Although we may pursue a target business in any stage of its corporate evolution or in any industry, sector or geographic region, we initially intend to focus our search on target businesses in the digital media and adjacent industries, including the social media, e-commerce, events, and digital publishing and marketing sectors. We currently intend to capitalize on the ability of our management team to identify, acquire and operate a business in the digital media and/or adjacent industries, as well as on the reputation, significant experience and relationships of our management team to complete an initial business combination. The business executives that comprise our management team are recognized leaders in the digital media industry and have experience in acquiring and operating prominent companies in this domain. In addition, our management team, through long-standing industry relationships, has global access to the operating, venture capital and financial sponsor communities, providing a key portal into a pipeline of potential target acquisition opportunities.
Our Management Team
Our management team consists of seasoned industry executives, with proven track records of:
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operating fast growing technology businesses across digital media and adjacent industries;
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developing scaled digital media brands;
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growing prominent companies, both organically and through acquisitions;
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building portfolio infrastructure;
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monetizing brands through diversified channels;
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evaluating key trends and building innovative multi-brand digital content platforms;
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building cohesive and productive management teams;
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functioning in an advisory capacity and providing governance to operational leadership teams;
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sourcing, structuring, financing, acquiring and selling businesses; and
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fostering relationships with sellers, investors and target management teams.
Our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Ben Lerer, currently serves as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Group Nine Media. Mr. Lerer has led Group Nine Media since its inception, successfully rolling up and integrating four digital content publishers, Thrillist, NowThis, The Dodo, and Seeker, to form the company in 2016. Since 2016, Mr. Lerer has led Group Nine Media’s acquisitions of Emmy-nominated, Cannes Lions and Sundance Film Festival award-winning production studio, JASH, in 2017 and prominent digital lifestyle brand for women, POPSUGAR, in 2019.
Our President and Director, Brian Sugar, joined Group Nine Media with the acquisition of POPSUGAR, which he co-founded with his wife, Lisa Sugar, in 2006. Mr. Sugar had served as Chief Executive Officer of POPSUGAR since its inception. In Mr. Sugar’s 13 years leading POPSUGAR, the company acquired nine businesses in digital content and e-commerce.
Our Chief Financial Officer and Secretary, Sean Macnew, currently serves as Chief Financial Officer of Group Nine Media. Mr. Macnew has over 25 years of finance, corporate development, and general management experience. Mr. Macnew joined Group Nine Media with its acquisition of POPSUGAR, where he held the positions of Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer.
Our management has grown Group Nine Media’s audience reach to 44% of the U.S. population monthly, with nearly 7 billion views of Group Nine Media’s videos monthly, across a diverse content portfolio consisting of Thrillist, POPSUGAR, The Dodo, NowThis, and Seeker. Mr. Lerer and Mr. Sugar also have extensive experience identifying, investing in, and partnering with private companies. Mr. Lerer is a Managing Partner at prominent early-stage venture capital fund Lerer Hippeau, which he co-founded in 2010. Lerer Hippeau has more than 250 active investments, including investments in Group Nine Media, Allbirds, Axios, BuzzFeed, Casper Sleep, Glossier, and Warby Parker. Mr. Sugar is a Partner at early-stage venture capital firm Sugar Capital, which he founded in 2020 to invest in brands and technology that will power the future of e-commerce. Mr. Sugar is also an early investor in Afterpay, Everlane, Fast, Optimizely, and Roadster, among other companies.