Cirque du Soleil announces new president and CEO, Mark Cornell

OVO, which means egg in Portuguese, is Cirque du Soleil’s 25th touring production.

British businessman Mark Cornell will be the new president and Chief Executive Officer of Cirque du Soleil as of Nov. 17, the company announced on Tuesday.

Cornell succeeds Daniel Lamarre, who had been serving as interim CEO since last April.

“Mr. Lamarre, who led Cirque du Soleil for nearly 20 years until 2021, will resume his role as executive vice-chairman of the board of directors and will focus on Cirque du Soleil’s global business development,” Cirque du Soleil Group said in a new release.

Cornell has worked in the entertainment, arts and luxury goods sectors. He headed ATG Entertainment, Moët Hennessy USA, Sotheby’s Europe and Krug Champagne, according to the press release.

“The board of directors appointed Mr. Cornell for his recognized expertise in leading large creative organizations, his strong track record of financial performance, and his ability to evolve customer experiences and brands with impact,” the company said.

“It is an honour to join Cirque du Soleil, an organization that is a leader in creativity and innovation,” Cornell said in a statement. “I look forward to working with the talented teams in Montreal and elsewhere to write the next chapter in this extraordinary adventure.”

Cornell will move to Montreal, where Cirque du Soleil is headquartered, to lead the company.

Last February, the company laid off 110 employees at its headquarters in the Quebec metropolis. These eliminated positions represented nearly two per cent of the company’s workforce.

The news of these layoffs came shortly after the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that Cirque du Soleil was seeking to achieve savings of US$20 million.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Nov. 11, 2025.