Bulgaria’s FEST Team acquires Charmenko
Bulgaria’s FEST Team is set to acquire Eastern European promoter, talent buyer and artist agency Charmenko.
The deal, which is expected to close later this summer, also includes Charmenko’s live events arm, Charm Music, and its artist agency, Charmworks.
The Istanbul-headquartered firm, founded in the late 1980s, will retain its name, staff and offices in Poland, Czechia & Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia and Serbia.
FEST Team is a Sofia-based full-service promoter, founded in 2012, which organises festivals such as Sofia Solid series, Hills of Rock Festival, and Spice Music Festival.
The firm has also promoted concerts with the likes of Arctic Monkeys, Ed Sheeran, Andrea Bocelli, Iron Maiden, Tom Jones, Lenny Kravitz, Franz Ferdinand, Editors and Pantera.
Charmenko and FEST Team have previously worked together, maintaining a co-promoting partnership in the Baltic States and Bulgaria.
“This acquisition represents a transformative opportunity for Fest Team,” says Stefan Elenkov, CEO of Fest Team. “It is a privilege for us to join forces with such renowned and respected company in the music industry. By combining Fest Team’s expertise in organising large-scale music events with Charmenko’s robust artist booking capabilities and industry know-how, we aim to create synergy that will redefine the Eastern European music landscape. This strategic integration will streamline our ability to connect artists with venues and festivals, offering comprehensive solutions that enhance the overall experience for performers and audiences alike.”
“I feel that it’s time for us to join a bigger grouping in order to take the next step towards a pan-East European promoting, talent buying and servicing organisation”
FEST Team says the acquisition marks a significant advancement in Fest Team’s growth strategy, aiming to bolster its regional presence and expand operations across Eastern Europe, the Balkans, Turkey, the Baltic regions and more.
Charmenko’s founder and owner, Nick Hobbs: “As a group of companies working throughout the East European region, we survived Covid and have returned to the growth we had towards the end of the 20 teens. The odds are stacked against independent promoters yet, with too many ups and downs to mention, the company has opened new offices and doubled in size since 2021 without incurring any debt. I feel that it’s time for us to join a bigger grouping in order to take the next step towards a pan-East European promoting, talent buying and servicing organisation which can integrate creativity, synergies and professionalism with a long-term strategy that puts artists, audience and clients foremost in our thinking.”
Hobbs founded Charmenko in London in the 1980s before relocating to Istanbul in 2003. The firm later opened offices in Czechia and Poland (2004), Serbia (2018), and Croatia (2021). The company promotes live shows and acts as a talent buyer in these markets.
Charmenko also acts as a talent buyer for events, venues and concert organisers in Finland, the rest of the former Yugoslavia, Romania, Moldova, Greece & Cyprus, the Caucuses and Egypt, as well as the Baltic States and Bulgaria.
The company adds, “As soon as the war is over, we look forward to returning to Ukraine, and as soon as the Russian and Belarussian regimes collapse, we look forward to returning to Russia and Belarus.”
Charmenko has promoted concerts with the likes of Ed Sheeran, Måneskin, The Chainsmokers, Arctic Monkeys, Marshmello, Rammstein, The National, Green Day, Die Antwoord, Central Cee, Franz Ferdinand, Sting, Tame Impala and Iron Maiden.
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