Mathieu Legars and Marta Kubicka have joined the Arqana team in the areas of bloodstock and marketing, respectively, the sales company announced on Tuesday. Legars, who will aid with inspection and selection of horses for the sales, advice to buyers and prospecting in France and abroad, will begin on Feb. 1. Kubicka is replacing Alix Choppin, who is moving into a business development role with the company, and will join Arqana as the marketing and communications director. She will start on Feb. 15.
Legars returns to the country of his birth after accumulating 14 years of industry experience, first at Camas Park Stud and then the past 12 years at Coolmore where he started in the foaling unit and breaking in yearlings before becoming head of coverings and stallions in 2006. He also traveled for several breeding seasons to New Zealand and Argentina alongside the shuttle stallions and became Coolmore's French representative in France in 2011.
“It is with great pleasure and desire that I will now use all my skills with Arqana,” said Legars. “I have been following closely the evolution of Arqana since its creation and I can only admire its development in all the market segments as well as its endeavour to be creative and constantly come up with new services for breeders, consignors and trainers such as Arqana Online, the October Yearling Sale Criterium, the Auteuil Sale, etc. It is therefore a great opportunity for me to join a solid and motivated team with whom we will continue to move forward.”
Kubicka, who hails from Poland and has an engineer degree from Arts et Metiers Parish Tech, worked for seven years at Air Liquide as a site manager and commercial technical manager overseeing sites worldwide. Wanting a career change, in 2017 she began working on her Master in Equine Science and Business (MESB) from AgroSup Dijon, with work experiences at Al Shaqab's Haras de Bouquetot, the Royal Cavalry of Oman and France Galop. During her time with the latter, she acted as a commercial project manager at Deauville racecourse.
“I am very pleased to join Arqana, a dynamic company, and its exceptional teams who do their utmost to offer the best possible service to customers,” said Kubicka. “It is with great enthusiasm that I will actively pursue the development of this company's marketing and communication strategy.”
Added Arqana President Eric Hoyeau, “In an increasingly competitive international environment, Arqana intends to equip itself with all the necessary means to fly the flag high for French breeding, encourage new buyers and vendors and promote the tremendous experience offered by breeding and owning race horses. Strengthening our human resources is an important step in this direction, and a prerequisite for many of the strategic efforts we will be making throughout the coming year.”
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