Back on the Road

Frontier Touring Leadership Team (from left): Marshall Nu, Matt Gudinski, Reegan Stark, Andrew Spencer, Dion Brant, Gerard Schlaghecke, Susan Heymann, Adam Wilkes, Michael Chugg. Credit: Ian Laidlaw

Mushroom Group and AEG announce new executive and leadership structure for Frontier Touring

Following the announcement of stadium tours for Ed Sheeran and Foo Fighters, leading Australia and New Zealand concert promoter, Frontier Touring, has unveiled a new leadership structure for the company.

The new structure has been created to ensure the legacy, mission, and culture of Frontier is preserved and nurtured following the death of its founder Michael Gudinski in March last year.

Frontier’s Executive team will be comprised of four members of the current leadership team, all of whom are elevated to new roles within the company: Dion Brant as Chief Executive, Susan Heymann as Chief Operating Officer, Reegan Stark as Chief Marketing and Communications Officer and Andrew Spencer as Chief Commercial Officer.

The Executive team will report to the Frontier Touring Board, comprised of Jay Marciano (Chairman and Chief Executive, AEG Presents and Chief Operating Officer, Office of the Chairman, AEG), Matt Gudinski (Chairman and Chief Executive, Mushroom Group), Adam Wilkes (President and CEO, AEG Presents Asia Pacific) and Dion Brant (Chief Executive, Frontier Touring) while Adam Wilkes will assume the role of Frontier Touring Chairman.

Announcing the new structure, Matt Gudinski stated “I couldn’t be happier announcing our new Frontier Executive team. Mushroom Group is built on our great people, which is something we’ve always valued first and foremost.

“I’m thrilled that moving forward Frontier will be led by four incredibly dedicated, experienced, and strong leaders in Dion, Reegan, Susan, and Spence, working closely with myself, Adam, and the AEG Presents team. Frontier was founded on strong relationships, an artist-first approach and a never-ending passion for music and I know Dad’s legacy and the future of Frontier is in safe hands. There are exciting times ahead for the company.”

Marciano noted “Michael Gudinski was a man of endless passion, energy, and creativity, with an innate sense for the business, and it was clear no one person could replace him.

“All of us who worked together on this new structure were bound by the same sense of duty: we’re committed to properly and thoroughly stewarding Michael’s vision for the future of Frontier.” Adam Wilkes The new structure sees Wilkes move to the role of Chairman of the Frontier Board in conjunction with his role as President and Chief Executive, AEG Presents Asia Pacific, a position he has held since 2016.

Bringing over two decades of experience in the Asia Pacific market to his new duties within the Frontier Touring Leadership team, Wilkes oversees AEG’s concert touring, sports and venue development business - spanning 15 countries throughout Asia and the Pacific Rim - and played a key role in forming the joint venture between AEG Presents and Frontier Touring.

Commenting on his role, Wilkes advises “Frontier Touring has an incredible team of some of the most talented individuals in our business.

“I know we all would have preferred not to have to make this announcement given the circumstances surrounding it, but everyone who knew and loved Michael also knows what his company and its continued success meant to him and we’re proud to be working with Matt, Dion and the broader team to deliver Michael’s vision for the future. Our mission is to maintain Frontier’s dominance as the market leader, and we’re looking ahead to a bright horizon for the live event business. In addition, AEG Presents’ expanded partnership with Frontier combined with its presence throughout APAC provides us the opportunity to more closely align our businesses across Australia, New Zealand and Asia.” Dion Brant Brant will move to the role of Frontier Touring’s Chief Executive. Having joined Frontier Touring and Mushroom Group in 2013 as Chief Operating Officer, he has worked closely with both Michael and Matt Gudinski and was instrumental in negotiating strategic partnerships with AEG Presents and Chugg Entertainment and helped steer the business through COVID to its current return to touring. Susan Heymann Heymann moves from her role as Managing Director of Chugg Entertainment to Chief Operating Officer of Frontier, overseeing artist relations, creative and content development for the business. With almost 20 years in the touring business, she will continue to act as a promoter and oversee Chugg Entertainment tours, and her new role will see her work closely with Frontier’s other joint venture partners and inhouse team of promoters - Michael Chugg, Gerard Schlaghecke, and Sahara Herald - to expand Frontier’s live business. Reegan Stark With 19 years at Frontier Touring and the Mushroom Group, Stark joins the Frontier Executive team as Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, responsible for all aspects of Frontier’s brand, marketing, communications, digital and sponsorship. Andrew Spencer After joining Chugg Entertainment in 2017, Spencer will round out the Frontier Executive team as Chief Commercial Officer, responsible for Business Affairs, Strategy and Business Development. In a dual role Andrew will also work with the AEG Presents Asia’s executive team.