Sphere Hires Laureano-Rikardsen as Comms Chief
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- Karen Laureano-Rikardsen joins Sphere Entertainment as global head of corporate marketing and communications, taking on the role of lead spokesperson and overseeing promotional efforts.
- Laureano-Rikardsen will be based in New York and report to Jennifer Koester, Sphere's president and chief operating officer.
- Laureano-Rikardsen spent nine years at Cantor Fitzgerald, where she served as chief communications and marketing officer for the parent company and its publicly traded affiliates BGC Group and Newmark Group, advising C-Suite executives on corporate reputation and crisis communications.
- Earlier in her career, Laureano-Rikardsen held senior executive communications and marketing positions at Credit Suisse, Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein, and Hill & Knowlton.
- Sphere's Las Vegas venue is anchored by a film slate that includes Darren Aronofsky's sci-fi documentary "Postcard From Earth," an immersive "Wizard of Oz," and an upcoming "Rocky Horror Picture Show" production set for 2027.
- "The Wizard of Oz" immersive reimagining has generated over $400 million and sold more than 3 million tickets since opening in August 2025.
Why it matters: Sphere is entrusting its global narrative to a crisis-tested financial communications veteran at a moment when its Las Vegas flagship has already posted blockbuster numbers — "The Wizard of Oz" alone has cleared $400 million on 3 million tickets since August 2025 — and the company is positioning for international expansion. Her Wall Street playbook for C-Suite advisory and reputational defense will shape how investors, regulators, and media interpret Sphere's next phase.
