FL Entertainment creates 'Banijay Events' & appoints François
de Brugada as CEO
FL Entertainment
creates
‘Banijay Events’
& appoints
François de Brugada
as CEO
Paris,
22 June
2023: FL
Entertainment, a global entertainment leader, announces the
creation of “Banijay Events”, a live events offering which will
capitalise on the company’s expertise and success in content
production, as well as expand its capabilities within the wider
entertainment industry. The newly developed offering will be led by
current Chief Executive Officer of Banijay France, François de
Brugada.
This announcement follows FL Entertainment’s
recent new ventures – an investment into The Independents, and the
acquisition of Balich Wonder Studio by Banijay. These investments
in the events business, combined with the creation of Banijay
Events, showcase FL Entertainment’s ambition to become a global
leader in the production of live events. The new offering will sit
as part of FL Entertainment’s leading global content production and
distribution operations, led by Banijay’s Chief Executive Officer,
Marco Bassetti.
This strategic initiative is based on the
assessment that the live events production industry has significant
growth potential. It remains largely unconsolidated and has a
business model very similar to that of content production and
distribution, on which media and entertainment powerhouse, Banijay,
was built. Banijay reached €3.2bn in revenues for 2022, proving the
strength of its long-term creative strategy and approach, on which
FL Entertainment will further capitalise.
Brugada has served as CEO of Banijay France
since 2015, building an ecosystem of the best talents, labels and
IP, firmly positioning the group as the country’s undisputed
production leader. Having gathered a local holding currently
comprising more than 15 production labels, Brugada was responsible
for nurturing a local catalogue of almost 3,000 hours of diverse,
premium content each year, a portfolio that has continued to evolve
and prosper under his guidance. Having first joined Banijay at its
inception in 2008 as EVP for Content, Brugada was then appointed
Chief Operating Officer, partnering closely with Chairman, Stéphane
Courbit, to support the organisation’s initial international
expansion ambitions across France, Spain, the US, Nordics, Germany
and Australia. In this position, he also initiated internal
cross-territory format sharing and helped develop and position the
organisation’s worldwide brand.
Evolving and executing the group’s dedicated
strategy, Brugada will be tasked with growing this part of the
business, developing synergies with the rest of the group, and
identifying additional companies to build its dedicated
portfolio.
François Riahi,
CEO, FL Entertainment: “The live
events business has rapidly soared post-Covid and given our
already-established entertainment assets, it represents a perfect
addition to our Group and to our strategy to become an integrated
global entertainment leader. Capitalising on our entrepreneurial
production/distribution model, we have great ambitions in this area
and are confident this new reinforced offering will become a
destination for creativity and awe-inspiring activity.”
Marco Bassetti, CEO, Banijay:
“Diversifying our content capabilities beyond the screen marks a
real gear shift for the group. Banijay Events launches with a solid
base thanks to the recently announced investments, and from here,
there are so many opportunities for further collaboration and
onward global growth. This, combined with the appointment of
François, who has been a key player in Banijay’s journey, marks a
significant commitment to the live events business and we all look
forward to seeing what comes next.”
François de Brugada, CEO, Banijay
France: “It has been an exciting journey growing the
business in France, and as part of that work, bolstering the
scripted offering. Joining FLE to lead Banijay Events, is for me
like going back to the early years of Banijay; but this time with
two major players already onboard – I am thrilled by this new
challenge! There are many similarities between Banijay and the
events production business, and I have no doubt, that in blending
the two experiences, we can establish a healthy footing in the
market, as was done in the audio-visual space.”
Recruitment is currently underway to find a
replacement CEO for Banijay France, with Brugada remaining in place
until at least September, to ensure a smooth and effective
transition period.
-Ends-
For further enquiries please
contact: FL Entertainment:
Caroline CohenHead of Investor Relations at FL
Entertainment+33682759639c.cohen@flentertainment.com
Hugues Boëton – Brunswick Group +33679992715
hboeton@brunswickgroup.com
Nicolas Grange – Brunswick Group +33629562019
ngrange@brunswickgroup.com
About FL Entertainment Founded by
Stéphane Courbit, a 30-year entertainment industry pioneer and
entrepreneur, FL Entertainment Group is a global leader in
multimedia content and online sports betting and gaming, combining
the strengths of Banijay, the world’s largest independent producer
distributor, with Betclic Everest Group, the fastest growing online
sports betting platform in Europe. In 2022, FL Entertainment
recorded through Banijay and Betclic Everest Group, a combined
revenue, and Adjusted EBITDA, of €4,047m and €670m respectively. FL
Entertainment is listed on Euronext Amsterdam. ISIN: NL0015000X07 -
Bloomberg: FLE NA - Reuters: FLE. For more information, please
visit https://www.flentertainment.com/
About Banijay Content
powerhouse Banijay is home to over 130 production companies across
21 territories, and a multi-genre catalogue boasting over 160,000
hours of original standout programming.
A collective of creative entrepreneurs, the
group represents some of the biggest global brands in the market
including Survivor, Big Brother, Peaky Blinders, MasterChef,
Rogue Heroes, Marie Antoinette, Mr Bean, Love Triangle, Hot Wheels:
Ultimate Challenge, Hunted, Black Mirror, The Summit,
and Starstruck among others. Imagining and delivering
high-quality multi-genre IP that was born locally and travels
globally, the business offers the best stories told the best
way.
Built on independence, creative freedom,
collaborative entrepreneurialism and commercial acumen, the
company, launched in 2008, operates under the direction of Chief
Executive Officer, Marco Bassetti.
- FL Entertainment creates Banijay Events_22 06 2023
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