Legends Global has announced two senior appointments across the Middle East and Asia Pacific, with both changes effective September 2026.
Mark Jan Kar has been appointed Senior Vice-President, MENA and APAC Strategic Projects, moving up from his previous role as Senior Vice-President, Entertainment, Content and Programming for the Middle East region. In his new role, Kar will oversee new business across both regions and report to Legends Global Executive Vice-President for Asia and MENA, Paul Sergeant. He will also retain oversight of Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai.
Santiago Olea has been appointed General Manager of Coca-Cola Arena, which is owned by Dubai Holding Entertainment. He joins the venue from the King Abdullah Financial District Conference Centre in Riyadh, where he has served as General Manager since 2024.
The 28,000sqm venue includes a 1,215sqm banquet hall used for conferences, exhibitions, product launches and award ceremonies.
Olea brings 12 years of experience across venues in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Dubai. He was previously Chief Operating Officer at MBC Events and has also managed Live Nation venues, including Maraya in Saudi Arabia and The Arena in Kuwait.
The appointments come after Legends Global’s joint venture with Saudi Arabia’s Event Investment Fund (EIF), announced in November 2025. Under the partnership, Legends Global will operate EIF-developed exhibition and convention centres and entertainment venues in support of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.
Peter Loxton, Chief Operating Officer for Asia Pacific and Middle East, said, “With a variety of strong opportunities across the dynamic Middle East and growing APAC market we are pleased to have Mark’s leadership continue across the region.”
Santiago Olea said, “It’s been adopted by locals and loved by guests and artists, and I look forward to working alongside the expert team at the Arena to deliver the next phase of growth and economic impact for the city.”
