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TV production major Banijay to go public via SPAC deal
Mumbai: TV production and distribution company Banijay will go public and enter the stock exchange in Amsterdam through a newly-created special purpose acquisition company (SPAC). Banijay is being moved into FL Entertainment, which will also house Banijay founder Stéphane Courbit’s online gambling firm Betclic.
The deal was announced by FL Entertainment and Pegasus Entrepreneurs, a SPAC. The companies will merge. The transaction gives an implied equity value of €4.1 billion and an enterprise value of €7.2 billion – the largest business combination by a European-listed Spac. The shares will begin trading on Euronext in Amsterdam on 1 July.
The Banijay Group claims to be the world’s largest independent content production company, operating over 120 production companies across 22 countries. It produces both scripted and non-scripted content across all genres, including reality shows, entertainment and talk shows, game shows, factual entertainment, documentary, drama, animation and comedy. Banijay has a multi-genre catalogue of over 120,000 hours of original standout programming. It has produced programmes such as “Survivor,” “Versailles,” “Peaky Blinders,” “Germinal” and “MasterChef.” The global content production industry was valued at approximately €200 billion in 2021 and is structurally growing.
“Achieving a public listing of FL Entertainment through this partnership with Pegasus Entrepreneurs is a milestone in the history of our group. As a result of the transaction, the group will benefit from a robust balance sheet and will be very well positioned to capture growth in the entertainment industry,” commented Stéphane Courbit. “FL Entertainment is all about partnership, and I am pleased to welcome Pegasus Entrepreneurs and its sponsors as shareholders to our strengthened partnership with Vivendi, SBM International, Fimalac and De Agostini, our existing shareholders in Banijay Group and Betclic Everest Group who have given us their full support to make FL Entertainment even more powerful.”
“One of the key strengths of FL Entertainment is its management team: François Riahi as CEO of FL Entertainment, Marco Bassetti as CEO of the Banijay Group and Nicolas Béraud as CEO of the Betclic Everest Group. Both Marco and Nicolas have developed their businesses with tremendous success so far and will continue to do so in the new structure, supported by a talented team,” Courbit further said.
Pegasus Entrepreneurs sponsor, CEO and future member of the FLE Board Pierre Cuilleret said, “Pegasus Entrepreneurs was created by long-term investors with the objective of partnering with an entrepreneur-led European company with a track record of achieving profitable growth, and the potential to accelerate growth and create value with access to our expertise, network and listing platform. We could not dream of a better opportunity than partnering with FL Entertainment and Stéphane Courbit to achieve our objective on behalf of our shareholders.”
“The proposed business combination with FL Entertainment benefits from strong support from our shareholders and investors, as evidenced by unprecedented level of non-redemption commitments already received, as well as the largest ever PIPE raising by a European-listed SPAC. We look forward to the next stage of FL Entertainment’s growth and value creation,” Cuilleret added.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
