Two of our largest companies in the arts, entertainment and event sector, Solotech and the Cirque du Soleil, on Thursday made a certain stir in their senior direction while Stéphane Lefebvre, the ex-CIRC-CEO, was officially appointed CEO of Solotech.
In fact, Stéphane Lefebvre was no longer CEO of Cirque du Soleil since last April, when Daniel Lamarre, vice-president of the Council, resumed service as CEO and replaced him in the Montreal circus multinational.
At the end of 2024, Stéphane Lefebvre had decided to take a step back after working for 10 years for the Cirque du Soleil, including five years as chief of financial management, one as chief of operations and four as CEO.
Since April, he was responsible for carrying out international projects while supporting Daniel Lamarre in his role as CEO when he joined the Board of Directors of Solotech in July until he was offered to take the direction of the company.
“I knew very well Solotech; The Cirque du Soleil is one of its most important customers. It is an company that has an incredible reputation all over the world, but which still has an immense growth potential, “said Stéphane Lefebvre, which I met Thursday in its brand new offices on rue Hochelaga, near the Olympic stadium.
For the past week, the new CEO has started the transition with its predecessor Martin Tremblay, who was at the head of the company for eight years, during which Solotech achieved strong international expansion.
“I know Martin [Tremblay] For a long time and he too started to think about doing something else. »»
I did not come here to extinguish fires or recovery, the company is fine and my mandate is to continue growth.
Stéphane Lefebvre, new CEO of Solotech
What Martin Tremblay confirms to me, who explains to me that he was 60 years old this year and that after managing companies for 25 years, he wanted to take a step back and time for him.
Before being CEO of Solotech, Martin Tremblay had managed the Montreal studio of Ubisoft and had been chief of the game division at Warner, in Los Angeles.
A tailor -made post
Stéphane Lefebvre says he did not hesitate to accept the Solotech offer because it is a tailor -made responsibility for the expertise he has developed over the years.
“I am a finance guy. Before joining the circus and the world of entertainment, which I did not know at all, I worked for 20 years for CAE where I was project manager and manager of international development before becoming head of financial management.
“Solotech is also today a technological business. We are not only specialists in supporting the production of live shows, but we also make the integration of audio and visual systems of permanent installations in stadiums, hotels, airports, office complexes, “explains Stéphane Lefebvre.
In fact, Solotech today makes 60 % of its income with the integration of audio and lighting systems in different forms, against 40 % for the production of live shows by ensuring the technical, visual and audio support of the largest tours in the world, including those of Coldplay, Taylor Swift, Paul McCartney or Le Cirque du Soleil.
Solotech is the ownership of four main shareholders, CLARDGE – The Bronfman family investment fund, which is its preponderant shareholder -, the Caisse de Dépôt, Investissement Québec and Desjardins Capital.
Solotech is financially solid and we have the funds necessary to continue our expansion around the world where we are going to emphasize the markets of the Middle East, Europe and the United States, which remain important for us.
Stéphane Lefebvre, new CEO of Solotech
For example, the CEO evokes the projects of the powerful world production group of live shows, which announced that it wanted to invest massively in the construction of new performance halls, arenas or theaters where Solotech’s expertise is recognized and will be used.
The management of the company on rue Hochelaga which employs 1500 to 2000 people, according to current tours, is launching in the coming days in a strategic planning exercise which will allow it to decline its upcoming expansion more efficiently.
“In terms of the preproduction of live shows – whether concerts or sports matches – we are the company that has the best reputation in the world. What I want is to extend even more what we can offer to artists and sports organizations, “says the new CEO of Solotech.
