The European Arenas Association (EAA) has announced AEG's John Langford as its new president.

Langford, who was general manager and VP of The O2 in London prior to his current role of chief operating officer of AEG Europe, was elected president of the EAA during the group's recent general meeting in Barcelona earlier this month.

He succeeds former Ahoy Rotterdam CEO Peter Van Der Veer, who stepped down earlier this year. 

"I am honoured to represent 35 of the leading European indoor arenas during this incredibly dynamic time in the live event sector," said Langford. "Exciting changes in technology, the opportunity to make a positive impact through sustainability initiatives and participating in the wider European conversations that impact our members and audiences are just a few of the areas where we are making a difference."

The EAA gathers 35 arena members in 22 European countries with the intention of sharing knowledge and creating best practice among the industry. In 2018, EAA venues saw over 19.8m customers attending 2,933 events across the membership*