London: Spectrum expands technology media and telecoms team with director hire
Spectrum Corporate Finance has announced that Ed Wirgman has recently joined the team as corporate finance director and head of technology, media and telecoms (TMT), based in London.
Previously UK head of TMT M&A at KPMG, Wirgman is a senior and respected corporate finance professional with more than 14 years’ experience in his field. Wirgman’s client experience ranges from large multinationals to small, owner-managed businesses and he has significant cross-border, private equity and growth capital experience. He brings with him an extensive network within the TMT industry and with investors in the UK, Europe and the US.
Wirgman has advised on many notable TMT deals during his career, including the sale of Random42 to Graphite Capital, the sale of Precise Media to WPP and Zinc Ahead's growth equity investment from Accel-KKR. He has also worked with several public companies in the sector, including Experian and Sharp.
Just prior to joining Spectrum, Wirgman most recently advised Concentra Analytics, the creator of Software as a Service (SaaS) data solutions used to visualise, model and track business operations on a £41 million growth equity investment led by One Peak Partners, with participation from co-investors including Morgan Stanley Expansion Capital.
TMT is a significant sector for Spectrum, due in part to having well-established and successful offices in both London and Reading – both of which are considered important technology hubs in the UK. In recent years Spectrum has advised on a number of significant deals in the TMT sector, including the sale of Hypertec to Exertis (UK); the acquisition and subsequent recapitalisation of ByBox; the sale of ICE InsureTech to Acturis; the sale of MTI Europe to Endless LLP; the sale of Abritas to Civica UK; and the sale of Arts Alliance Media to Luxin-Rio of Qingdao, China.
Wirgman will be based in Spectrum’s London office, and will lead Spectrum’s TMT focus, supported by the rest of the experienced director team, including Iain McKenzie, who has a 30-year career in technology encompassing both his corporate life and his own businesses. Wirgman’s appointment takes the Spectrum team to 16 industry professionals, with the aim to continue to build the specialist sector and debt advisory teams.
Clive Hatchard, managing director, Spectrum Corporate Finance commented: “We have ambitious plans for our business and will invest in areas where we see ongoing demand and where we believe there is potential for continued success. Although Spectrum operates successfully across all industry sectors, TMT is one area where an in depth understanding and contact base is both important and highly sought after by business owners and private equity investors. Ed’s appointment alongside Iain McKenzie gives us unrivalled expertise at a senior level in the industry. TMT continues to see exceptional growth and remains one of the UKs strongest performing sectors and most active for M&A. Spectrum is well positioned to support the industry and Ed adds to this strength and brings with him an impressive blend of experience and credentials, together with an excellent network of investors which will greatly benefit our clients and professional contacts.”
Commenting on his recent appointment Wirgman said: “I am delighted to be joining the team at Spectrum and excited to be continuing to build on the firm’s considerable success to date in TMT. The decision to join Spectrum was an easy one given the team’s strong momentum and the strength of their reputation in the market as leading independent advisers. Due to my passion for TMT and working with founder-owners, I was naturally drawn to Spectrum’s clear ambitions for the sector and their director-led, entrepreneurial approach to advising clients."
