TRAIL invests in Marcadé agency to accelerate growth
The Marcadé agency and TRAIL announce that the SLAM (Sport, Luxury, Art and Music) fund, launched in December 2023 by TRAIL, has acquired a stake in Marcadé, an agency founded in 1989 by François Marcadé and specialized in the design, production and staging of exceptional events for leading luxury brands such as Van Cleef & Arpels, Bulgari, Cartier, Louis Vuitton, Loewe, Chopard, Tiffany & Co...
Born out of the performing arts, Agence Marcadé has built its reputation on its ability to transcend brand universes by blending exceptional artistic performances with contemporary scenography. Following its graduation from COVID, the agency embarked on a far-reaching renewal of its offering: new creative direction, ISO 20121 CSR certification, increasing number of international projects, etc. Based in France, the agency has offices in Monaco and Shanghai. On the strength of these initial successes, the agency is now aiming to become one of the global benchmarks in its sector, without losing its DNA. It is around this ambition that the Marcadé agency and TRAIL have decided to join forces.
Drawing on its expertise in brand development, particularly in the luxury sector, TRAIL will support Marcadé's growth strategy, whether to consolidate its historic expertise in fine jewelry, conquer new sectors or accelerate its international expansion, particularly in the Middle East, the United States and Asia. TRAIL will bring its geographical platform, particularly in Asia, and its powerful ecosystem in the sectors covered by the SLAM fund (Sport, Luxury, Art and Music).
SLAM's stake will be acquired through a holding company named Platform 6, in reference to the 6th art embodied by live performance. François Marcadé, Chairman of the agency, will preside over this new structure bringing together all Marcadé shareholders. At the same time, certain key managers will also become shareholders in the company, demonstrating their strong conviction and involvement in the project. Platform 6 will act as an investment platform for external growth operations in businesses related to exceptional events.
“I'm delighted to announce the SLAM Fund's first investment in Marcadé, a company with magnificent development potential operating in high-growth sectors. We are delighted to join forces with the company's president and founder, François Marcadé, and his teams, to support and accompany the agency's growth, and contribute to its worldwide reputation."
Xavier Marin, Président de TRAIL :
"TRAIL's entry into Marcadé's capital represents a new stage in the development of a company that has been close to our heart for over thirty-five years: creating exceptional events all over the world for the Houses that place their trust in us. It's a change of dimension for our agency. We'll be able to offer an even more cutting-edge creative offering, while exploring new sectors, new professions and new international markets. The TRAIL team shares our long-term vision, and is the ideal partner for us to realize our ambition”
François Marcadé, President of Marcadé.
About TRAIL
Created in 2013 by Xavier Marin, TRAIL is a European investment company that is the involved investor partner of companies with high growth potential in order to support them in their development into global champions in their fields. With close to a billion euros in capital under management to date, TRAIL benefits from a leading Euro-Asian investment platform, and has offices in Paris, Luxembourg and Beijing.Last December, TRAIL announced the launch of the SLAM fund, which invests in the fast-growing industries of Sport, Luxury, Art and Music, where crossovers are increasingly common. SLAM offers its companies a powerful ecosystem of athletes, artists, specialists and business leaders to accelerate their development.
About MARCADE
Created in 1989, the Marcadé agency, chaired for 35 years by its founder François Marcadé, specializes in the design, production and staging of special events for leading luxury brands. To date, the Marcadé agency has produced over 1000 bespoke events for such prestigious names as Van Cleef & Arpels, Cartier, Louis Vuitton, Dior, Bulgari, Tiffany & Co, Chopard, Loewe, Martell, Mumm, Veuve-Cliquot and Perrier-Jouët. Constantly on the lookout for innovative techniques, Marcadé collaborates with the world's finest craftsmen and craftswomen, developing concepts where physical and digital interact and enrich each other. For several years now, the agency has been committed to a sustainable development approach (ISO 20121 certification) aimed at rethinking the environmental, economic and social impact of its activity.
