Vivid Seats, Chicago, IL: Stan Chia, CEO

Company: Vivid Seats, Chicago, IL
Nomination Submitted by: ICR
Company Description: Founded in 2001, Chicago based Vivid Seats is a leading online ticket marketplace committed to becoming the ultimate partner for connecting fans to the live events, artists, and teams they love. Through its proprietary software and unique technology, Vivid Seats drives the consumer and business ecosystem for live event ticketing and enables the power of shared experiences to unite people.
Nomination Category: Management Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Maverick of the Year - Consumer Services
Nomination Title: Stan Chia

1. Which will you provide for your nomination in this category, an essay of up to 650 words describing the achievements of the nominated management team, group, or individual since January 1 2020, OR a video of up to five (5) minutes in length describing the same? CHOOSE ONE:

   An essay of up to 650 words

2. If you are submitting a video of up to five (5) minutes in length, provide the URL of the nominated video here, OR attach it to your entry via the "Add Attachments, Videos, or Links to This Entry" link above, through which you may also upload a copy of your video:
    
3. In bullet-list form, provide a brief summary of up to ten (10) of the chief accomplishments of the nominee(s) since January 1 2020. This is required whether you are submitting a video or an essay:

   1. Successfully brought Vivid Seats to the public markets through a SPAC merger with Horizon Acquisition Corp, trading on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the ticker symbol “SEAT”.
   2. Launched an extensive brand refresh with a new logo and a redesigned website and app, built with new capabilities rooted in personalization and simplicity on July 29, 2021.
   3. Reported record-breaking metrics in Q3 for its first earnings as a public company on November 15, 2021. The team delivered $713 million in marketplace gross order volume or GOV, $140 million in revenues, and $42 million in adjusted EBITDA.
   4. Spearheaded Vivid Seats’ acquisition of real money sports app Betcha, which allowed the Company to expand its marketplace technology into the online gaming sector.
   5. Strengthened the company’s leadership team through the onboarding of a new Chief Operating Officer, Chief Marketing Officer, and General Counsel who reflect Vivid Seats’ mission to drive growth and provide an unparalleled customer experience.
   6. Led Vivid Seats in appointing a post-merger board of directors that brings decades of leadership experience across various industries, including technology and e-commerce.
   7. Reached its 100 millionth ticket sold milestone which e reflects Vivid Seats’ growth at scale, connecting millions of buyers with thousands of sellers.
   8. Was named Outstanding Tech CEO by 1871 Chicago's Momentum Awards 2021.
   9. Created a diversity and inclusion program at the Vivid Seats including a virtual conversation series for employees, and a charitable program which has totaled nearly $2,000,000 in support to members of the live events industry.

4. If you are providing an essay of up to 650 words, place it in this space:

   Total 605 words used.

   Live events is one of the industries most severely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Fortunately, under the astute stewardship of CEO Stan Chia, Vivid Seats was not only able to survive this industry-wide decimation - but emerge stronger. Today, it’s a leading marketplace that utilizes its technology platform to connect millions of fans with thousands of ticket sellers across hundreds of thousands of events each year. In addition to his investment in the company, Chia also sought out new ways to support the industry through a number of community programs, like MusiCares®, the leading music charity in the U.S. Since the start of the pandemic, Vivid Seats has donated more than $2 million to help strengthen relief efforts that support those in the music community and their families.

   Over the last year, Chia has continued to build on Vivid Seats’ track record of innovation and exceptional service. With an estimated $1.9 trillion of pent-up consumer demand for live experiences, he has been instrumental in growing Vivid Seats in both scale and profitability. Most notably, a year after live events came to a complete halt, bringing business to a standstill, Chia successfully took Vivid Seats to the public markets through a SPAC with Horizon Acquisition Corp, led by L.A. Dodgers owner, Todd Boehly. When announced in April, the combined company was valued at $1.95 billion, before trading on NASDAQ under ticker symbol “SEAT” in October.

   In November, Vivid Seats marked its first reported results as a public company with a record-setting third quarter. This performance reflected the company’s highest single quarter results across all key financial metrics, as the team delivered $713 million in marketplace gross order volume or GOV, $140 million in revenues, and $42 million in adjusted EBITDA. This positive momentum, coupled with a robust balance sheet, positioned the company well to press its advantage in the industry.

   In addition to strong results, Chia also strengthened Vivid Seat’s leadership team with the three key appointments of COO, CMO and General Counsel. These additions brought a depth and breadth of experiences to help drive the organization forward. Additionally, this year Vivid Seats announced its first public Board of Directors, which brought decades of leadership experience across various industries, including technology and e-commerce; providing valuable insights and perspectives to strategically grow the business for the long-term.

   In December, Chia continued to diversify the business, leading the Company’s acquisition of Betcha, a real money sports app. The acquisition further strengthened the company’s position as a leading marketplace and accelerated its journey into naturally adjacent areas as well as significantly increased the company’s TAM.

   In 2021, Chia oversaw the launch of an extensive brand refresh including a new logo, redesigned web, app experience and holistic brand repositioning, in celebration of the Company’s 20th anniversary. He has also forged partnerships for the business that will continue building exceptional experiences for Vivid Seats customers. Throughout the year Vivid Seats solidified strategic partnerships with brands including DraftKings, ESPN and Klarna. In January, the company reached its 100 millionth ticket sold milestone, reflecting its growth at scale.

   A self-identified AAPI immigrant, Chia is committed to diversity, inclusion and building a culture of transparency, candor, and social engagement. During 2020, he launched a virtual conversation series where employees heard from a diverse group of prominent leaders and activists across causes. He also introduced a "learn on us" series, where books selected by experts on diversity, equity, and inclusion were paid for by the Company. Perhaps most importantly, Chia has fostered open, difficult, and rewarding conversations that have had an incredible impact on employees in and out of the office.