Cirque du Soleil's Guy Laliberte named Ernst & Young 2007 World Entrepreneur Of The Year

Guy Laliberte, Founder and CEO of Canada's Cirque du Soleil was
last night named the 2007 Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur Of The Year
at a glittering awards ceremony in Monte Carlo. Laliberte was picked
from among 39 contestants, all of whom had already been named
Entrepreneurs Of The Year in their home countries. Members of the
eight-member independent judging panel who chose Laliberte were
themselves well-known entrepreneurs.

Since its founding in 1984, Cirque du Soleil, which revolutionized
the idea of what a circus could be, has toured more than 100 cities
and has permanent shows in purpose-built theaters in Florida and Las
Vegas. The company has enjoyed double-digit growth for more than five
years.

Chairman of the judging panel, Joseph Schoendorf, Executive
Partner of venture capital firm Accel Partners, said, "Guy has changed
the face of entertainment and had a huge global impact. The shows that
Cirque du Soleil creates and performs have brought joy to millions.
All of this year's entrepreneurs were exceptional, but Guy's
commitment to his artistic vision and the passion he has for his work
were what swayed the judges in his favor."

"Guy has taken a great entrepreneurial journey from street
performer to CEO of a globally recognized brand," said Greg Ericksen,
Ernst & Young's Global Vice-Chair for Strategic Growth Markets. "Today
he oversees every aspect of Cirque du Soleil, and his vision goes far
beyond creating entertainment. The company's social action programs
support at-risk youth around the globe and Guy's One Drop movement is
dedicated to providing clean drinking water to the world," he
continued.

"Entrepreneurs sometimes talk about the luck they've had in their
careers," said Ernst & Young Chairman and CEO James S. Turley, "but
what we've seen over 21 years of the Entrepreneur Of The Year program
is that luck contributes little to these leaders' successes. Passion,
vision, innovation - and a lot of hard work - are what make these
entrepreneurs and their companies exceptional. Guy demonstrates these
traits in abundance."

About Guy Laliberte and Cirque du Soleil

In the mid-1970s, at the age of 18, Laliberte set off from his
native Quebec to travel around Europe, supporting himself for four
years as a street performer - playing accordion, juggling, stilt
walking and breathing fire to earn a living. When he returned home in
1979 he remained as a street performer. In 1984, the province of
Quebec was celebrating the 450th anniversary of Canada's discovery and
looking for innovative shows to mark the occasion. Laliberte proposed
the first Cirque du Soleil show and the company was born.

Today more than 50 million spectators have seen a Cirque du Soleil
production and close to 10 million will have seen one during 2007. The
original show in 1984 employed 73 people. Today the business has more
than 3,500 employees, including close to 900 performing artists.
Cirque's employees and artists represent more than 40 nationalities
and speak 25 different languages.

About Entrepreneur Of The Year

Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year is the world's most
prestigious business award for entrepreneurs. Recognized globally, the
award provides a unique way of encouraging entrepreneurial activity
and recognizing the contribution of outstanding men and women who
inspire others with their vision, leadership and achievement. As the
first and only truly global award of its kind, Ernst & Young
Entrepreneur Of The Year celebrates those who are building and leading
successful, growing, and dynamic business, recognizing them through
regional, national, and global awards programs in 125 cities in 40
countries.

About Ernst & Young

Ernst & Young, a global leader in professional services, is
committed to restoring the public's trust in professional services
firms and in the quality of financial reporting. Its 114,000 people in
140 countries pursue the highest levels of integrity, quality, and
professionalism in providing a range of sophisticated services
centered on our core competencies of auditing, accounting, tax, and
transactions. Further information about Ernst & Young and its approach
to a variety of business issues can be found at
www.ey.com/perspectives. Ernst & Young refers to the global
organization of member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of
which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited does
not provide services to clients.

This press release has been issued by EYGM Limited, a member of
the global Ernst & Young organization.

Photos of the 2007 World Entrepreneur Of The Year are available
from www.kenlennox.com.