The Visionary Creative Director Takes on a New Leadership Role at His Agency’s Parent Company
After 30 years at the helm of his production agency Bureau Betak, Alexandre de Betak has been appointed chair of creative strategy at The Independents. A global marketing and communications group for industry leaders across luxury and lifestyle, The Independents acquired Bureau Betak in 2021, and also owns Karla Otto, Lefty, and Prodject.
In his new role, De Betak will set strategy, help to attract top talent, and identify new acquisition targets. Under De Betak’s direction, the group will also invest in an incubator program to nurture small but high-potential creative companies with which the Independents can partner.
Founded by De Betak in the early 90s, Bureau Betak has since grown to become one of if not the most in-demand production agencies for fashion shows and beyond. Reflecting on his time at the agency he founded, De Betak said, “As the founder of Bureau Betak and co-founder of The Independents, I have spent more than 30 years directly involved in the creation of extra-ordinary fashion and lifestyle experiences – and truthfully, I am amazed by our impact on the industry. We have produced upwards of 1500 shows, and I admit to a certain sentimentality when I consider how they are so fundamental to my life. We are constantly pushing the possibilities and exceeding expectations, and this continues to be possible thanks to all those who work at and collaborate with Bureau Betak.”
De Betak will step away from day-to-day operations at Bureau Betak. Benedicte Fournier, Paco Raynal and Guillaume Troncy — who have all held the title of co-chief executive officer since September 2021 — will continue to lead the business, alongside global head of design Simon Caillaud.
Looking forward to his new role at The Independents, De Betak explained that it “will involve attracting the best talents in the world to better serve the fashion and luxury community. As always, I will be rethinking the future with creativity, while integrating sustainability and technology practices. Through this complementary scope, I will be devising new strategies that innovate and challenge how brands communicate, and I will be developing strategic and creative partnerships through acquisitions.”
The Independents was founded in 2017 after a merger between fashion PR firm Karla Otto and experiential marketing and events agency K2. Since then, the group has acquired Qode, a Dubai-based luxury communications agency and Lefty, a Paris-based influencer marketing firm, as well as Bureau Betak. Most recently, the company acquired Prodject, the New York-based creative agency behind the Met Gala. More acquisitions are expected to be announced soon guided De Betak’s creative leadership.