2018 CFO Awards

6 Acquisition International - 2018 CFO Awards GCF18015 Best Entertainment Finance and M&A Expert – USA & Most Innovative Media Brand 2018 MACRO Since MACRO’s formation in 2015, the company’s films have received nine Academy Award nominations and the company has been named one of FAST COMPANY’s 10 Most Innovative Companies in Hollywood. Eric explores the work MACRO undertakes in more detail, providing us with a unique insight into the company. As Chief Strategy Officer and Chief Financial Officer, Eric’s overarching focus is the company’s strategy and its financial matters. As such, he oversees MACRO’s strategic planning, film and TV underwriting, M&A, financing and new business initiatives. This vast role requires experience and dedication, and Eric draws on his past experience in the industry to support the firm and lead it to success, as he highlights: “For nearly twenty years, it’s been my privilege to work with some of the finest minds in media finance. Prior to MACRO, I served as an independent advisor to investors and businesses regarding their financial and investment decision making. During this time, I led over 2,000 engagements on behalf of, or in conjunction with, nearly every major studio and studio-satellite, most of the leading music companies and OTT as well as digital platforms and most of the leading financial institutions supporting the industry. My previous clients include Disney, Sony, Warner Bros., Goldman Sachs, Fortress Capital, JP Morgan, NBCUniversal, TPG Capital and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. “While I have transitioned into an operating role, I have never lost sight of what it means to be services-oriented. I humbly work to treat each of MACRO’s team members, strategic partners and investors like clients with a focus on understanding and enabling their success. I consider myself truly lucky to have their business, and I communicate this to my clients.” Thanks to this experience, Eric has achieved incredible success for MACRO and helped support the firm in its various ventures. He shares his approach to every undertaking and how this revolves around collaboration and support: “At MACRO, the scope of a project may range from producing and financing a film to structuring an acquisition. In each case, the underlying process may vary substantially. Beyond scope, my approach revolves around two key concepts. The first is support. With each project or effort, I try to think through what resources are needed by all of those involved and how I can best ensure that those resources get where they are needed. While simple on the surface, many people overly complicate this and get it dead wrong. “The second is consensus-building. As a company, you cannot get anywhere if you are not working toward the same goal with the same overall interests in mind. From the moment we begin a new project, we involve our entire team in vigorous debate to achieve optimal results. Consensus- building is also critical in negotiations. Last year, we worked through a tough deal by encouraging each side to voice their goals and interests. We jointly attacked the issues that caused us to be at odds and resolved the negotiation with a win/win agreement. These types of situations can lead to life-long relationships.” MACRO is a leading authoritative media brand representing the voice and perspective of persons of color. Having recently received recognition in our prestigious Global CFO Awards, we invited Eric Briggs to tell us more about his role in the firm and how he works to support it and help it achieve success. Company: MACRO Website: www.staymacro.com “Here at MACRO, we create and finance film, television, digital content, technologies and brands driven by people of color that encompass universal themes to which all people can connect and relate. We create content that is focused on our growing global multicultural audience. To that end, we are active across the major traditional studios as well as the streaming platforms and digital and new media businesses. We have investors ranging from financial to strategic, covering industries from technology to traditional media.”