Ticketmaster is overhauling its technology leadership to combat years of bot attacks and improve the fan experience. The company has appointed Jim Freeman as its new chief technology officer, a role that will focus heavily on artificial intelligence and data infrastructure.
Freeman joins the company after serving as a senior adviser at Permira. His background includes a significant tenure at Amazon, where he worked as a vice president to build and launch Prime Video and manage its device and distribution partnerships. He fills the CTO vacancy that has existed since February, following the departure of Carlos Alvarez-Coch, the London-based executive who left ahead of a deposition in the U.S. government’s antitrust trial against parent company Live Nation.
Expanding the AI Infrastructure
The appointment of Freeman is part of a broader strategy to integrate AI across the ticketing platform. Ticketmaster recently acquired the AI startup Raige.ai in July, and the acquired team will now work alongside Freeman to build out the company’s AI infrastructure. This initiative aims to enhance the reliability and security of ticket purchases, which have long been plagued by automated bots that overwhelm systems during high-demand sales.
Saumil Mehta, Ticketmaster’s global president, emphasized the importance of this technological shift. “Reliable, secure and personalized experiences depend on how effectively we use technology and data,” Mehta said in a statement. He noted that the new leadership team, including Freeman and the Raige.ai staff, would help the company move faster and build better tools for fans, artists, venues, and clients.
New Leadership for Data and Product
In addition to the CTO hire, Ticketmaster has made two other key executive appointments to support its operational goals. Rachel Smith, a veteran of Block, the parent company of the music service Tidal, has been named the company’s first senior vice president of data science and machine learning. Her role will involve tightening the integration between data analytics and the company’s broader product development efforts.
Chuck Mortimore, a product veteran with experience at Disney and Stripe, has been appointed as the next senior vice president of product. Mortimore will help lead product strategy with a specific focus on combating bot issues. His work will aim to ensure that fans have easier access to their accounts and their tickets, addressing one of the most persistent complaints in the live entertainment industry.
The combined efforts of these new executives are intended to restore trust in the ticketing process. By leveraging advanced AI tools and data science, Ticketmaster hopes to create a more equitable environment for ticket buyers while streamlining operations for its partners. The company now has a dedicated leadership structure focused on technology and data, signaling a significant investment in digital solutions to solve long-standing industry problems.
Source: Variety
