Luxury and Fashion Mogul Francois-Henri Pinault Eyeing Majority Stake in CAA (Report)

Luxury and fashion mogul Francois-Henri Pinault has entered advanced talks to acquire a majority stake in Creative Artists Agency, according to Bloomberg.

A potential deal for the Hollywood talent agency, which represents high-profile clients including Tom Hanks, Zendaya, Steven Spielberg, Ariana Grande, Beyonce, and Pinault’s wife Salma Hayek, could reportedly fetch a valuation of at least $7 billion. The outlet noted that talks with the Kering CEO and Groupe Artémis president could still end without a deal and that a final decision has not been made.

CAA, which was founded in 1975, is backed by private equity group TPG Capital, which acquired a 35% stake in the talent agency in 2010. In 2014, CAA and TPG agreed to a deal that boosted the latter’s ownership stake to 53%. In 2021, CAA acquired rival ICM Partners for $750 million.

Both Pinnault and CAA managing director and co-chairman were separately spotted at the Allen & Co. Sun Valley Conference in Idaho, an event that has become known as a hotbed for dealmaking. A Kering spokesperson denied any involvement of the Group. Representatives for CAA, TPG Capital, Pinault and Groupe Artémis declined to comment.

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Kering has already established a presence in Hollywood, becoming a sponsor of the Cannes Film Festival and organizing a Women in Motion program that recognizes female actors, filmmakers and producers. One of the company’s brands, Saint Laurent, has launched a film production company led by its creative director Anthony Vaccarello. In addition to Pedro Almodóvar’s “Strange Way of Life,” Saint Laurent Productions is developing projects by a wide range of diverse filmmakers including Paolo Sorrentino, David Cronenberg, Abel Ferrara, Wong Kar Wai, Jim Jarmusch and Gaspar Noé.

The timing of the talks comes as SAG-AFTRA is joining the Writers Guild of America on the picket lines after failing to reach an agreement in their own contract negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, marking the first double strike in 60 years.

Under union guidelines, actors are prohibited from attending premieres, going to awards shows and film festivals or promoting their projects in the press or on social media until a deal is reached. Picketing will take place in both Los Angeles and New York City on Friday.

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