Martin Wolf Associates & CMP Media Announce Strategic Relationship Extension

Business Wire, July 21, 1999

SAN RAMON, Calif. and JERICHO, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- July 21, 1999--

Martin Wolf Associates and CMP Media today announced the revision and extension of the Strategic Relationship Agreement between the two organizations. Originally entered in April of 1997, the agreement is unique in the IT industry with a first tier media company partnered with a mid-market IT mergers and acquisitions business. The purpose is to create awareness and a market for IT services providers that are not being adequately served by others in the M&A arena.

John Russell, Group Publisher for the CMP Media Channel Group, said "We are extremely pleased with the results of our relationship with Martin Wolf Associates to date, and are delighted we have been able to reach agreement for an extension of the original term. We expect to build on the already close ties between our companies over the next period of the agreement, and the added value of the recent acquisition of CMP Media by UK-based United News & Media will enhance the relationship, as well."

Will Keiper, President of the Services & Publishing Group of Martin Wolf Associates, added "We consider our relationship with CMP Media to have been crucial in the development of our company to date. Thanks to CMP we have been highly visible in the IT realm not only for M&A professional services, but also for the M&A Forum events and for the OTInetwork. The net effect has been to create a vibrant M&A firm focused on mid-market IT services and solutions providers. We look forward to deepening the relationship with CMP Media."

Keiper added, "In the past quarter, we closed 5 transactions involving several VAR 500 companies, system and network integrators and ERP and eBusiness solutions providers. We expect for the pace of these types of transactions to accelerate in the next two quarters, as we are currently representing a variety of quality sellers. In addition, we will produce three M&A Forums during the period, including one July 29 and 30 in San Jose, CA. These M&A Forum events are expected to result in over 500 one-on-one meetings between IT company buyer and seller principals through the balance of 1999."

CMP Media is a leading print and online publisher of newspapers and magazines about technology and an innovator in technology-related Internet products and services. The company's publication titles include EE Times, Information Week, Computer Reseller News, VARBusiness magazine and Windows Magazine, along with products and services created exclusively for the Internet. CMP recently announced that it has been acquired by U.K.-based United News & Media, which is expected to increase the reach and depth of the universe served by CMP publications.

Martin Wolf Associates is a leading provider of professional merger and acquisition advisory services, events and information for mid-market information technology products, services and consulting companies.