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FKP Scorpio expands into Belgium

Live Nation/Free Trade alum Jan Digneffe is spearheading the German promoter's push deeper into the Low Countries as head of FKP Scorpio Belgium

By Jon Chapple on 08 Jan 2020

FKP Scorpio Belgium head Jan Digneffe

FKP Scorpio Belgium head Jan Digneffe


FKP Scorpio has opened its first office in Belgium, marking the German promoter’s expansion into its tenth European market.

FKP Scorpio Belgium is headed up by Jan Digneffe, a 13-year veteran of Live Nation Belgium, where he served as a promoter and booking agent. The new office is located in Antwerp and opened for business this month.

Digneffe started his career in 2002 as booker/promoter for Jazztronaut Entertainment, moving to Live Nation three years later. In March 2012 he moved to London to join Paul Boswell and James Alderman at Free Trade Agency, returning home to Belgium and Live Nation two years later.

“Years ago, when I started working as an agent for Free Trade Agency in London, I got to know FKP Scorpio as a fantastic and reliable partner to collaborate with,” comments Digneffe. “In conversations held with FKP Scorpio later on, I was introduced to people that actually live for music and work towards an independent [and] clever, but yet ‘human’, way to make a difference in the current music industry that globalises and faces new challenges every day.

“As from today, I am very happy to be part of FKP Scorpio. I am looking forward with lots of enthusiasm and ambition towards the projects that we will realise all together in Belgium.”

“I have great confidence that FKP Scorpio Belgium will be in safe hands with Jan Digneffe”

Founded in 1990, majority CTS Eventim-owned FKP Scorpio is one of Europe’s leading live entertainment companies. Headquartered in Hamburg, it is also active in Norway, Austria, Sweden, the Netherlands, Poland, Denmark, Finland and the UK.

Folkert Koopmans, FKP founder and CEO, comments: “Belgium has always been a market in which we have had great interest. It makes perfect sense in our north European portfolio to be able to promote shows there, too.

“I have great confidence that FKP Scorpio Belgium will be in safe hands with Jan Digneffe and that we are looking at a bright future there. Developing the company together in the market is something that we are really looking forward to.”

Recent highlights for Scorpio include high-profile shows by the likes of Foo Fighters, the Rolling Stones and Ed Sheeran, as well as a successful few years for its roster of festivals, including Germany’s Hurricane, Southside and Rolling Stone Beach and the Netherlands’ Best Kept Secret (with Friendly Fire).

According to PwC, Belgium is Europe’s 12th-biggest live music market, worth US$273 million in ticket sales in 2019 (more than Spain but less than Austria and Norway), and the 17th-biggest globally.

 


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