Prime Highlights
- Melanie “Mel” Smith CBE has been appointed CEO of ATG Entertainment, effective 11 February 2026, succeeding Ted Stimpson as the company prepares for its next phase of global growth.
- Smith brings over two decades of executive experience in consumer and live events businesses and aims to build on ATG’s strong foundations while supporting creative partners.
Key Facts
- Smith previously served as CEO of the NEC Groupand was the first CEO of the Ocado-Marks & Spencer joint venture, receiving a CBE for her services to retail.
- ATG Entertainment operates a wide portfolio of theatres, productions, and ticketing platformsacross the UK, Europe, and North America.
Background
ATG Entertainment has appointed Melanie “Mel” Smith CBE as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective 11 February 2026, as the live entertainment group prepares for its next phase of global growth.
Smith succeeds Ted Stimpson, who worked closely with ATG’s leadership team over the past three years during a period of expansion and portfolio growth. The company thanked Stimpson for strengthening ATG’s position as a global live entertainment platform.
Smith brings more than two decades of executive experience across large-scale consumer and live events businesses. Most recently, she served as CEO of the NEC Group, the UK’s largest live events venue operator, where she led major transformation initiatives and delivered significant profit growth.
Before that, Smith was CEO of Ocado Retail, where she played a key role in forming its joint venture with Marks & Spencer. As the first CEO of the joint venture, she guided the business through rapid change and the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic. She received a CBE for her services to retail during that period.
Earlier in her career, she held senior roles at Marks & Spencer, Bupa, TalkTalk, and McKinsey & Co. She also serves as Deputy Chair at Sadler’s Wells and holds non-executive positions, including at SSE plc.
ATG operates a wide portfolio of theatres, productions, and ticketing platforms across the UK, Europe, and North America. Smith said she aims to build on the company’s strong foundations, support creative partners, and drive the next stage of development as global demand for live entertainment continues to grow.
