Marlin Leaves Veronis Suhler To Set Up Venture
Inside Market Data Risk/Waters
IMD December 10, 2001
New York - London
ISSN 1047-2908 Vol 17 No 12
Organization and Management
Marlin Leaves Veronis Suhler To Set Up Venture
NEW YORK--Ken Marlin has left merchant bank Veronis Suhler & Associates to set up Marlin and Associates, which will focus on merger and acquisition activities for information-based businesses.
The former president of Telekurs North America and Telesphere has taken on "several former colleagues" to join him in his venture, although he will not name them until the new year, he says. Marlin and Associates (M&A) will also focus on fundraising and will carry out private placements for information- and data-based businesses, including related software and transaction services.
Marlin says, "There seems to be a myth that this is a bad time for a firm to make an acquisition or to raise money or to sell or merge. I disagree, it's a great time. Most owners, entrepreneurs and sellers have gotten more realistic about valuations and about their prospects as an independent firm. At the same time, many investors and buyers have plenty of money and recognize that this is a time to be in the market. After sitting out much of the past few months, both sides now seem to be back in the game. "
Marlin joined Veronis Suhler, a merchant bank serving the communications, media, publishing and information industries, in late 1999 after a two-year stint at Bridge Information Systems (IMD, November 1, 1999). While at Veronis Suhler, Marlin was a managing director and ran the firm's business information services and Internet practice. He also led the firm's $500 million acquisition of electronic information provider Data Transmission Network.
At Bridge he was executive vice president, global marketing and product management. He joined the market data vendor in 1997 after it acquired Telesphere Corp., where he was president and CEO (IMD, June 16, 1997).
Marlin founded Telesphere, a software and market data company, with several partners in 1995, acquiring and consolidating several related businesses. One of those businesses was Telekurs North America, a subsidiary of the Swiss-based Telekurs software and market data vendor and a company of which Marlin had been president and CEO until 1995.
Marlin currently serves on Data Transmission Network's board of directors.
Kirsten Hyde and John A. McConville