In an effort to strengthen its foothold in Silicon Valley’s tech, media and telecom market, the Raine Group has acquired Code Advisors, the boutique bank specializing in tech and media capital raising and M&A.
Announced Wednesday, the acquisition will see the global merchant bank – which itself focuses exclusively on investing in and advising tech, media and telecom companies – tapping Code Advisors co-founders Quincy Smith and Michael Marquez joining its team as partner and special adviser.
“We built Raine to be true thought partners for our portfolio companies and clients, always focusing only on deals where we believe our involvement can maximize meaningful outcomes,” the Raine Group co-founder and president Brandon Gardner said in a statement. “Code Advisors shares that commitment, so we’re thrilled to combine our networks and tap into the incredible energy, expertise and creativity Quincy brings to deal-making. I can’t imagine a more complementary partnership as Raine continues to expand its investing and advisory business across the globe.”
The Raine Group most recently had a prominent position as lead advisor to the WWE on its UFC merger, which saw the formation of a new, global live sports and entertainment company. Other companies found within its entertainment and technology portfolio include DraftKings, SoundCloud and Imagine Entertainment. Currently, per a release from Raine Group, the firm oversees about $4 billion in global growth equity and venture capital investments.
Previous highlights for the firm also include facilitating the £4.25 billion acquisition of the Chelsea Football Club, which was awarded the International Financing Review’s inaugural M&A Deal of the Year.
Notable clients on the Code Advisors roster include Twitter, Spotify, Vox and Warner Bros. Discovery. Since its founding in 2010, the firm has completed over 90 M&A transactions and nearly 65 primarily equity financings.
“Raine and Code maintain a shared vision of combining smart advisory with asset management to help entrepreneurs navigate new times and realize their full potential through transactions, all flavors of capital, relationships, talents and ideas,” Code Advisors co-founder Smith added in his own statement. “Raine’s global merchant banking model and extensive resources uniquely position them at the epicenter of technology, media and telecom, and combining Code into Raine gives us a larger platform at exactly the time when clients need a trusted Advisor.”
Per a release, Smith will directly expand Raine’s coverage of tech and media clients while advising on new M&A and financings. Marquez will “focus on managing Code’s existing investment portfolio while exploring potential new investment initiatives with The Raine Group.”