WME | IMG, a global leader in entertainment, sports, and fashion, today announced an investment by Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) and GIC, Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund, of approximately $1 billion. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
CPPIB and GIC will join current investors Silver Lake, SoftBank, and Fidelity as WME | IMG strategic partners. Silver Lake, a global leader in technology investing, will continue its strategic partnership with WME | IMG, which began with its first investment in WME in 2012, maintaining the entirety of its equity stake and helping the company continue to capitalize on the accelerating convergence of technology and content.
WME | IMG represents a powerful and diverse roster of artists and creators across every entertainment vertical including motion picture, television, music, books, digital and theater. Its sports client roster ranges from professional athletes and sports federations and leagues to collegiate institutions.
Through its continued expansion and diversification, WME | IMG has transformed into a global platform of leading entertainment, sports, and fashion assets, delivering more value and opportunities to its clients and partners. Over the last several years, the company has completed a series of strategic acquisitions and partnerships, expanding its owned assets to include premium global brands like the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), Professional Bull Riders (PBR), The Miss Universe Organization and Frieze, an arts media and events company.
WME | IMG also owns, operates or commercially represents hundreds of sports, fashion and entertainment events, including the Miami Open and New York Fashion Week, and curates premier culinary and globally franchised cultural festivals. The company works with top global advertisers to develop meaningful consumer platforms on behalf of its clients and helps new and iconic brands optimize their licensing potential. WME | IMG also operates one of the largest sports training institutions in the world, IMG Academy.
Additionally, IMG produces more than 52,000 hours of sports programming and arranges to distribute an additional 32,000 hours on behalf of more than 200 clients including major sports leagues, events and entertainment properties each year. These include UFC, one of the largest and fastest growing sports brands in the world, reaching more than 152 countries and 1.1 billion television households. IMG is also an international leader in the model management and talent discovery and manages the photographers, stylists, creative directors, hair and makeup artists, production designers, and illustrators who bring the worlds of art and fashion to life.
