The Independents acquires two event companies

The Independents Group, a leading international communications group specialising in luxury, fashion, and lifestyle, is strengthening its expertise in the experiential sector with two new strategic acquisitions, Atelier LUM and INCA Productions.

Atelier LUM is a boutique event agency based in Paris and Dubai founded by Marc Le Pitre in 2009. It designs and produces exclusive fashion and luxury experiences, elevated scenography, and architectural projects. INCA is an event production agency with offices in London and New York, founded in 1998 by Charlotte Clark and Nina Ferguson. It specialises in creating distinctive and memorable activations, all underpinned with intelligent strategy.

Isabelle Chouvet, chief executive officer of The Independents, said in a statement: “With Atelier LUM and INCA Productions, two great assets come not only to complement the experiential offer of the group but also to reinforce our entrepreneur-driven ecosystem of services.

“Atelier LUM, which uniquely sits at the crossroads of meaningful experience and design, provides a unique value proposition for brands looking to craft experiences answering their VICs common passion for arts, design, culture and exclusive luxury creations. INCA’s methodology starts with approaching events as proper assets, hence the strategy to inject the best of culture and entertainment in the experiential sphere, allowing brands to build their communications with an IP lens and a long-term vision.”

Since its creation in 2017, The Independents has united nine international agencies, specialising in strategy, creativity, experience, communications, data and influence. These latest two acquisitions continue the group’s global expansion, cementing its presence in major luxury capitals in Europe, the US and the Middle East.

Commenting on the acquisition, Marc Le Pitre, founder and chief executive of Atelier LUM, said: “My team and I are very proud to join The Independents, a community of tier-one entrepreneurs in the industry. Atelier LUM has always been committed to upholding the highest standards of luxury and we are convinced our combined offer will answer the global needs of our clients in a luxury world changing faster than ever.”

Nina Ferguson, chief growth officer at INCA Productions, added: “Joining the Independents family feels like a truly authentic partnership. It enables INCA to move into our next stage of growth, with a strong global network comprising best-in-class agencies in every corner of the globe.”

Agencies within The Independents Group include Atelier LUM, Bureau Betak & Bureau Future, CTZAR, INCA Productions, Karla Otto, K2, Lefty, The Qode and Prodject.