Combining the Expertise and Resources of NALA and EMC, an Affiliate of Creative Artists Agency, To Form a Joint Venture Offering Media-Focused Investment Banking And Strategic Advisory Services Throughout the Region

LOS ANGELES & MEXICO CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- NALA Investments, one of the foremost private investment companies in the Hispanic market, and Evolution Media Capital (EMC), a sports and entertainment advisory firm, announced today that they have formed NALA EMC, an investment banking and advisory firm, headquartered in Mexico City, Mexico. NALA EMC will combine EMC’s experience within the media, entertainment, and sports industries with NALA’s expertise and deep relationships in Latin America to provide investment banking and advisory services in the areas of film, television, sports, video games, digital media, and broadcast media rights, among others.

“We've been doing business in Latin America for many years now and it feels like a great moment in time for this partnership. I'm honored to be joining forces with EMC and establishing NALA EMC as the go-to gateway into the region for the global media and entertainment community,” said Emilio Diez Barroso, NALA Investments.

“Fueled by strong economic growth, Latin America has become one of the most viable media and entertainment markets in the world,” said Robert Stanley, Co-Managing Partner, EMC. “We are proud to join forces with Emilio and NALA to parlay our collective resources, relationships, and expertise into unique opportunities for clients in Latin America.”

Formed in 2008 as a partnership between the former team from Merrill Lynch’s Media and Sports Structured Finance Group and Creative Artists Agency (CAA), the world’s leading entertainment and sports agency, EMC has raised or advised on more than $15 billion in media and sports transactions. The bank has been at the center of many significant deals, from capital raising and structuring, and broadcast rights negotiations, to stadium financing and mergers and acquisitions. Among many other transactions, EMC represented the successful buyers of Major League Baseball’s Texas Rangers and negotiated the team’s record-setting media rights deal. As advisors to the Pacific-12 Conference, EMC utilized its comprehensive experience in deal structuring and regional sports network operations, resulting in a landmark broadcast and national cable television package with ESPN and FOX Sports Media Group and the creation of Pac-12 Media Enterprises, a partnership with iNDEMAND and four of the nation's largest cable operators. Additionally, EMC advised Apollo in its acquisition of television production studio CKX; structured Sony ATV’s $300 million of debt financing for its 50% ownership of the Beatles library; and advised on the establishment of animation film studio Illumination, which released the film “Despicable Me” in 2010 and grossed $543 million at the box office worldwide.

NALA Investments was founded by Emilio Diez Barroso in 1999 as a holding company to identify and manage investments for the Diez Barroso Azcarraga family. NALA’s investments range from early-stage venture capital to private and public equity transactions. Its family controlled source of capital allows NALA to invest without the timing and asset-class limitations of traditional funds, allowing it to be structurally flexible and agile.

Diez Barroso’s family founded the two largest Spanish language media companies in the world, Televisa and Univision, providing NALA with exceptional insights and access to exclusive opportunities across a range of sectors in the region. Among NALA’s other investments in the region are the airline VOLARIS and Transportes Lipu, the largest school bus company in Mexico.

In addition to its media and entertainment business ventures in Latin America, NALA also has investments in the U.S., including Summit Entertainment, the studio behind the highly successful film series THE TWILIGHT SAGA. NALA Investments is also the parent company of NALA Films, an L.A.-based financing and production company that focuses on developing and producing commercial stories that empower and uplift audiences. NALA Films’ most recent project is the Spanish-language comedy CASA DE MI PADRE starring Will Ferrell, Gael Garcia Bernal, and Diego Luna.

ABOUT EVOLUTION MEDIA CAPITAL

Evolution Media Capital, LLC (EMC) is an investment banking firm for the media and sports industries, formed as a partnership with Creative Artists Agency (CAA), and offering investment advisory, asset management, industry research, and capital-raising services. In the media rights space, EMC provides a wide array of advisory services including strategic analysis, valuation and negotiation of media rights and regional sports network planning and operational strategy.

ABOUT NALA INVESTMENTS

NALA Investments (NALA) is a private investment holding company committed to being an agent of transformation by investing in people and ideas that empower the world. NALA currently oversees a diverse portfolio comprised of various industry sectors and investment asset classes primarily in the United States and Latin America. It has interests across various industries including communications, transportation, consumer products, real estate, entertainment, technology and media.

CONTACT:

Creative Artists Agency (For EMC)
Michael Mand, 424-288-2000
mmand@caa.com
or
Creative Artists Agency (For EMC)
Beth McClinton, 424-288-2000
bmcclinton@caa.com
or
42 West (For NALA)
Kate Rosenbaum, 646-723-9696
kate.rosenbaum@42west.net

KEYWORDS:   United States  Mexico  North America  Central America  California

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS:   Entertainment  Other Sports  Other Entertainment  Professional Services  Banking  Consulting  Finance  Sports

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