ATG Will Become Majority Shareholder of BB Group

Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG) - the world's number one live-theatre company - has agreed terms to become the majority shareholder of BB Group, parent company to BB Promotion, one of the leading producers and promoters of premium live entertainment in Europe and beyond with a particular strength in touring musicals and dance productions throughout Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Founded in 1987 by acclaimed producer, the late Michael Brenner, the BB Group now presents more than 1,000 performances each year, generating more than 1.5 million ticket sales. BB Group is renowned for its creative expertise and its reputation for quality and reliability which has led to strong and enduring relationships with leading venue operators and content rights holders.

BB Group's productions include West Side Story, We Will Rock You, The Rocky Horror Show, Cats, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Ballet Revolución. BB Group's presentation of The Lion King opened in Switzerland on 12 March 2015 and their production of The Bodyguard opens in Cologne in November 2015.

The BB Group has also recently won a tender to re-develop the "Staatenhaus" in Cologne as a 1,700 seat theatre. The "Staatenhaus" will replace the temporary Cologne Musical Dome and will be the top venue for musicals in the Rhine-Ruhr region of Germany.

The Brenner family, particularly Michael's children Marius Brenner and Antonia Brenner will remain with the company and will continue as active shareholders. Ralf Kokemüller will remain as CEO leading the highly regarded senior management team who will also continue with BB Group.

ATG and BB Group's joint creative and financial resources will be applied in the development of many more co-productions and the further extension of an international distribution network.

BB Group's CEO, Ralf Kokemüller, said: "We are delighted to have in ATG a partner who shares our passion for theatre and the first-class execution thereof.

"With the foundation of many international activities together, and our already well established joint vision of bringing the very best quality entertainment to our audiences, all of us at BB Group are very much looking forward to an exciting future in partnership with ATG."

In a joint statement, ATG's Joint CEO's, Sir Howard Panter and Rosemary Squire OBE, said: "We have a long established friendship and business relationship with the BB Group and have great respect for the Brenner family and the BB Management team, having been engaged in tours together for many years. Michael was a dear friend; a visionary who devoted his life to live entertainment and BB Group is a wonderful legacy to this great man.

"Germany is a theatre-loving nation, boasting a vibrant theatre scene and some of Europe's finest theatres, so to bring our two companies together as a platform for further growth is a hugely exciting proposition."