The Ricoh Arena in Coventry has appointed a new chief executive.
Daniel Gidney will be responsible for the management and day-to-day running of the £113 million multi purpose venue - which was named UK Venue of the Year 2006 by international event organisers Confex.
The 37-year-old, who lives in south Warwickshire, is expected to take up his new position in October and his appoint-ment comes just days after the announcement of David Allvey as the complex's new chairman.
Mr Gidney, who was born in Birmingham and educated in Solihull, replaces Paul Fletcher who became managing director of Coventry City Football Club earlier this year.
He is currently UK operations director for h ospitals at Sodexho which employs more than 5,500 people.
Sodexho is the world's largest food and management services company, which provides support services in over 76 countries in the business and i ndustry, education, healthcare, leisure and defence sectors.
Before Sodexho, Mr Gidney was a divisional director for Clear Channel, which has since become Live Nation.
Mr Gidney said: "I cannot wait to start work at such a magnificent complex and I am looking forward to the challenges ahead.
"It is already a landmark building but I hope to make it the venue of choice - not just for the Midlands but for the whole of the UK.
"I want to build on the initial opening success of the development and establish a world class facility with world class staff to make the experience for everyone who visits the Ricoh, for what-ever reason, a good one.
"Most of my career has been spent in the sports, leisure and entertainment fields which is another reason why the Ricoh Arena appealed to me."
