LOV Group

LOV Group is a French holding company created in 2007 and based in Paris, controlled by French businessman Stéphane Courbit. The name is derived from the first names of his three children: Lilas, Oscar and Vanille. The group operates across several sectors through a portfolio of brands and subsidiaries, organised around four main universes: Entertainment, Hospitality, Food & Cosmetics, and Wine & Oil. In entertainment, LOV Group is present through Banijay, an international leader in content production and distribution. According to the group's official website, Banijay has grown in 12 years into a major international player with 120 companies across 21 countries and a multi-genre catalogue of more than 150,000 hours of original content, including titles such as Survivor, Big Brother, Peaky Blinders, MasterChef, Rogue Heroes, Love Triangle, Mr Bean, Hunted, Blow Up! and Starstruck. The group also holds Betclic, described on its website as a leader in sports betting in several European countries. In hospitality, LOV Group operates luxury hotels and gastronomy through Airelles, Maisons d'exception, with iconic destinations. Its hotel portfolio has included Les Airelles in Courchevel, the Aman Melezin in Courchevel, Le Château de la Messardière and Le Pan Deï Palais in Saint-Tropez, La Bastide de Gordes, and a luxury hotel in the Hôtel du Grand Contrôle overlooking the Orangerie of the Château de Versailles. In 2019, LVMH acquired 17% of LOV Hôtel Collection. In food and cosmetics, the group's brands include Ladurée, Louis Fouquet, Ange, Pedone and Jardins Baulieu, presented as the art of French living. LOV Group acquired 80% of Ladurée in 2021. In wine and olive oil, Estoublon produces fine wines and olive oils. The group is a private holding company. François Riahi, former chief executive of Natixis, was appointed director general of LOV Group on 22 October 2020. LOV Group continues to invest across its sectors, including the 2022 acquisition of the four-star Résidence du Roy hotel in Paris and the Haras du Quesnay from the Head family.

LOV Group was created in 2007 by French businessman Stéphane Courbit, who sold his shares and left the management of Endemol France to create his own holding company. The name LOV is formed from the first names of his three children: Lilas, Oscar and Vanille. The holding is based in Paris. In January 2008, Stéphane Courbit created Banijay Entertainment alongside industrial partners including Groupe Arnault, AMS Industries and the Agnelli and De Agostini families. Banijay Entertainment was a holding company grouping around ten companies: Air Productions (Nagui), Banijay Productions (formerly ALJ, Alexia Laroche-Joubert), H2O (Cyril Hanouna) in France, Cuarzo in Spain, Brainpool in Germany, Nordisk in the Nordic countries, Bunim/Murray in the United States, and Screentime in Australia. Over the following years, Banijay grew into an international leader in content production and distribution, with 120 companies in 21 countries and a catalogue of more than 150,000 hours of original content. Also at the end of 2007, Stéphane Courbit created Mangas Capital Gaming, later renamed BetClic Everest Group, which acquired five companies in sports betting, poker and online casino: Betclic in 2007, Expekt and Bet-at-Home in 2009, Everest in 2010 and Monte-Carlo in 2015. LOV Group was joined by the Société des Bains de Mer de Monaco in 2009. In the same period, LOV Group invested in luxury hospitality and restaurants through its subsidiary LOV Hôtel Collection. It owned several establishments in Courchevel (the Hôtel Les Airelles, acquired in 2007; the Hôtel Aman Melezin, acquired in 2013; and the restaurant Le Chalet de Pierres), in Saint-Tropez (Le Château de la Messardière and Le Pan Deï Palais) and in Gordes (La Bastide de Gordes, acquired in early 2014). On 26 October 2019, Banijay announced the acquisition of its Dutch counterpart Endemol Shine Group, producer of series such as Black Mirror and numerous reality and game shows. The transaction was finalised in July 2020. In 2019, the LVMH group bought 17% of LOV Hôtel Collection. On 22 October 2020, François Riahi, former chief executive of Natixis, was appointed director general of LOV Group. In March 2021, LOV Group entered exclusive negotiations with the Holder group for the acquisition of Ladurée, of which it bought 80%. On 1 June 2021, LOV Hôtel Collection inaugurated a luxury hotel in the Hôtel du Grand Contrôle, overlooking the Orangerie of the Château de Versailles. In 2022, LOV Group acquired the Hôtel de la Résidence du Roy, a four-star hotel on rue François Ier in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, and the Haras du Quesnay from the Head family, one of the main French stud farms.

• 2022

  Acquisition of Hôtel de la Résidence du Roy in Paris and Haras du Quesnay

• 2021

  LOV Group acquires 80% of Ladurée; inauguration of luxury hotel in Hôtel du Grand Contrôle at Versailles

• 2020

  Banijay completes acquisition of Endemol Shine Group; François Riahi appointed director general of LOV Group

• 2019

  Banijay announces acquisition of Endemol Shine Group; LVMH acquires 17% of LOV Hôtel Collection

• 2015

  Acquisition of Monte-Carlo

• 2014

  Acquisition of La Bastide de Gordes

• 2013

  Acquisition of Hôtel Aman Melezin in Courchevel

• 2010

  Acquisition of Everest

• 2009

  Acquisition of Expekt and Bet-at-Home; Société des Bains de Mer de Monaco joins LOV Group

• 2008

  Creation of Banijay Entertainment with industrial partners including Groupe Arnault, AMS Industries and the Agnelli and De Agostini families

• 2007

  Creation of LOV Group by Stéphane Courbit; creation of Banijay; acquisition of Betclic

Diversified French holding company investing in entertainment, luxury hospitality, food, cosmetics, wine and olive oil.

• Banijay

  International leader in content production and distribution, with 120 companies in 21 countries and over 150,000 hours of original content.

• Betclic

  Sports betting leader in several European countries.

• Airelles

  Luxury hotels and gastronomy, Maisons d'exception and iconic destinations.

• Ladurée

  French pastry and bakery brand, 80% acquired by LOV Group in 2021.

• Estoublon

  Production of fine wines and olive oils.

• Louis Fouquet

  Food brand within the group's Food & Cosmetics universe.

• Pedone Cosmetics

  Cosmetics brand within the group's Food & Cosmetics universe.

1. 1LOV Group - Entertainment, Hospitality, Food, Wine & Oillovgroup.com
2. 2LOV Group - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3LOV Group - Wikipédiafr.wikipedia.org