The agreement will also see Quebec businessman Mitch Garber become chairman of the company. "We are pleased that this new era of growth will be directed from Montreal, the Cirque's decision-making and creative centre, under the direction of Daniel Lamarre as CEO," he said in a statement. "After 30 years building the Cirque du Soleil brand, we have now found the right partners in TPG, Fosun and the Caisse to take Cirque du Soleil forward to the next stage in its evolution as a company founded on the conviction that the arts and business, together, can contribute to making a better world," he said.Ĭaisse de depot CEO Michael Sabia said it is partnering with Cirque as it seeks to conquer new markets. In a statement released before the news conference, Laliberte said the sale will be good for the Cirque. Laliberte dismissed any suggestions the Cirque is in financial difficulty, saying it is a profitable venture that sells 11 million tickets a year. From the outset, I didn't want to put the pressure of running the circus on their shoulders." "I don't really believe in the idea of the second generation of entrepreneurs. "They have their dreams and as a father I have made the commitment to support them as they chase them," he said. Laliberte has five children between the ages of seven and 18 but said having them take over the Cirque was never really an option. "I want to set other creative challenges for myself," Laliberte, 55, told a news conference in Montreal, which will remain the Cirque's international creative and management headquarters.Įquity firm TPG has acquired the majority stake for an undisclosed price, while Chinese investment firm Fosun and Quebec pension fund manager the Caisse de depot will hold minority stakes. The founder of the internationally renowned Cirque, which conquered the world with breathtaking and cutting-edge shows, will maintain a 10 per cent stake in the Montreal-based company and continue to provide strategic and creative input. MONTREAL - A 30-year chapter in one of Canada's major success stories in the business and entertainment worlds ended Monday with the announcement that Guy Laliberte is selling his majority stake in the famed Cirque du Soleil to a U.S.
0 kommentar(er)
