Aberdeen Group and The Catalyst Group to Provide M&A Services in IT Markets; Strategic Alliance Fills Mid-Market M&A Void

Business Wire, August 11, 2000

Business/Technology Editors

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 11, 2000

In a joint announcement today, Aberdeen Group and The Catalyst Group unveiled a strategic alliance that provides merger and acquisition (M&A) services specifically targeted to mid-market technology companies. Drawing on The Catalyst Group's international M&A transaction expertise and Aberdeen Group's extensive knowledge of technology markets, the alliance provides customized IT advisory, consulting, and financial services to new economy companies, filling the void left by traditional M&A firms and investment bankers.

"Mid-market technology companies are not well served by traditional M&A firms and investment bankers," says Robert M. Dunn, Partner, The Catalyst Group. "This partnership will provide focused advice and transaction execution services to companies seeking transactions in the $5 million to $100 million range. Together, we offer a caliber of services to mid-market IT companies that were formerly reserved for large organizations."

"Consolidation is inevitable as technology markets mature," says Peter S. Kastner, Aberdeen Group Chief Operating Officer. "Together, Catalyst and Aberdeen are uniquely qualified to assist companies to grow through acquisition or survive through a merger." The partners will advise IT companies seeking a liquidity event or exit strategy such as a merger, acquisition, divestiture, strategic partnership, or other non-IPO event.

Aberdeen and Catalyst will counsel technology companies in telecommunications and wireless, Internet infrastructure, mobile commerce and Internet information appliances, enterprise storage, e-Commerce, new economy professional services, information security, software tools as well as the full range of Enterprise Applications and technologies including--customer relationship management, data knowledge and decision support, and enterprise resource planning.

About The Catalyst Group

The Catalyst Group provides international strategic investment banking and corporate development services to Information Technology, Internet, Telecommunications, New Media, e-Commerce, and e-Business companies that enable them to accomplish successful mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, and strategic corporate partnering transactions. Catalyst develops transaction opportunities for its clients from its worldwide and cross-border perspective and then works with its clients to make them happen. Catalyst operates from offices in New York, Boston, London and Paris regional offices and has established affiliates in Mumbai, India, and Sydney, Australia. The Catalyst Group is located on the Web at www.it-catalyst.com.

About Aberdeen

Founded in 1988, Aberdeen Group provides IT consulting and market strategy advice to the IT supplier community. Steeped in technology and armed with end-user field research, Aberdeen focuses on answering clients' critical business and technology questions in the context of the Internet economy and across the product life cycle. Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, Aberdeen Group has research centers in Palo Alto, California; Ft. Collins, Colorado; and Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Aberdeen is located on the Web at www.aberdeen.com.