Cosmin Ivan, a seasoned entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience in the events industry, brings a wealth of knowledge and innovation to his role as CEO of Platinumlist, the leading online ticketing platform in the MENA region. With a proven track record of transforming how events are organized, promoted, and experienced, Cosmin has been at the helm of revolutionizing ticketing solutions across the Gulf. Under his leadership, Platinumlist has played a key role in digitizing the event experience, making ticket purchasing more seamless and secure for audiences across the region.
In this exclusive interview, Cosmin shares insights into his journey in the events industry, the driving force behind Platinumlist’s success, and his vision for the future of online ticketing. From pioneering the use of dynamic QR codes to introducing fan-to-fan resale functionality, Cosmin is redefining how technology can enhance the security, flexibility, and overall experience of live events. Through his forward-thinking approach, Cosmin is shaping the future of event ticketing in the Middle East.
Can you provide an overview of Platinumlist, including its history, core services, and what sets it apart in the event ticketing industry?
At this point, I would say Platinumlist is more of an ecosystem than just a ticketing platform. Eighteen years ago, we were primarily an e-commerce platform where people could buy tickets digitally. Since then, things have evolved significantly. Today, Platinumlist is about how you sell live events, how you manage marketing, how you handle on-site operations and how you consult organizers to implement best practices. It’s also about how you help them leverage the data you have.
We’ve been in the industry for almost 18 years, and over that time, we’ve built a substantial amount of data. It’s now about using that data to help organizers get the best outcomes for their events. Beyond entertainment, we also provide ticketing services for sports, business events, attractions and tourist experiences.
All of this defines Platinumlist today: an ecosystem, a 360-degree solution for event organizers, tourist attractions, sporting events and business events, especially across the GCC. It has become a very international, economically-driven ecosystem. Many international organizers are entering the region and they often need support connecting with local talent, authorities, providers and suppliers. That’s where we come in. We mediate between them and their establishment, while also handling ticket sales.
What strategies does Platinumlist use to engage audiences and ensure high attendance at major events like Denis Matsuev’s 50th Anniversary Concert?
I think it all comes down to understanding the core audience for each event. There is no secret formula for this. It’s really about adapting. Everything depends on the type of event you are selling. Some events can sell out through Twitter, while others perform better on platforms like Instagram.
There’s no single secret formula. It’s about analyzing, testing and then figuring out where to focus your marketing efforts. For example, we’ve had cases where 70% of tickets were sold through an email blast. In those instances, we launched a strong email campaign first and then used social media, Google search and other platforms to sell the remaining 30%.
Our usual approach is to audit the event, test different strategies, see what works and what doesn’t and then double down on the channels that deliver results. We combine multi-channel engagement tools, creative marketing ideas and sometimes even viral campaigns to drive interest.
Even if two events belong to the same category, like two pop concerts, you can’t necessarily apply the same strategy to both. You always need to adapt and change the format based on the specific event and its audience.
It’s really about adapting, finding the right formula and once you do, scaling it up.
How has Platinumlist expanded its presence internationally, and what new markets or regions are you targeting next?
I think it has been an organic expansion. We simply followed our customers; both our B2C users, through the app and website, and our clients, who are the content providers for our listings. We looked carefully at the data, understood where the opportunities were and made our choices based on that.
Right now, our strategy is to focus on countries where, culturally, it is easier for us to understand the market and find the right people. This way, we don't have to put in disproportionate effort because we naturally align with the market.
The GCC is now fully covered. Our next step is Europe. In fact, we have been working on this quietly for the past three years, trying to find the right formula to succeed there and I believe we have found it. We have already launched events in Germany and we are launching in Spain and the Netherlands. The events we have launched so far have been successful. Sales have been strong and our technology has been very well received. We received great feedback from the German market in particular, where users said the app is easy to use and much better compared to other available products.
That is our approach; always looking at markets with strong potential. Today, the focus is on Europe. Tomorrow it could be Asia or even the US. You never know. The important thing is to carefully consider many variables when choosing a country to expand into, such as the economic situation, purchasing power, geopolitical environment and political stability. All these factors are important because, if not evaluated properly, they can become blockers and lead to wasted investment without results.
Touching on your previous answer about how there’s no secret formula to success, what percentage do you feel is luck?
I think I have my own definition of luck. For me, luck is working hard and learning constantly. When you do that, you start to develop a clear picture of what works and what doesn’t. Then you become “lucky” because you’re able to recognize opportunities when they show up.
Every person who appears lucky usually has a strong foundation, meaning they’ve put in the work to be ready for that moment. Luck often seems like a sudden break, but to even spot that break, you need the right information and awareness. If you ask me to put a number to it, I’d say luck is about 40%. That’s the part where you go, “Hell yeah, this is the way forward.”
What innovative tools or features does Platinumlist offer to enhance the ticket purchasing experience for users?
It's about making things simple, which ironically is the hardest thing to do. Achieving true simplicity in any product or technology takes time and careful thought. Our main focus is to offer a straightforward, seamless experience when purchasing tickets. It's about removing all blockers when someone wants to buy a ticket to see their favorite artist, band or show. That, in itself, is the biggest piece of technology. We invest heavily in simplifying the purchase process.
When it comes to enhancements, we’ve introduced a mobile-only experience that includes important security features like dynamic QR codes. The mobile-first approach is more convenient for users. Our app also allows people to schedule shows, view both past and upcoming tickets and even swap tickets with other fans if they can’t attend.
This fan-to-fan ticket exchange gives users more flexibility and peace of mind. Ultimately, it's all about making the experience as smooth as possible. That’s what customers appreciate and what they’re always looking for: simplicity. And for us, that’s the real innovation.
How does Platinumlist manage partnerships with event organizers and venues to ensure smooth collaboration and ticketing solutions?
This is what Platinumlist was built on: the connection we create with our clients and the fact that we truly listen to them. We've evolved both as a technology and as a ticketing system because we paid attention to their feedback. That, I believe, is how Platinumlist was born. It's always been about listening, adapting and trying to help. That mindset is what brought us to where we are today, helped us sustain our growth for 18 years and made us a market leader.
We always put the client first. We constantly think about how we can do more, how we can support them better. The same goes for our relationship with venues. We maintain strong ties with venue partners because when someone wants to organize an event, the venue becomes a critical part of the process. We try to understand what venue best suits the event. Some events need a capacity of 2,000, others 4,000. Getting that right is important because the venue directly impacts the event’s profitability. A poor venue match can turn a profitable event into a loss.
Another key element is understanding the artist’s ticket-selling potential. If you plan for 5,000 attendees and book a venue of that size, but the artist can only draw 2,000 people, you're starting the event at a loss. That’s why we’re careful to provide all the necessary data so organizers can make the right decisions. We guide them throughout the process. We don’t make decisions for them, we’re partners, not owners, but we share what we know works best.
To give you a sense of our experience: in 2024 alone, we delivered over 3,200 events across the region. In comparison, 80% of event organizers typically deliver just one event per year. Around 10% might do two and a very small percentage more than ten. When you compare that to our track record, it’s clear we have the experience to offer meaningful guidance. We use that to help organizers plan smarter and execute better.
So, to answer the question, nurturing partnerships comes down to care. We advise, we guide and we do everything we can to help organizers run successful events and, of course, sell tickets, which is why they come to us in the first place.
Have you ever taken a risky decision despite logic dictating otherwise?
No, we have never done that. Even if we are the ones who have to bring the bad news, we bring the bad news. It is better to recognize that sometimes the best ideas are the ones you do not pursue. What we do is advise against taking actions that we believe will not be successful. It is better not to proceed than to attempt something that is likely to fail. We are always very honest. In the end, however, the decision rests with the organizer. It is a balance between data, experience and advice from the regional team, and I believe that in 99.9% of cases, we were right.
Do you ever feel that data can go wrong?
You know what they say: don’t believe the data fully. Even if you have an analytical team, you still need to challenge the data. In data analytics, there is a technique called a "periodic check." Data can be helpful, but you should never believe it 100%. My advice to all top management is: don’t trust the data blindly. Always challenge it.
Go and do a safety check. I have been in the field for 20 years, and I have seen many scenarios. Over the course of delivering more than 20,000 events, I have developed a sixth sense, building on my knowledge and experience to quickly spot anomalies in the data.
However, when there are new business lines or new pillars added to a company, you must fact-check the data. This means going directly to the person in charge of that department or system and verifying the information. Data can go wrong, not necessarily because the numbers themselves are wrong, but because the data analytics team might not have the same business connection or understanding as the head of the department.
The department head has a clearer reality check because they are closer to the actual operations. Sometimes, the data itself might be wrong because it wasn’t set up properly in the system, leading to incorrect insights. That’s why I use data, but I never believe it 100%. And it should be that way.
What are some of the key challenges Platinumlist faces in the competitive event ticketing landscape, and how do you address them?
I think when we talk about challenges, it can mean many things. It depends on how you perceive the situation. There will always be challenges. For example, at one point, we collaborated with governments across the region to fight the black market. There was a big problem with illegal ticket reselling and that was a major challenge for us. We worked together with the authorities and blocked websites that were involved in unauthorized ticket sales.
Another challenge we faced was gate crashers. There were teenagers trying to push their way into events without tickets. It may have seemed fun to them but it was very stressful for the audience. So, we had to rethink the event setup by introducing buffer areas to manage the crowds more effectively.
There are also trends that sometimes emerge without any real theoretical foundation and we often need to guide clients and customers back toward practices that make sense. In the competitive landscape, staying ahead is all about using the latest technologies, listening to your clients, who are the source of inspiration for improving the ticketing experience, and listening to your customers, who are constantly buying tickets and expecting better service.
By doing that, I believe you remain competitive and continue to succeed.
Delving deeper into challenges, do you face issues with scalpers?
I'll be honest with you, that has decreased by about 85 to 90%. We launched a new technology at the end of 2023 called dynamic QR codes. These are QR codes that change constantly. They cannot be replicated, screenshot, recorded or transferred outside the app, which operates in an encrypted end-to-end environment.
Scalping still exists at around 10%, but we are constantly doing our best to fight it. We work closely with the police, including the cyber police, to help people recover their money. Sometimes, replicas of our website pop up online, but again, the cyber police are proactive and reactive and we are very grateful for their support.
When scams happen, we help people recover their money through a legal procedure. We know exactly which documents are needed and we have templates ready. We immediately send these to affected customers so they can file a case with their bank for a chargeback. Unfortunately, there are cases where the scams are more complex and recovery becomes difficult.
My advice is simple: always buy tickets from certified and official sellers. Do a bit of research before purchasing. Don’t believe everything a website claims. Check directly with the event organizer or the artist because they usually post the correct ticket link on their official pages.
It’s becoming harder to tell the difference because scammers are getting very good at what they do. When you search on Google, their fake websites often show up first. They use psychological tricks to convince people to buy from them. With AI now, it has become even easier to create convincing fake websites within seconds. We are sometimes surprised by how closely a fake site can resemble ours.
However, there are tools and steps that can help people spot fakes and we are constantly adapting too. AI is heavily involved in our operations. We usually don't talk much about it but we have been applying AI long before the current wave of AI hype started. We prefer to test our products quietly for two, three, even four years until they are perfect before launching them.
Can you explain the process behind selecting which events Platinumlist will promote and support? Are there specific criteria you look for?
In short, we don't focus on specific types of events. We promote everything because the success of ticket sales translates to our success. Our goal is always to support events and the criteria for promotion are based on a variety of factors such as artist type, trends and thorough audits. It's not just about what we choose to promote but how we choose to promote it. Each event, as I mentioned earlier, has its own unique approach and our team analyzes numerous factors, from social engagement to popularity. There are many variables at play and we use a hybrid of AI and our marketing team to make these decisions. How we choose to promote remains somewhat of a "black box."
In the end, every event gets promoted because that’s our mission. We don't just focus on selling tickets; we aim to make the entertainment industry more successful. For example, we want to give event organizers the confidence to host subsequent events. I travel frequently around the region and I’ve encountered many organizers who, after COVID, lost the courage to host another event. One of our clients, a Dutch organizer, was initially very hesitant to launch his first event. But when he saw that he had a reliable partner to help with ticket sales, he regained his confidence and now holds events weekly. That experience was incredibly fulfilling for me.
Ultimately, our mission is to help organizers succeed and build a thriving entertainment industry in this region. We aim to encourage both international and local organizers to host more events. Every event has its audience; it's about how we reach that audience.
How do you ensure that Platinumlist maintains high customer satisfaction and security, especially for large-scale, high-profile events?
At Platinumlist, we adhere to a simple principle: whether an event is small or large, it receives the same level of attention and care. Interestingly, we often find that smaller events may require more effort than larger ones.
To ensure every event gets the right treatment, we focus on providing security and a seamless experience through careful event setup. Our operations team plays a vital role in the delivery of large-scale events, working closely with the tech team to ensure the online platform is properly set up for ticket sales.
One of the key tools we’ve implemented is dynamic QR codes, which have greatly enhanced both security and customer satisfaction. This technology has significantly reduced complaints, especially regarding payments. We maintain PCI compliance and are a Class A partner with banks and payment systems.
Additionally, we use a fraud detection module that flags suspicious transactions to ensure that payments are protected with 3D Secure technology. Our internal fraud screening system, which we developed eight years ago, has continually improved over time. It’s a great example of how we combine technology and human resources to ensure the success of both large and small events.
Large-scale events tend to be more exposed to fraud due to their popularity, attracting more attempts to exploit the system. However, with the right tools in place, we can ensure that these events are secure and deliver an outstanding experience for attendees.
What role does data and analytics play in shaping the marketing and sales strategies for events on the Platinumlist platform?
Data plays a crucial role because it gives you visibility, reveals trends and provides customer feedback. For example, if an event page receives a high number of visits, it indicates strong interest, something you can capitalize on through strategic ticket releases.
It also helps when you're trying to optimize performance. You want to attract a qualified audience, people who are genuinely interested in the event. If you're driving the wrong audience to the page, your conversion rate drops and your marketing budget is wasted. So instead of turning a million visits into ticket buyers, you may end up with very few actual sales. Data gives you the insight to avoid that.
It helps you make the right decisions, attract the right audience and improve the success of future events. It should be a core part of any strategy. But at the same time, there's a human factor involved. Someone still needs to verify that the data is relevant and accurate. Data can also highlight system anomalies, not just in marketing, but in payments. For example, if the failure rate in transactions goes up, the data may reveal a system issue causing downtime or affecting functionality. That might explain a sudden dip in page visits or sales.
Ultimately, it's not just about having data. It’s about how you use it. Do you monitor it in real time? Do you act on anomalies quickly to make better sales decisions? Like knowledge, data is only powerful if you apply it. Having it alone doesn’t change anything; it’s what you do with it that counts.
As the event industry evolves, especially with hybrid and virtual events, what do you see as the future of ticketing platforms and their role in this transformation?
The virtual experience starts the moment you buy the ticket. But what we see, even in research, is that the new generation is more focused on real-life experiences. Right now, hybrid and virtual formats are interesting but I believe the next generation will ultimately decide how this evolves. They will either embrace it or move away from it.
Speaking personally, when I attend an event, I want to be fully present at the event. I am not into the virtual experience during the event itself. If I do engage with the virtual side, it’s usually later when I have free time. I am often busy, and once I finish my work and admin tasks, maybe late at night around 11 PM, I might spend 30 minutes watching highlights or performances from my favorite artist.
So, a virtual event means being there when the event happens but I think the real opportunity lies in creating digital tools that extend the value of the physical experience afterward. This also brings another benefit; you can use the content to build a future audience.
This is where I see virtual and hybrid experiences heading. Ticketing platforms can evolve by not just facilitating entry to the live event but by helping to create an ongoing connection through content, encouraging audiences to return and buy tickets for future events.
What is some advice you would give to top management and future leaders?
My leadership style is to stay connected with the team as much as possible because I genuinely want to see them succeed. I believe their success is my success. No leader can succeed alone, so you must invest a lot in your team.
However, there are times when you get too busy because of new business factors like expansion, or there are periods when you need to be in different places and you end up disconnected from the team. As a top management leader, you must ensure that even when you are physically away, your team remains connected to you. Ideally, you should be able to step away and the business should still run smoothly without you. That should be the North Star every leader aims for.
This level of trust and independence comes from consistent investment in your team. We are all human and everyone has personal challenges, so it’s important to factor that in. A business is not just about numbers and targets; it is also about creating an environment where people are excited to wake up and go to work. Sometimes, I call my team and simply ask, "Are you still excited?" If they say, "Yes, I'm still excited," that's what I need to hear.
It's all about managing your time; how you divide it between administrative work, business planning, analysis and, most importantly, staying connected with your people.
In my view, the biggest challenge for any leader is time management. If I were to give one piece of advice, it would be this: no matter how busy the business gets, make time for your people. Prioritize them. Try to have at least one catch-up session each week to understand their challenges and how you can support them.
Maryam Pervez
Shameena Shaffi
Maryam Pervez
Maryam Pervez
Maryam Pervez
