Toronto, Canada / Sydney, Australia (August 19, 2026) – The MRG Group (MRG) has announced the launch of MRG Live Australia, marking a significant milestone in the company's international growth strategy. The new Sydney-based office will be led by respected live entertainment executive Graham Kennedy, who joins the company as General Manager & Senior Promoter.

The expansion strengthens MRG's position as Canada's leading independent live entertainment promoter and establishes a permanent presence in one of the world's most vibrant touring markets. Kennedy will be responsible for growing MRG's live business across Australia, with a focus on music, comedy, family entertainment, and non-traditional touring productions, while also creating opportunities across the broader MRG portfolio, including ticketing, travel, and strategic partnerships.

Kennedy brings more than two decades of experience in the live entertainment industry. Most recently, he spent over ten years as Head of Arts & Entertainment at Live Nation Australia,

where he promoted numerous successful national and international tours. Prior to that, he served as Senior Manager, Global Live Events for The Wiggles, overseeing the group's worldwide touring operations.

His appointment follows the successful Australian and New Zealand tour of The Next Step, which sold more than 45,000 tickets and further demonstrated the strength of the market for MRG's expanding portfolio of live productions.

"Australia is a market we've watched closely for years, and MRG’s success there, with The Next Step tour, Tyler Hilton & Kate Voegele, MKTO, Colin Mochrie and Asad Mecci (HYPROV), showed us the appetite was real," said Matthew Gibbons, Founder and President of The MRG Group. "The Australian and Canadian entertainment landscapes mirror each other in a lot of ways: mid-sized markets with passionate audiences and a strong culture of touring. That familiarity gives us a real advantage, and bringing on someone with Graham's track record is exactly how we want to grow: methodically, with the right people, in the right markets."

Kennedy adds, "I'm excited to join MRG at such an important time in the company's evolution. MRG has built an outstanding reputation for innovation, entrepreneurial thinking, and delivering exceptional live experiences. I'm looking forward to establishing our Australian presence, building new relationships, and bringing more world-class tours and entertainment to audiences across the region."

"It was a tremendous experience collaborating with Graham on our Australian The Next Step dates," said Jacob Smid, Managing Director of MRG Live. "We're looking forward to continuing that partnership over the long term across music, comedy, and family touring in the market. Graham's knowledge, network, and experience will be invaluable as we set ourselves up for success."

Kennedy has over a decade long history working with MRG’s Chief Operating Officer, Stephane Lecuyer and he was instrumental in the success of The Next Step across Australia and New Zealand. He is currently completing a two-week onboarding program across MRG's Canadian operations, including Vancouver, Montreal, and Toronto, where he is meeting with leadership teams and gaining exposure to the company's venues, festivals, ticketing operations, and touring business before returning to Sydney.

The launch of MRG Live Australia represents another step in the company's continued international expansion as it seeks to connect artists, audiences, and partners across key global markets.

About The MRG Group

The MRG Group is Canada’s largest independent experience company active in producing and promoting experiences on a global stage. Since 2008, MRG has grown to produce over 1,000

events annually ranging from intimate club shows to arena tours to outdoor events drawing hundreds of thousands with some of the leading global talent.

The company partners with brands, venues, cities and artists on end-to-end production and promotion with a true partnership approach focused on being truly aligned and collaborative programming, marketing, logistics and financial partners.

In addition to its experience business, The MRG Group operates hospitality properties (venues, clubs & pubs), a fully licensed travel retail and wholesale agency, a ticketing services company (AdmitONE) and a media property (Beatroute).

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