and destination that sets new standards for live entertainment and commercial partnerships.”
Sarah McBride added: “Martyn's track record speaks for itself. He will bring a wealth of experience, creativity and energy to the role. Aviva Arena is set to transform the live entertainment landscape and the scale and opportunities for brands and partners is incredibly exciting. We are looking forward to welcoming Martyn to the team as we deliver a world class offering.”
Aviva Arena is set to transform the live entertainment landscape and the scale and opportunities for brands and partners is incredibly exciting
Sarah McBride, Aviva Arena
Martyn Jenkin said: “I'm incredibly honoured to be joining YTL Live at such an exciting time. Being part of Aviva Arena's journey from the outset is going to be a hugely rewarding experience, and I’m looking forward to building a best-in-class partnership portfolio. There's a lot of hard work ahead, but it will be equally hard to wipe the smile from my face.”
Aviva Arena is currently under construction and is due to open in late 2028 as the first venue of its size in the South West of England.
The Aviva Arena and the wider YTL Live exhibition and conference complex are expected to contribute an estimated £1 billion to the wider Bristol economy over the first decade of operation, according to the company.
Music Week spoke to YTL CEO Billingham earlier this summer.
Being part of Aviva Arena's journey from the outset is going to be a hugely rewarding experience
Martyn Jenkin, Aviva Arena
“We can deliver a very successful venue for promoters, but also agents, who want to make sure that their artists are going out to as many people across the UK as possible,” he told us.
“Bristol is quite an affluent market,” Billingham added. “I think for any artist wanting to come and do a residency, people will be clamouring to buy the tickets. So we will absolutely welcome those conversations.”
Pictured above L-R: Andrew Billingham, Martyn Jenkin and Sarah McBride
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