John Knight is now in his 10th year with SMG.
Having joined the company as Director of Sales and Marketing, M.E.N Arena, in January 2001, he was made General Manager/Executive Director just 18 months later and oversaw the Commonwealth Games events held at the venue.
The move to the arena was something of a return as he was involved with the venue when it first opened in 1995, negotiating the original Naming Rights deal for the cable company NYNEX - the first arena Naming Rights sponsorship in the United Kingdom and, for many years, the biggest.
A former award winning radio journalist with the BBC, John moved into television entertainment, public relations and marketing roles within the Corporation before joining the ‘real' commercial world with the New York based telecommunications company NYNEX, and later Cable and Wireless.
During over 9 years with SMG, John has overseen significant change in the management, operational and commercial performance of the M.E.N Arena, particularly in the areas of event development and incremental revenue streams. He was instrumental in signing comedian Peter Kay to stage his return to stand-up at the arena after a gap of 7 years - resulting in a 20 night sold out residency in 2010 and at least 15 scheduled for 2011. As well as his substantive position in Manchester, John's media and marketing specialties have been utilised in projects across the SMG Europe group, particularly in media relations, new business acquisition and development.
The M.E.N Arena was named ‘busiest concert venue in the world' in 2003, 2004 & 2007 by the American music industry magazine Pollstar. For a record 9 consecutive years the arena has been nominated as a finalist in the ‘International Venue/Arena of the Year' by a panel of leading professionals in the music industry, including artist managers, promoters, agents and fellow venue operators.
