• Transaction includes other activities of Clemente Zard, CEO of Vivo Concerti
• CTS EVENTIM will hold a controlling stake
• Fourth acquisition in the Italian Live Entertainment market in less than eight months

CTS EVENTIM, one of the world’s leading providers of ticketing and live entertainment, has further enhanced its market position in Italy. The company is acquiring an interest in Vivo Concerti, a promoter of concerts and musicals. In the future, CTS EVENTIM will hold a controlling stake in Vivo Concerti through one of its local subsidiaries. The transaction includes other activities held by Vivo Concerti’s CEO, Clemente Zard, which will now be transferred to Vivo Concerti.

Over the past two years, Clemente Zard has led Vivo Concerti as its CEO, before recently buying the company from the previous owner, Warner Music Italy, in a management buy-out. Among the artists whose Italian tours Vivo Concerti has organised in recent years are international acts such as Evanescence, David Guetta, Demi Lovato, Tokio Hotel, Sam Smith, Brian Wilson and Hans Zimmer, as well as regional stars like Benji & Fede, Mannarino and Thegiornalisti.

In addition to his position as CEO of Vivo Concerti, Zard has also been active for many years as an independent promoter of concerts and musicals. Among the greatest successes he has celebrated in that time are shows like ‘Alegria by Cirque du Soleil’, ‘Beauty and the Beast’, and the musical ‘Notre Dame de Paris’, which he brought back to Italian stages after an absence of four years, to enormous public response. For some years now, Zard has also been working with international artists like Ian Anderson, Charles Aznavour, Alan Parsons and Spandau Ballet, and with local acts such as the pop/rap duo J-Ax & Fedez.

Klaus-Peter Schulenberg, CEO of CTS EVENTIM, commented, ‘We are absolutely delighted at strengthening our position on the Italian market even further. The multi-faceted portfolio of Vivo Concerti complements our existing activities superbly. We also welcome Clemente Zard to the ranks of CTS EVENTIM – an outstanding promoter who has produced business success stories in recent years, not only as the CEO of Vivo Concerti but also with his own undertakings.’

Clemente Zard, who will continue to hold shares in Vivo Concerti and who will manage the company’s operations from Milan, added:

‘Ever since I took over Vivo Concerti, I have wanted to work with an international partner. I am all the more delighted that, within a short time, we have found a global player in CTS EVENTIM, a company that is not only very familiar with our market segment but which also shares our vision. Vivo Concerti will continue to bring a fantastic range of international and Italian artists together with their fans and put shows on the road that are as fresh and innovative as our company itself. At the same time, I would like to thank our former colleagues at Warner Music Italy, personally and on behalf of my team, for two fulfilling and formative years. During that period, we gained the self-confidence and experience to take the next step now in the development of Vivo Concerti. CTS EVENTIM is the perfect partner in that respect.’

Adam Parry
Author: Adam Parry

Adam is the co-founder and editor of www.eventindustrynews.com Adam, a technology evangelist also organises Event Tech Live, Europe’s only show dedicated to event technology and the Event Technology Awards. Both events take place in November, London.