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Wasserman taps Murray to lead M&A

Wednesday, July 31, 2024
Opalesque Industry Update - Global sports, music, and entertainment company Wasserman has hired Steve Murray as Executive Vice President of Mergers & Acquisitions and Strategy, announced today by Chief Financial Officer Elena Rochelli. Murray joins Wasserman from Providence Equity Partners, where he was a Principal on their investment team. His first day at Wasserman was July 15.

"Steve's nearly fifteen years of experience sourcing, structuring and executing highly complex and transformative transactions, paired with his deep knowledge of the sports, music and entertainment industries globally, are a perfect match for our business as we look to accelerate our pace of acquisition in this next leg of our growth," said Rochelli. "Steve will play a leading role in Wasserman's growth strategy moving forward, and we expect his firsthand experience working closely with our company over these past couple years to allow for a uniquely smooth transition."

"I'm excited to formally join Wasserman and be a part of such a talented team," said Murray. "I am eager to contribute to our next phase of growth and pursue new M&A opportunities to expand Wasserman's services, capabilities, and geographic presence. There is a tremendous opportunity to advance M&A and growth across the company, and I look forward to helping drive this future success."

Murray spent 12 years at Providence, including a stint at the company's London office. He has extensive experience in the sports, music, and entertainment industries, having collaborated with prominent organizations such as the National Football League, Major League Soccer, Learfield, Real Madrid, and Warner Music. His expertise covers a broad range of subjects, including media rights, digital marketing, commercial rights, music rights, technology, and education.

While at Providence, Murray helped lead the firm's strategic investment into Wasserman in November 2022, providing growth capital for the company's next phase of expansion. Wasserman has completed over 20 acquisitions since 2020, including eight since Providence's investment.

Murray was a central figure in two transformational acquisitions for Wasserman: CSM Sport & Entertainment in October 2023, and legendary entertainment management and production company Brillstein Entertainment Partners ("Brillstein") in September 2023. CSM expanded Wasserman's service capabilities and geographic footprint, while the addition of Brillstein formally added entertainment management and content verticals to the business.

Prior to Providence, Murray worked in the mergers & acquisitions group for Citi, where he was involved in transactions that totaled several billion dollars. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the Pennsylvania State University, and will continue to be based in Boston.

Throughout its over 20-year history, Wasserman has deliberately and strategically grown its worldwide presence through both targeted acquisitions and organic growth, establishing itself as one of the world's leading companies in the areas of sports and music talent representation, entertainment management, and brands and properties consultancy and rights sales.

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