After years as one of the most sought-after independent executive producers in the live events industry, Christopher Laue makes his home at August Jackson. He brings unmatched large-scale production expertise, a commitment to mentorship, and a passion for building things that last. 

CHICAGO, IL – June 29^th, 2026 — August Jackson announced today the appointment of Christopher Laue as Chief Innovation Officer, a newly created C-suite role that brings one of the live events industry’s most accomplished executive producers into a permanent home at August Jackson after two decades as an independent. In this role, Laue will help expand the agency into new verticals, drive innovative practices that bring greater value to clients, and serve as a senior mentor to AJ’s growing talent base. 

Laue brings more than three decades of experience producing complex live programs across public events, international ceremonies, brand activations, and large-scale automotive experiences for Fortune 500 brands. Among the most decorated independents in the industry, he has produced Olympic-scale ceremonies and landmark public events that few EPs anywhere have navigated at that level. After stints at Dick Clark Productions and Jack Morton earlier in his career, he has since operated as one of the most in-demand freelance executive producers in the industry—the kind of practitioner that other agencies and brands quietly competed to book. 

“I’ve known and worked with Chris Laue for many years, and he is, in my opinion, one of the very best executive producers in our industry,” said Jacque Patterson, CEO of August Jackson. “For decades he has been the person that agencies and brands call when the stakes are highest, from Olympic-scale ceremonies to some of the most complex global productions in the live events world. We are so thrilled that he has decided to make a permanent home at August Jackson.” 

Laue’s appointment comes as August Jackson continues to invest in both homegrown talent and proven industry leaders. The agency has earned recognition for developing in-house superstars, promoting from within, and creating career paths for producers, creatives, production and client service professionals who want to learn from the best while contributing to work for some of the world’s leading brands. 

The move follows Laue’s work with August Jackson on HPE Discover Las Vegas 2026, which he will continue to support while helping the agency build scalable systems and mentor the next generation of production leaders. 

“After working with the August Jackson team, I was impressed by the talent, trust, and commitment to craft across the agency,” said Laue. “I’m excited to join a culture that already values great production and to help build the systems, teams, and innovation practices that will support its continued growth.” 

As brands increasingly look for experiences that combine storytelling, technology, logistics, and business impact, Laue’s appointment positions August Jackson to continue expanding the ways it helps clients connect with audiences in moments that matter. His expertise in large-scale ceremonies, automotive programs, public events, and complex brand productions adds industry depth to August Jackson’s already strong capabilities across design, production, content, communications, and experiential strategy.