On Tuesday June 3rd at 4PM Eastern I will be interviewing Allan Grafman, Managing Director at Oberon Securities, a financial advisory firm that offers M&A, equity and debt financing, and strategic advisory services to middle market businesses. In addition, for 28 years Allan has been monetizing Intellectual Property like Archie Comics as Chief Executive Officer of All Media Ventures, www.allmediaventures.com.

Allan has been a friend and member of The FENG since 1997! (One of those really low badge numbers.) There are also two coincidences in our lives. 1. He and I are both graduates of Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. And, 2. One of the Managing Partners of Oberon Securities is the daughter of the CEO of LHS&B, the Advertising Agency where I was CFO in the 1980’s.

I have asked Allan to begin our conversation with a discussion of how he got to where he is today. In his 35-year career, he has worked for several very well-known media companies. I’ve asked him to share a few stories. (Perhaps you are an Archie Comics fan.) He has also worked in Venture Capital, Private Equity and served on a dozen Board of Directors. Allan will discuss the challenges of business development for media companies and how one goes about monetizing intellectual property.

However, the focus of our discussion will be on the Investment Banking process, as many of you are working at Portfolio Companies of Private Equity Groups and Family Businesses. Allan will take us through a case study of a transaction that took 2 ½ years to close.

Please send any questions to me at [email protected].

About Allan Grafman:

Allan is a Managing Director at Oberon Securities. He has over 35 years of experience sourcing funding for clients.

He is also Chief Executive Officer of All Media Ventures and has been active as a Private Equity Operating Partner, Chief Executive Officer of a venture capital portfolio company, and Board Director of 12 companies, both public and private.

In the media, consumer and technology sectors, his focus has been monetizing intellectual property for consumer-facing and B2B companies in licensing, entertainment, and technology.

Prior to joining Oberon, Allan served in the following roles: Chief Executive Officer of IDW, Operating Partner at Mercury Capital; Chairman of Majesco Entertainment; President of Archie Comics; Chief Executive Officer of Modelwire; Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer of Hallmark Entertainment; Vice President & Managing Director at the Tribune Company; Vice President & General Manager at Capital Cities Cable; and Announcer and Salesman at KSHE Radio.

Allan is frequently published in thought leadership journals including “Directors and Boards” and “National Association of Corporate Directors.” Allan earned an MBA in Finance, Beta Gamma Sigma Honors, from Columbia University; a Masters in Economics, Fellow, from Columbia University; and a BA, Phi Beta Kappa, from Indiana University.