François de Brugada to Lead New Banijay Events Arm

FL Entertainment has established Banijay Events and tapped François de Brugada, who currently leads Banijay France, as CEO.

The launch of the new business follows FL Entertainment’s investment in The Independents and Banijay’s acquisition of Balich Wonder Studio. It will reside within Banijay and focus on expanding the company’s presence in the live events business globally.

François Riahi, CEO of FL Entertainment, noted: “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. Capitalizing 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 of Banijay, said: “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.”

Brugada added: “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.