Sphere names Karen Laureano-Rikardsen marketing and comms chief
The former Cantor Fitzgerald executive will lead corporate marketing and communications as Sphere plans new venues beyond Las Vegas.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
2 min read
Sphere Entertainment has named Karen Laureano-Rikardsen its global head of corporate marketing and communications, putting a Wall Street communications veteran in charge of the company’s public voice as it pushes beyond Las Vegas.
Laureano-Rikardsen will be based in New York and report to Sphere President and COO Jennifer Koester, according to Deadline.
The appointment comes as Sphere, best known for its Las Vegas venue, is working to build a broader network of locations for concerts, film screenings and other live experiences. Deadline reported that new sites are expected in Abu Dhabi and outside Washington, D.C., over the next few years.
Sphere’s Las Vegas venue has become a major live-event draw since opening, with Deadline describing it as the most lucrative live event space in the U.S.
A Wall Street résumé
Laureano-Rikardsen joins Sphere after nine years at Cantor Fitzgerald, where she served as chief communications and marketing officer for the parent company and its publicly traded affiliates, BGC Group and Newmark Group.
In that post, she built and led a global marketing and communications operation, advised senior executives, and handled corporate reputation matters, crisis communications, financial communications and global brand strategy, according to Deadline.
Earlier in her career, Laureano-Rikardsen held senior communications and marketing roles at Credit Suisse, Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein and Hill & Knowlton.
Sphere’s global pitch
Koester said in a statement that the hire comes as the company works to broaden its reach and explain its brand to audiences around the world.
“As we continue to expand Sphere’s presence and bring our next-generation immersive entertainment experiences to audiences around the world, it is critical that we continue to tell our story in compelling and impactful ways,” Koester said. “Karen brings a strong combination of global marketing and communications experience, sound judgement and proven leadership in high-profile environments. She will play a vital role in shaping how we communicate our vision and innovation.”
Laureano-Rikardsen said in a statement that Sphere is “a unique company at the intersection of technology, storytelling, and live entertainment,” adding that she looks forward to working with the company’s creatives, engineers, technologists and business leaders as it continues expanding.
The hire places a seasoned corporate messaging executive at the center of Sphere’s next phase, as the company tries to turn its splashy Las Vegas concept into an international entertainment platform.
This story draws on original reporting from Deadline.