Freddy Burger Management

Freddy Burger Management (FBM) is a Swiss corporate group headquartered in Zürich that operates in event management, the show business and gastronomy. It was founded by Freddy Burger, who began his entrepreneurial career in the mid-1960s and formally established the group's core company, Rent-a-Show AG, in 1969. Over more than five decades FBM has grown into one of Switzerland's leading entertainment companies, managing artists, producing and hosting musicals and stage shows, organising corporate and public events, and running restaurants and bars. The group is organised into three main divisions: FBM Entertainment, FBM Events and FBM Gastronomie. FBM Entertainment operates under the company name Rent-a-Show AG and is responsible for cultural and entertainment events as well as the management of Theater 11 Zürich and Musical Theater Basel. Since its founding in 1969 Rent-a-Show AG has brought numerous music and stage shows to Swiss stages in the fields of musical, dance, theatre, comedy and circus, including original productions of musicals such as Chicago, We Will Rock You, Blue Man Group, Disney's The Lion King, Mary Poppins and Wicked. Since 1996 the company has also acted as the local partner for various Cirque du Soleil shows. FBM Events organises corporate functions and events with public visibility. FBM Gastro Management AG operates several restaurants, including Restaurant Theater 11, Restaurant Schifflände (Maur) and Kafi Züri, and holds stakes in establishments such as Kafi Bank and Club Mascotte. In 2019 the group also took over Thunerseespiele AG. Beyond these three core areas, FBM provides financial and fiduciary services and legal advice, and holds participations in the leading Swiss television production company B&B Endemol Shine AG and in the booking and management agency Andreas & Conrad AG. The group's history is closely tied to its founder's personal career: Freddy Burger organised his first major concert in 1965, managed Pepe Lienhard from 1967, and became manager of Udo Jürgens in 1977, a partnership that lasted three decades and earned FBM the Live Entertainment Award in 2007 for best artist management. At the end of 2024 Freddy Burger handed over the company to his son Oliver Burger.

The entrepreneurial activity of Freddy Burger began in 1965 at the age of 19, when he organised his first major concert with a performance by Cliff Richard at the Zürich Hallenstadion. The event resulted in a loss of 20,000 francs, which left him unable to honour a contract he had signed with the Rolling Stones; at their later concert in 1967 at the Hallenstadion, chairs flew. Burger then joined the concert agency Schläpfer, where he worked as an artist agent and in 1967 became manager of Pepe Lienhard. In 1969 he went into business for himself and founded Rent-a-Show AG as the basis of today's corporate group. He expanded his activities in 1973 by taking over a venue in Zürich, followed a year later by a dancing club in Bern. Between 1976 and 1980 Burger broadened his business as a partner in Good News Productions. In the meantime, in 1977, he met Udo Jürgens and became his manager, marking the group's rise into the international show business. Over the years Freddy Burger Management continued to expand its business, most recently in 2006 with the takeover of the TV festival Rose d'Or in Lucerne. In 2007 Freddy Burger Management was awarded the Live Entertainment Award in the category Best Artist Management for its 30-year collaboration with Udo Jürgens. In the same year Rent-a-Show AG received a nomination in the category Best Arena/Hall Tour for Udo Jürgens' concert tour. In 2019 the group took over Thunerseespiele AG. At the end of 2024 Freddy Burger handed over the company to his son Oliver Burger. Today the group encompasses the business areas of artist, gastronomy, public and corporate entertainment. Rent-a-Show AG is responsible for the management of Theater 11 Zürich and Musical Theater Basel and has brought numerous music and stage shows to Swiss stages, including original productions of musicals such as Chicago, We Will Rock You, Blue Man Group, Disney's The Lion King, Mary Poppins and Wicked. Since 1996 it has acted as local partner for various Cirque du Soleil shows. FBM Gastro Management AG operates restaurants including Restaurant Theater 11, Restaurant Schifflände (Maur) and Kafi Züri, and holds stakes in Kafi Bank and Club Mascotte. Beyond the three core areas, FBM also covers financial and fiduciary services and legal advice, and holds participations in B&B Endemol Shine AG and Andreas & Conrad AG.

• 2024

  Freddy Burger hands over the company to his son Oliver Burger.

• 2019

  Takeover of Thunerseespiele AG.

• 2007

  FBM receives the Live Entertainment Award for Best Artist Management for its 30-year collaboration with Udo Jürgens.

• 2006

  Takeover of the TV festival Rose d'Or in Lucerne.

• 1996

  Rent-a-Show AG begins acting as local partner for Cirque du Soleil shows.

• 1977

  Freddy Burger meets Udo Jürgens and becomes his manager.

• 1976

  Burger becomes a partner in Good News Productions (until 1980).

• 1974

  Opening of a dancing club in Bern.

• 1973

  Takeover of a venue in Zürich.

• 1969

  Founding of Rent-a-Show AG, the basis of today's corporate group.

• 1967

  Burger becomes manager of Pepe Lienhard.

• 1965

  Freddy Burger organises his first major concert with Cliff Richard at the Zürich Hallenstadion.

One of Switzerland's leading entertainment and live-event groups, combining artist management, venue operation, event organisation and gastronomy.

• Chicago

• We Will Rock You

• Blue Man Group

• Disney's The Lion King

• Mary Poppins

• Wicked

• Cirque du Soleil shows

1. 1FBM – Home of Entertainmentfbm.ch
2. 2FBM – Geschichtefbm.ch
3. 3Freddy Burger Management – Wikipediade.wikipedia.org
4. 4Freddy Burger Management – Wikidatawikidata.org