Veteran concert promoter Ali Harnell has joined Live Nation to spearhead women’s initiatives. In this newly created division, Harnell will lead strategy and internal and external efforts to advance and support women in the live music business, as well as create and develop female-led and female-driven content.
With an employee base that is 45% female, Live Nation is dedicated to finding ways to serve and empower its female staff. Live Nation’s existing programs targeted to women include 21 chapters of We Nation, its signature employee-led group focused on empowering and connecting; Future Nation, a gender-balanced career development program; and the Women Nation Fund, an investment fund designed to provide capital to female entrepreneurs in the promotions and events industry.
Harnell will look to expand many of these efforts, forge partnerships with industry groups, drive research, and work to level the playing field for women in the live music business. She will report to Michael Rapino, CEO and president, Live Nation Entertainment and Bob Roux, president, US Concerts, and be based in Nashville and Los Angeles.
“Ali’s decades of experience and insight into the opportunities and challenges for women in the live music business make her a powerful champion for the women of Live Nation,” said Rapino. “Our goal is to work together to find scalable ways to empower the women at our company, and across the industry as a whole.”
“I am truly excited to dive into this new venture where I can combine my experience and relationships with my passion to help drive this historical and aspirational time of change for women,” said Harnell. “It feels especially apropos to announce this on the first day of Women’s History Month.”
Harnell was most recently SVP of global touring for AEG Presents. Prior to that, she spent 14 years as SVP for AEG/The Messina Group, overseeing the operations and talent buying for their Southeast regional business. In that capacity, she also co-created and curated talent for U.K. based country music festival, Country2Country. Earlier in her career, Ali ran Pace Concerts Southeast where she booked Starwood Amphitheater, was a pivotal player in reviving concert activity at the Historic Ryman Auditorium and created the three-day music festival Nashville River Stages. She began her career in 1990 in New York City at the William Morris Agency before joining Delsener/Slater Enterprises where she served as VP, booking the famed Irving Plaza, Roseland Ballroom and other venues.
Harnell has twice been named IEBA’s Promoter of the Year and was named Venue Today’s Woman of Influence. She has received multiple nominations for CMA and ACM Promoter of the Year, Pollstar’s Talent Buyer of the Year, and the Bill Graham Promoter of the Year.
