The Raine Group Adds Communications Luminaries Michel Combes and Milo Medin to Advisory Board as it Expands Next-Gen Communications Investment Strategy

NEW YORK, June 22, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Raine Group ("Raine" or the "Firm"), a global merchant bank focused exclusively on technology, media and telecommunications, today announced that Michel Combes and Milo Medin have joined Raine's newly established Next-Gen Communications Advisory Board.  Mr. Combes and Mr. Medin bring decades of experience in communications management, strategy and innovation, and will help expand and enhance Raine's expertise and capabilities in the sector.

Mr. Combes is currently President of SoftBank International and previously held CEO roles at Sprint, Altice, Alcatel-Lucent and Vodafone Europe.  Mr. Medin is currently Vice President, Wireless Services, at Alphabet and previously both founded and held CTO roles at M2Z Networks and Excite@Home. Together, they bring more than five decades of experience working at the forefront of communications innovation and connectivity development.

"We have known Michel and Milo for many years through our work advising and investing in the communications sector," said Jeff Sine, Partner and Co-Founder of Raine.  "They bring extensive knowledge and experience to the Advisory Board and we are looking forward to the contributions they will make to our Next-Gen Communications strategy, which seeks to capitalize on the generational shift across communications infrastructure, silicon, equipment and software."

The additions coincide with the extension of Raine's Next-Gen Communications strategy of investing in public companies to include private, growth-stage opportunities, leveraging Raine's unique merchant banking model.  The private strategy will be co-led by Next-Gen Communications Managing Partner Kevin Linker and Managing Director Christopher Donini, and the Advisory Board will be a valuable resource in identifying and evaluating these opportunities, as well as catalyzing their continued growth.  The first of these investments, the Firm's participation in Robin.io's Series C alongside Rakuten, was announced on June 16.   

"This sector is at the cusp of a significant investment cycle where the network will revolutionize consumer and enterprise communications," said Mr. Linker.  "Michel and Milo are two true luminaries who have meaningfully shaped the way we connect and access content, and we are thrilled to have their insights and expertise on our Advisory Board.  Their addition will further allow us to leverage our collective experience investing in both private and public companies to capitalize on those opportunities for our investors." 

"I have known the Raine team for quite some time and recognize their differentiated perspective and expertise in the evolving communications landscape," said Mr. Combes.  "We are witnessing a real shift in the way our communications systems operate, and I look forward to working with the Raine team and the rest of the Advisory Board to identify the companies and management teams at the forefront of that evolution." 

"Raine is early to identify the opportunities created by this next great technological shift," said Mr. Medin.  "I am honored to have the opportunity to join their team and to provide my perspective on the emerging opportunities across the industry."

The Raine Group has advised on many of the most high-profile communications transactions in the industry including, most recently, Sprint's merger with T-Mobile, SoftBank's pending sale of ARM Holdings to NVIDIA, and the merger of Indus Towers and Bharti Infratel.  The Firm has committed its resources and expertise on the sector since its founding, and has been executing an investment strategy focused on Next-Gen Communications since 2018. 

About The Raine Group
The Raine Group is a global merchant bank focused exclusively on technology, media, and telecommunications. The Firm has offices in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, London, Shanghai, and Mumbai. With a global reach, Raine focuses on investment and advisory opportunities where its deep industry experience and unique network of strategic relationships can create value for portfolio companies and clients. For more information, visit www.raine.com.

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