TEG acquires major stake in Handsome Tours

Ticketing, technology and entertainment, TEG, which owns Ticketek, has acquired a majority stake in Aussie touring agency Handsome Tours.

Handsome Tours has been operating for two decades and is known for its promotion of alt-pop, indie rock and hip-hop acts locally and from overseas.

The new deal will see TEG CEO Geoff Jones and CFO Sandra Rouse join the Handsome board.

Handsome founding partners Ashley Sellers, Matthew Everett and Justin Cosby will depart, but Mark Dodds will remain as managing director and Colin Daniels takes on the executive director role.

“Time and time again, Handsome Tours have showcased their ability to discover new talent and nurture it from the tiniest of clubs to sold out theatres and arenas,” Jones said in a statement.

“The team’s passionate work ethic and artist-first philosophy is the perfect complement to TEG’s integrated model, built on client-first technology solutions and customer-first ticketing services.”

Dodds said the company couldn’t be more excited to partner with TEG.

“Handsome has always been known for breaking artists but we’re even prouder of our record of contributing to sustained artist careers,” he said.

“Belonging to a world-class group like TEG will empower us to speak to more music-lovers in more sophisticated ways than ever before, delivering bigger outcomes for agents, managers and their talent at every point of an act’s journey.”

In the past, Handsome has promoted tours for Phoebe Bridgers, Middle Kids, The National, Bon Iver, Tash Sultana and Alex Lahey, among others.

Last year, TEG acquired fellow Australian concert promoter Van Egmond Group to become TEG Van Egmond. TEG itself was acquired by global private equity firm Silver Lake in October 2019 for an estimated $1 billion.