FL Entertainment: Banijay to build Media & Entertainment
Powerhouse with Balich Wonder Studio
Banijay to
Build Media & Entertainment Powerhouse with
Balich Wonder Studio- Leading content producer distributor
to acquire unique and prestigious live entertainment business -
Paris,
15 June
2023: Banijay
today announced it has signed an agreement to acquire a majority
stake in Balich Wonder Studio. Building a stand-out, global media
and entertainment powerhouse, the deal will combine the strengths
of the established world-renowned content group, with the
pioneering capabilities of the live entertainment player.
Having already bolstered its position as a
leading content powerhouse, Banijay has over the years nurtured a
creative footprint spanning 21 territories and playing home to 130
labels. In this latest phase of transformative growth, it will
unite the creative and commercial strengths of two unique companies
to build a differentiated offering in the media and entertainment
space.
Founded in 2013, Milan-based Balich Wonder
Studio is a creative player which has quickly grown to be a
prestigious live event creator and service provider, tapping into a
broad range of institutional ceremonies, brand and destination
experiences. Firmly on the map globally as a leading reference and
go-to for premium live entertainment events, it is credited for the
organisation of the highest number of Olympic Games Ceremonies in
the world and other prestigious events such as the 2022 Qatar
FIFA World Cup; Pan American Games Ceremonies in Perù 2019 and
Chile 2023; 2016 Rio Olympic Games Ceremonies (CC2016); and 2014
Sochi Olympic Games closing and Paralympic Games Ceremonies.
Additionally, it has delivered a range of exclusive events for top
brands including Louis Vuitton, Formula 1, Ferrari, Dolce &
Gabbana, UEFA, MSC, Maserati, Bulgari, IWC, Azimut Benetti and many
others. Balich Wonder Studio posted revenues of €315m in 2022.
The deal will bring together the creative
strengths of Banijay’s global talent collective, led by CEO Marco
Bassetti, with the proven expertise of Balich Wonder Studio’s
leading live entertainment team, led by its founders Marco Balich,
Gianmaria Serra and Simone Merico, the CEO Stefano Core, and
Carolina Dotti and Valentina Saluzzi, partner and luxury experts. A
complementary union, the transaction will signal a new era and
further growth for both businesses.
Marco Bassetti, Chief Executive
Officer Banijay: “Complementary
to us in its ambition and entrepreneurialism, Balich has risen to
be top of its game in the live-event space, and via this
acquisition, there is huge potential for further pioneering growth.
We feel fortunate the team chose to partner with us on this
trailblazing move and can already see how together we can build
additional creative and commercial synergies, to cement the
collective as a media and entertainment powerhouse. In marrying our
businesses, we will create a unique universe of globally-spanning
premium content, and the world’s most-watched ceremonies and
illustrious events – ultimately, a one-stop-shop for
creativity.”
Marco Balich, Chairman Balich Wonder
Studio: "We are glad that a world-class player like
Banijay has chosen a committed creative team with the ambition to
become the world's most prestigious live entertainment group.
Together we feel empowered to accelerate this journey. We share the
passion for creativity, the ability to create exceptional content
and spread emotions, culture, and beauty as pillars for a better
world. Today, after ten years of extraordinary growth, we look
forward to an exciting future and we are happy to continue
inspiring wonder around the world".
As a creative studio, the live entertainment
group has also been involved in a number of public destination
developments, creating resident and water shows, immersive
experiences and landmark icons like the symbol of World Expo – the
celebrated “Tree of Life”, and the 'Whale Shark', a 30-metre symbol
suspended in Doha in 2022 to represent the country's focus on
preserving its natural environment.
Balich Wonder Studio’s healthy portfolio of
successful businesses includes two brands, with operating offices
in Europe and the Middle East, which is one the fastest growing and
most important markets for the high-end event management industry.
At the forefront of innovation, the ESG-committed live event
specialist has swiftly grown both its offering and its footprint,
and with Banijay, is now poised for further creative expansion.
The acquisition remains subject to customary
closing conditions and is anticipated to close in the coming
months.
-Ends-
For further enquiries please
contact:
Kate Humphreys, Global Head of Communication @
Banijay Email: k.humphreys@banijay.com Tel: +44 7792 222769
Federica Moscheni, Head of Communication @ Balich
Wonder StudioEmail: federica.moscheni@balichws.comTel: +39 333
4758256
Caroline Cohen, Head of Investor Relations @ FL
EntertainmentEmail : c.cohen@flentertainment.comTel : +33
1 44 95 23 34
Hugues Boeton (FL Entertainment)Email:
hboeton@brunswickgroup.comTel: +33 6 79 99 27 15
About BanijayContent 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, Hunted,
Black Mirror, Blow Up!, 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.
About Balich Wonder
StudioBalich Wonder Studio is an integrated entertainment
Group that conceives, produces and delivers live experiences. The
Studio creates visionary projects with long lasting value, from
large scale Ceremonies to immersive shows, from brands events to
destination experiences. The distinctive approach is to put
emotions as the ultimate value, generating them through unique
creativity and impeccable execution.
Born in 2013, the Group is a world leader in
large institutional events, and it’s driven by talents and skills
of a multicultural team of more than 280 people from 20 countries;
it operates in Europe and the Middle East through 4 divisions:
Ceremonies, Destination Experience, Immersive Show and Brand
Experiences. In 2022 Balich Wonder Studio recorded revenues of
€315m.
About FL EntertainmentFounded
by Stéphane Courbit, a 30-year entertainment industry pioneer and
entrepreneur, FL Entertainment Group is a global leader in
multimedia content 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 listed on Euronext
Amsterdam in July 2022.ISIN: NL0015000X07 - Bloomberg: FLE NA -
Reuters: FLE.AS
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