London Marathon Events revealed on Wednesday that it has acquired Motion Events GmbH, the organizer of the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon.
The purchase of the Germany-based event planning agency is a move that London Marathon Events said marks a pivot toward its “long-term international growth strategy.”
“The Frankfurt Marathon is a world-class event with deep heritage, exceptional community support and enormous potential for future growth,” London Marathon Events CEO Hugh Brasher said. “We are honored to become its custodians and to work with Motion’s brilliant team to build on Jo Schindler’s remarkable legacy. This acquisition marks a defining moment in LME’s international journey, and we cannot wait to bring our shared vision to life.”
Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Motion Events boosts London Marathon Events’ existing portfolio of event planning companies after it took over Grounded Events Company in 2022, then took a 50 percent stake in Run 4 Wales, bought Caledonian Concepts in 2024 and recently invested in Friday Night Lights, which combines running and music at night events while participants carry glow sticks.
London Marathon Events now expands outside of the United Kingdom with Motion Events, which was founded by Jo Schindler, who has guided the company since 1999. Schindler will remain with the agency as a board member to help with the transition. Outside of the Frankfurt Marathon, Motion has is responsible for staging the Gutenberg Half Marathon Mainz, JPMorganChase Corporate Challenge and Rosbacher Main-Lauf-Cup.
Holger Kranz, who was head of sponsorship at Frankfurt Tourism, will join Motion Events to lead its business efforts.
“For more than 20 years, our team has organized the Frankfurt Marathon with passion and dedication,” Schindler said. “I was looking for a partner who would preserve the spirit of the event, respect its people and invest in its future – and we have found that in London Marathon Events. Together we could take the event to the next level – I couldn’t imagine a better home for my Frankfurt Marathon.”
Chris Brasher and John Disley created the London Marathon in 1981, and the company ultimately became London Marathon Events to oversee other races in the UK and establish the London Marathon Foundation charitable arm of the venture.
Meanwhile, London Marathon Events will likely have a hand in this year’s Frankfurt Marathon on October 25, one of its first races with Motion Events working internally with its team. The race was named in February as part of the newly-created European Marathon Classics series that also includes Rome, Madrid, Lisbon, London, Vienna, Warsaw and Zurich.
