Moore Kingston Smith strengthens M&A team with new partner
Moore Kingston Smith, a leading multi-disciplinary advisory, tax and audit firm, is pleased to announce the appointment of James Kesner as a partner, further strengthening its media corporate finance offering and expanding its capabilities across the marketing services and media sectors.
James brings more than 20 years’ experience advising agencies in the marketing services and related technology space. He has a long track record of working on transactions for founder‑owned and private equity‑backed businesses. Notable deals James has worked on include TLC taking investment from BD Capital, Sideshow’s (now Gain Group) investment from Waterland, and Ledger Bennett on its sale to Havas, as well as buy‑side advice on LDC’s investment in Croud and Livingbridge’s transaction with Brainlabs.
His career began in industry as a chief financial and operating Officer within an agency before moving into M&A, giving him a combination of operational understanding and deal expertise. He’s known for his hands‑on, personable approach and for working closely with founders to shape the right outcomes for their long‑term ambitions.
James Kesner, media corporate finance partner at Moore Kingston Smith said: “Moore Kingston Smith is exceptionally well positioned in the marketing and media services space, and there’s huge opportunity for us to help founders who are looking for the right partner to drive their next stage of growth. I’m excited to build on the fantastic work already happening here.”
Matt Meadows, managing partner at Moore Kingston Smith said: “James’ appointment enhances our ability to provide the clarity and market insight agencies are looking for. His experience working with founder‑led businesses complements our team’s work, particularly our recent track record of high‑value transactions across the media and marketing services sector.”
James joins an established media corporate finance team that includes partner Paul Winterflood. Paul, along with Head of Media, Esther Carder, regularly hosts a series of webinars and events exploring the trends shaping the Media M&A market.