Forest Road to acquire ACF Investment Bank

Thomas Dey (Source: ACF)

US film financier The Forest Road Company has struck a deal to acquire a majority stake in US & UK-based M&A advisory firm ACF Investment Bank.

ACF was founded in 2010 and has facilitated a raft of production company sales, including Pilgrim Studios’ acquisition by Lionsgate, ITV Studios pick-up of Leftfield Entertainment, the deal between of Charlie Brooker and Annabel Jones’ Broke & Bones to Netflix and the pact between Bear Grylls Ventures and Banijay.

It also oversaw the sale of The Lord Of The Rings and The Hobbit IP to Swedish gaming firm Embracer Group in 2022.

ACF will continue to operate under its existing brand and CEO Thomas Dey will retain his role leading the company, which will remain a full-service investment bank with support from Forest Road in identifying and introducing new business and expansion opportunities.

Jeremy Tarica, head of Forest Road’s advisory platform, will oversee ACF’s integration into the US outfit, with the deal subject to regulatory approval.

Tarica said: “We are confident that, together, we can unlock incredible opportunities for growth within our portfolio, augmenting the capabilities of our respective businesses.”

Dey added: “By uniting with this incredibly ambitious and well-connected team we are accelerating the fire power of the service offering. The media landscape is growing more sophisticated, and our clients’ needs are growing. With this transaction I am confident we can raise the standards further and deliver an even better quality client solution.”