Guy Laliberté
Guy Laliberté | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 2, 1959 Quebec City, Quebec, Canada |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, poker player, street performer |
| Known for | Co-founder of Cirque du Soleil |
Guy Laliberté (born 2 September 1959) is a Canadian billionaire entrepreneur and accomplished poker player. In 1984, he co-established Cirque du Soleil alongside Gilles Ste-Croix. The company’s groundbreaking circus productions have captivated an audience exceeding 90 million globally. Before launching Cirque du Soleil, Laliberté earned his living as a street performer, demonstrating talents such as playing the accordion, stiltwalking, and fire-eating.
In recognition of his entrepreneurial achievements, Laliberté was honored with the Ernst & Young Canadian Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2006 and subsequently received the Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur of the Year title in 2007. As of January 2018, Forbes listed him as the 11th wealthiest individual in Canada.
Early years
Born in 1959 in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, Laliberté developed a passion for performance arts after experiencing the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, which led him to explore the life of P. T. Barnum. During his school years, he organized several performing arts events.
At age 18, he traveled across Europe by hitchhiking, supporting himself through accordion performances while acquiring new skills like fire-eating and stilt-walking. Upon his return to Canada, he worked as a street entertainer in Quebec and became a member of Les Échassiers, a collective of fire-breathers, jugglers, and acrobats. He briefly held a position at a hydroelectric dam but resumed performing following a labor strike at that facility.
Additionally, Laliberté ran for office as a candidate for the Rhinoceros Party in the electoral district of Charlevoix during the 1980 federal election.
Cirque du Soleil
In 1984, Laliberté partnered with Gilles Ste-Croix and other collaborators to create Cirque du Soleil, initially financed through a government grant commemorating the 450th anniversary of Jacques Cartier’s discovery of Canada. Although originally planned as a one-year initiative, it evolved into a touring show spanning various Canadian provinces. The name 'Cirque du Soleil' ("circus of the sun") embodies Laliberté's concept of vitality and youthfulness symbolized by the sun.
Currently, Cirque du Soleil operates across five continents, employs approximately 4,000 individuals from over 40 nations, and generates annual revenues surpassing US$810 million.
Laliberté divested 90% of his ownership stake in the company in 2015 and sold his remaining 10% share to Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec in February 2020.
Poker career
Laliberté began engaging in super-high-stakes online cash games and participating in live poker tournaments on a recreational basis around 2006. In April 2007, he secured fourth place at the World Poker Tour Season Five event held at the Bellagio in Las Vegas, earning $696,220. He made appearances on GSN's High Stakes Poker Season 4 and competed during Poker After Dark season 4 alongside players such as Tom Dwan and Phil Hellmuth. He was also frequently involved in the highest stakes games on Full Tilt Poker.
In 2011, Laliberté introduced the Big One tournament featuring a US$1 million buy-in, which was part of the 2012 World Series of Poker. A portion of the prize pool supported his charitable organization, the One Drop Foundation, dedicated to providing access to clean water and hygiene resources worldwide. The event attracted forty-eight participants, with Antonio Esfandiari claiming first place with $18,346,673. The tournament raised $5,333,328 for One Drop.
Laliberté holds the record for the largest cumulative losses in online poker cash games, with estimated losses around US$31 million spread over six accounts: noataima, patatino, lady marmelade, elmariachimacho, Esvedra, and Zypherin.
Spaceflight
In September 2009, Laliberté became the inaugural Canadian to participate in space tourism, traveling aboard the Soyuz TMA-16 and returning via Soyuz TMA-14. His mission was designed to highlight global water challenges and included a 120-minute webcast showcasing artistic presentations from 14 cities spanning five continents, including performances aboard the International Space Station.
In May 2020, Canada's Federal Court of Appeals determined that his journey was predominantly for personal purposes, resulting in an income tax obligation on 90% of the $41,816,954 expenditure.
Laliberté released Gaia in June 2011, a photographic collection capturing Earth from orbit. The sales proceeds benefited the One Drop Foundation.
Atoll of Nukutepipi
Laliberté purchased the atoll of Nukutepipi in French Polynesia in 2007. By May 2014, he revealed plans to transform the site into a self-reliant refuge for family and friends during potential global emergencies, focusing on ecological sustainability and solar energy independence.
Following his arrest for cannabis cultivation on November 13, 2019, Laliberté's investment company, Lune Rouge, confirmed that the cultivation was intended solely for personal consumption at his Nukutepipi property.
Awards and honours
Laliberté has garnered multiple accolades recognizing his entrepreneurial achievements. In 1997, he was designated Knight of the National Order of Quebec (CQ). He earned the title of Great Montrealer in 2001 and received the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002.
In 2003, Condé Nast’s Never Follow Program acknowledged him for his creativity and innovation. The following year, he was appointed Officer of the Order of Canada (OC), while Time magazine included him among its list of the world’s 100 most influential individuals.
He secured the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award at provincial, national, and international levels in 2006 and was honored as World Entrepreneur Of The Year in 2007.
Université Laval awarded him an honorary doctorate in 2008. In 2010, both Laliberté and Cirque du Soleil received stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He was also a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012.
Personal life
Laliberté’s son Kami pursued a career as a racing driver in European junior formula series, achieving one victory in F4 competition before records cease after 2017. His daughter, Naïma Moreira-Laliberté, competes actively as a dressage rider.