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Michael Gessner is a Director and member of the Telecommunications, Media & Entertainment group at Lazard. He has significant experience serving clients on transactions involving mergers and acquisitions, corporate carve-outs, debt recapitalizations, and equity raises spanning across a variety of industries, including media, sports, telecommunications, infrastructure services, technology, healthcare, aerospace & defense, consumer products, and specialty distribution.

Representative transactions* include advising:

• The Equine Network, a division of Active Interest Media, on its sale to Growth Catalyst Partners
• William F. White International on its sale to Ashtead Group plc
• Space Electronics, a portfolio company of Benford Capital, on its sale to Raptor Scientific, a portfolio company of L Squared Capital Partners
• Spectrum Plastics Group, a portfolio company of Kohlberg & Company, on its sale to AEA Investors
• Power Distribution Inc., a division of Smiths Group, on its sale to Dunes Point Capital
• Visual Comfort & Co., a portfolio company of Seidler Equity Partners, on its partnership with AEA Investors
• DYK Automotive, a portfolio company of Dobbs Management Service, on its sale to The Sterling Group
• DYK Automotive, a portfolio company of Dobbs Management Service, on its merger with AAHC, an operating company of Marubeni Corporation

Prior to joining Lazard, Mr. Gessner spent four years at Harris Williams & Co., an investment bank based in Richmond, VA, and four years at KPMG within its Advisory and Financial Audit Practices. Mr. Gessner holds a Master of Business Administration from The University of Virginia Darden School of Business and a Bachelor of Science in Finance and Accounting from Miami University.

 *Certain transactions completed prior to joining the firm.