Media Mergers | Dealmakers in media businesses since 1990

Martin Wright, Managing Director

Media Mergers has extensive experience in the sale of private businesses gained over the past 20 years. Unlike most other brokerages we are able to apply our knowledge of the sector to the advantage of our client. We have a genuine 30 years of real experience in the sector.

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Testimonials

Nick Clark CEO Property Investor Media

I have known Martin Wright for more than 20 years and he has been instrumental in selling several of my media products/businesses as well as advising on a number of potential acquisitions. In each case he has made the difference in getting the deal done and at an excellent price. His knowledge of all things media is unrivaled and negotiating skills indispensable.
Gavin Johnstone
MD Healthcare Events

Martin Wright provided an exceptional service when my first business was acquired. Martin’s experience in taking a company to market, negotiating a sale and managing the process is second to none in this sector. Martin’s calm, level headed approach, gives a huge amount of confidence and assurance, often through an emotional journey. I would absolutely recommend the services of Media Mergers and the experience and guidance of Martin Wright, he is a true professional.
Mark Allen
Chairman The Mark Allen Group

The Mark Allen Group is currently enjoying a great deal of success and has just achieved a record year. Our success is due to one main factor. At a time when the company was struggling, we sold our leading dental title, The Probe, for an exceptional consideration. This excellent sale enabled us to clean up our balance sheet and start moving the company forward. I owe a huge debt to Martin Wright of Media Mergers for the sale of The Probe. Without his skills and guidance we would not have achieved such a good price and my company would not be in such good shape.
Jeremy Williams
CEO ScopeMedical

I had the pleasure of working alongside Martin when our business was acquired. Martin brokered the sale to Huntsworth Health after taking the company to market, he negotiated and secured our sale. Martin is always well prepared and is there to guide his client through all stages of a transaction. He is reliable and a wise counsel, someone you need on your side when making a deal.
Bill Dunlop
Angel Business Communications

Angel Business Communications Ltd has used the services of Media Mergers for over 25 years and have always found Martin Wright exceptionally honest, trustworthy and thorough in his dealings when we have either been buying or selling. We would definitely encourage other companies to use the services of Media Mergers
Sheldon Cordell
Senior Partner Of Joelson Wilson

I have had the pleasure of working alongside Martin Wright on many transactions. Martin is always well prepared and is always there to guide his clients through all stages of a transaction with enormous clarity. A very wise person and one to have on your side at all costs.
Andrew Webster
Mercator Media

Mercator Media has used the services of Media Mergers for acquisitions on a number of occasions over the last 10 years. For us, the relationship has resulted in well targeted purchases at a fair price. I cannot overstress the value of having such an independent, commercially objective mind acting on our behalf. The advice invariably pays for itself may times over.
Richard Sinclair Stott
RAS Group

Martin is a very calming and reassuring influence in the board room, who has no problem ‘cutting to the chase’ and securing the best possible outcome on behalf of the client.

Deals

Handelsblatt acquires majority ownership in German-based Euroforum

London: Informa (LSE: INF.L), the International Exhibitions, Events, Business Intelligence and Academic Publishing Group, today announces the majority acquisition of its German/Swiss domestic conference business Euroforum by leading German media group, Verlagsgruppe Handelsblatt GmbH. The transaction continues the strategy of portfolio focus within the Knowledge & Networking Division, following on from a number of other portfolio changes over recent years in Denmark, Sweden, the Netherlands, Russia, Spain, Portugal, South Africa and Brazil. It leaves the Division focused on specialist communities in its core end markets of Global Finance, Life Sciences and TMT. read more

Blackstone set to buy the UK’s Clarion Events for £600m

City A.M. understands that US private equity firm Blackstone, which owns stakes in businesses such as fashion house Versace and camera brand Leica, is set to buy Clarion Events for around £600m. read more

Clarion’s sale to Blackstone is confirmed

Blackstone Press Release: London, July 24, 2017 – Private equity funds managed by Blackstone (“Blackstone”) announce the acquisition of Clarion Events, one of the world’s leading independent events organisers, from private equity funds managed by Providence Equity Partners (“Providence”). read more

Comexposium to acquire the group MFV which includes Leading Franchise Events in the US, Mexico, and the UK

Press Release: Comexposium Group today announces the entry into an agreement to acquire the group MFV which includes major Franchise trade shows and conferences in the United States (International Franchise Expo in New York, Franchise Expo West in Los Angeles, Franchise Expo South in Dallas); Franquicias Feria International, the leading annual event in Mexico and The Franchise Show in London. A portfolio of developmental events in Latin America and Europe also are part of the acquisition. read more

Richard Desmond opens books of Express Newspapers as bidder David Montgomery lines up investors

Richard Desmond has opened the books of his newspaper and magazine business as it progresses towards a sale, City A.M. understands read more

News & Blog

Guardian Media Group cuts losses by more than a third

The parent company of the Guardian and Observer cut its losses by more than a third to £45m in the last financial year and more than quadrupled its number of paying members, as it seeks to break even within two years. Guardian Media Group said total revenues increased by 2.4% to £214.5m in the year to 2 April, thanks to the popularity of its membership scheme, one-off contributions and growth in international operations read more

Diversified announces ambitious organic event for the capital

Press Release: Diversified Communications, organisers of the highly successful natural and organic trade shows in London, Scandinavia, Hong Kong and Australia, and publishers of Natural Products magazine and Natural Products Global, have announced the launch of a major new consumer event, The Go Organic Festival, to take place at London’s iconic Battersea Park, over the weekend of 8-9 September 2018 read more

How the spirit of Felix Dennis lives on

Flashes& Flames blog: Digital disruption is full of contradictions for legacy media. Condé Nast splashed more than $100m on its trumpeted but short-lived plan to become an online fashion retailer. Less expensively, Hearst came to a similar conclusion. But, as magazines everywhere wonder whether e-commerce can ever fill the advertising gap, one UK publisher is quietly selling more than 250 cars every month to its readers. read more

Amazon steps up battle with Netflix and Sky by adding new UK channels

Amazon is to add more than 40 TV channels to its UK streaming service, including ITV and live sport for the first time, upping the stakes against rival Netflix and pay-TV operators such as Sky. read more

Magazine Media’s Dismal Record in Public Equity Markets

When Time Inc. declared it was putting the brakes on a potential sale, the announcement served — among other things — as a reminder that the public equity markets have not been kind to magazine media. Time Inc. spun out from Time Warner in 2014, emerging as a standalone company with some of the most storied magazine brands in history, but also $1.3 billion in debt and a lengthening record of declining revenue. Last year was no exception, with revenue falling to just under $3.1 billion. In 2010, by contrast, the company’s revenue was $3.7 billion. Time Inc.’s stock peaked at $25.62 just a month or so after the spinoff, and after a rally in early 2015, it’s never gotten close to that point again. It was trading at under $15 early this week. read more

Handelsblatt acquires majority ownership in German-based Euroforum

Blackstone set to buy the UK’s Clarion Events for £600m

Clarion’s sale to Blackstone is confirmed

Comexposium to acquire the group MFV which includes Leading Franchise Events in the US, Mexico, and the UK

Richard Desmond opens books of Express Newspapers as bidder David Montgomery lines up investors

Guardian Media Group cuts losses by more than a third

Diversified announces ambitious organic event for the capital

How the spirit of Felix Dennis lives on

Amazon steps up battle with Netflix and Sky by adding new UK channels

Magazine Media’s Dismal Record in Public Equity Markets

Handelsblatt acquires majority ownership in German-based...

Guardian Media Group cuts losses by...