Vivid Seats, which is in the process of going public via a merger with Horizon Acquisition Corporation (NYSE: HZAC), announced its future Board of Directors this week. The board, filed with the SEC on August 16, is chaired by David Donnini and includes nine directors with leadership in tech and e-commerce, according to the announcement.
“I am honored and eager to work alongside this experienced group of directors,” Donnini said. “We anticipate significant growth in this business and I believe the expertise of my fellow board members will be instrumental as we work to further position Vivid Seats as the leading ticket marketplace in the industry.”
The board also includes Vivid Seats CEO Stan Chia, as well as Horizon Chief Executive Todd Boehly, who is part owner of the L.A. Dodgers, L.A. Lakers, and the L.A. Sparks. GTCR and Vista Equity Partners also have representation on the Board, as companies holding substantial stakes in Vivid Seats.
“I am thrilled to have a best-in-class Board of Directors with deep experience across multiple industries,” said Stan Chia, Chief Executive Officer of Vivid Seats. “I am confident that with this Board in place we will have valuable insights and perspectives to strategically grow the business for the long-term.”
Other board members are Martin Taylor, Jane DeFlorio, Julie Masino, Craig Dixon, Mark M. Anderson, and Tom Ehrhart.
Notably absent from the board is Robert Smith, CEO of Vista Equity Partners, who paid a $140 million settlement to avoid prosecution after federal authorities closed in on an enormous tax fraud scheme. Donation records involving Smith, other key players at Vista Equity Partners and an associated law firm to since-disgraced New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman have also raised a number of ethical and legal questions regarding investigations by that office into the ticketing business.
More information about the Vivid Seats Board and its members is available at the original announcement here.