RWS Global, a leading producer of live experiences, has announced that it has secured a minority investment from Bluestone Equity Partners, a global private equity provider specialising in sports, media and entertainment.
By bringing together the expertise of major organisations RWS, ted, JRA, and ARC, RWS Global offers 120 years of combined knowledge in the attractions industry. These four subsidiaries collaborate to design, create, cast, produce, and operate more entertainment experiences and attractions than any other supplier on the planet. Together, they cast over 8,000 performers and technicians every year, to present over one million live moments to visitors in more than 50 countries around the world.
A world-leading team
RWS Global has offices in New York, London, and Cincinnati, with a team of industry-leading professionals who strive to delight their clients and visitors. The company offers an unrivalled service which takes projects from concept to completion for its broad client base, which ranges from cruise ships, museums and theme parks to sports venues, stage and film.
Bobby Sharma, Bluestone’s founder and managing partner, says: “Bluestone partners with uniquely capable and scalable businesses to accelerate growth on a global basis, creating lasting value for all stakeholders. RWS Global represents the platinum standard in live entertainment, having established a dominant position in a market sector primed for explosive growth.
“Its visionary founder and CEO, Ryan Stana, has built an industry cornerstone, earning the admiration and trust of many of the world’s most well-known and respected brands, corporations, and organizations. RWS Global is a perfect addition to Bluestone’s strategic growth equity portfolio, and as its first institutional investor, we’re excited to be an integral part of its next chapter as an industry pillar.”
RWS Global is Bluestone’s second investment, after its initial $300 million growth equity fund which launched in a single close at the start of the year. Bluestone’s blue-chip sector operational experience, extensive international network, reliable institutional capital base, and collaborative synergistic strategy with portfolio firms set it apart in the sports, media and entertainment (SME) finance space.
Partnership for growth
As a result of this partnership, Bluestone will have two seats on the Board of Directors at RWS Global.
The Emmy Award-winning firm was founded in 2003 by Stana, who comments: “Turning the big and small moments into powerful and lasting memories is what we do. This is an inflection point on a remarkable journey that has taken us to over 500 productions a year, on land and sea, and virtually every corner on Earth.
“In a world driven by experiential culture, RWS Global continues to shatter expectations of what live experiences can and should be, reinvigorating in-person moments for both guests and brands alike.
“We couldn’t ask for a better partner than Bluestone to take us to the next level of growth, and an even higher level of operation, service and commitment to our clients.”
RWS Global’s subsidiaries are RWS, an industry leader which creates memorable in-person experiences, ted, which is Europe’s biggest leisure entertainment experience firm, JRA, an acclaimed creative studio specialising in master planning, design, and project management, and ARC, which provides casting for theatre, film, TV, and advertising.
The firm has worked with an extensive range of clients, including Apple Inc., Azamara, The Coca-Cola Company, Crayola, Europa-Park Resort, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, The FRIENDS Experience by Original X Productions, Hard Rock Resorts, Hershey Entertainment & Resorts, Holland America Line, Iberostar Hotels & Resorts, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Lionsgate, The Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory, Marella Cruises, the Mascot Hall of Fame, MSC Cruises, Roompot, Six Flags, Space Center Houston, Steelers Country, TUI Group, Warner Bros., Disney’s The Lion King on Broadway, Chicago the Musical and many more.
ted, a subsidiary of RWS Global, recently completed the installation of the new onboard entertainment for Marella Cruises’ latest ship, Marella Voyager. ted is the sole entertainment provider across all of the Marella Cruise ships.
