Canada’s largest independent venue operator, MRG is responsible for some of the country’s best-loved concert halls, like Toronto’s Queen Elizabeth Theatre and Adelaide Hall and Vancouver’s Vogue Theatre. The company isn’t confined to one segment of the industry, though — MRG holds a diverse portfolio of ventures that give it a unique presence in Canadian music, from ticketing company AdmitOne to music publication BeatRoute. Jacob Smid stepped into the COO role in 2023, a year that saw the company host over 450 shows in five different countries, selling 400K tickets, and the overall enterprise generating revenue of over $100 million. As Smid continues to grow the company’s operations, MRG is a player to watch — domestically and globally — in live music and beyond. Jacob Smid is also a partner and co-founder in independent Czech and Polish promoter Fource Entertainment which was founded in 2010 and has worked with hundreds of artists from Billie Eilish to Imagine Dragons.