Event Management CEO of the Year 2025 – South East Asia Over a career spanning more than two decades in the dynamic, invigorating world of concerts and live events, Marco Rios has consistently gone above and beyond the call of duty. Whether he is helping clients to create unforgettable audience experiences or taking a more behind-the-scenes role and developing a marketing or management strategy for their tour, Marco’s uniquity lies in his impeccable attention to detail. In his work as Primuse’s CEO, his most ambitious position to date, Marco is continuing to enhance the live events space. We spoke with this principal on the back of his win. From intimate live shows with small artists in smaller venues to recordbreaking stadium concerts with global mega-stars, Marco Rios has been delivering impactful, innovative live events since getting his start in 2004, travelling all over the world in the process. Starting out working for niche companies in Chile, Marco has since operated out of cities such as London, Madrid, and Beijing, more recently settling in Singapore, where Primuse is based. Leading Primuse as its CEO, a position he has occupied since June 2022, Marco’s job is to see that every member of the audience at a concert leaves with long-lasting memories, a feat he is able to achieve as a result of the robust network of industry contracts he has amassed and the data-driven strategies he has devised and refined over the course of a 21-year tenure in the live music industry. Having successfully planned and executed more than 2,000 shows worldwide to date, the strengths of Macros’ approach are abundantly clear from the off. “From venue selection and negotiation to cutting-edge event promotion and meticulous budget management, I oversee every facet of the event lifecycle, always ensuring both event quality and client satisfaction.” Impressively, since he joined the company a little under three years ago, Marco has seen that Primuse has increased its revenue by more than 330%, as well as boosting project demand, a figure that today sits at around 70% more than what it was when he initially he came aboard. Alongside this, under Marco, Primuse has opened additional offices in South East Asia and acquired Bravo Group – China’s premier concert promoter and an operation consisting of both Bravo Entertainment and Bravo Live – and incorporated it into its empire. Blending these results with a wealth of first-hand industry experience and a forwardlooking approach when it comes to technology, especially the likes of Web3, what truly sets Marco apart is a deep understanding of how everything from event security to customer access can be demonstrably enhanced. As he told us: “I believe in blending the magic of live, offline experiences with the efficiency and security of online technologies. This allows us to not only deliver exceptional events but also to future-proof the industry.” On the back of Marco’s unique expertise, Primuse today comprises seven divisions, with each offering something new and exciting to improve concerts and events across the eight Asian countries that the brand has established a presence in. For example, whilst Primuse Live and Bravo specialise in organising and promoting concerts – working with such prestigious clients as Lady Gaga and AnneMarie – divisions such as P.Club and Kisum focus on the private experience and analytical sides of the industry respectively. Diving deeper into the latter of these divisions – which is really where Primuse’s unique sense of innovation comes in – Marco explained Kisum as being: “A revolutionary app where the music industry meets technology, giving real-time data about artists, tickets sales, trends, etc., as well as giving the option to sign contracts between artist and promoters using both Web3 and their signatures, mixing with a performance contract as an NFT.” The music industry’s first Web3 app, Kisum embodies the progress Marco has spearheaded. The encompassing approach Primuse has taken to the field of live events mirrors Marco’s journey to the coveted CEO position he today inhabits, a journey that has been built on such fundamental principles as strategic planning, business development, project management, and more. Sitting alongside these principles are equally important transferrable skills, and, with Marco having tried his hand at everything from food and beverage to merchandising, the things he has learned in each area have combined to form a robust leadership approach. “My leadership style is best described as being collaborative and visionary,” Marco told us. “I believe in empowering my team, fostering open communication, and creating a shared sense of purpose. I strive to inspire and motivate, rather than dictate, and encourage innovation and individual contributions within a united framework.” Similarly, collaboration and innovation define Marco’s approach to every new project he tackles and client he works with, leading to creative, impactful, and deeply personalised live events. Shifting gears slightly to talk about Marco’ business strategy – which, once again, stems from all of the above – this CEO told us of his plans to expand and innovate in equal measure in the field of concerts and live events in Asia. This rigorous method, grounded in a pledge to carry on enhancing experiences through the likes of P.Club and Kisum, is set to take a place against a consistent backdrop of flawless gig delivery and event management. In an industry where technology is reshaping the field and audiences are after something more unique and tailored to their desires, the Asian market presents a remarkable opportunity for brands such as Primuse to continue to evolve in line with the sector around them. Managing how it responds to these trends will make or break Primuse as we move into the future – and it is Marco’s job to make sure that the company’s fate is the former. To do this, it is essential for him to remain as proactive and invested as he has to this point. “My future aspiration for Primuse is to AIS-Feb25027
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