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Matthew Sherman has more than 12 years of experience providing strategic corporate, financial and crisis communications counsel. He develops and implements targeted investor and media relations strategies for companies involved in corporate transactions and special situations, including negotiated mergers and acquisitions, unsolicited takeovers, shareholder activism, proxy contests and restructurings In 2007, Mr. Sherman was named to PR Week’s inaugural “40 Under 40” List.
Mr. Sherman has recently advised a number of companies facing shareholder activists and proxy contests, including, among others: Sybase (Sandell), Panera Bread (Shamrock), Luby’s (Ramius), Charming Shoppes (Crescendo), Datascope (Ramius), Oglebay Norton (Harbinger), Fair Isaac (Sandell), Openwave Systems (Harbinger), Motorola (Carl Icahn), Lexar Media (Elliott Associates, Carl Icahn), Yardville National Bank (Larry Seidman), The Topps Company (Crescendo, Pembridge), SCS Transportation (Ramius); Ashworth (Knightspoint), and Steve Madden (Barington).
Mr. Sherman has recently advised a number of companies involved in M&A transactions, including, among others: Bausch & Lomb in its acquisition by Warburg Pincus; CommScope in its acquisition of Andrew; Ventas in its acquisition of Sunrise Senior Living REIT; Triad Hospitals in its acquisition by Community Health Systems; Coeur d’Alene Mines in its acquisitions of Bolnisi Gold and Palmarejo Silver and Gold; K&F Industries in its acquisition by Meggitt PLC; and Jerry Moyes in his acquisition of Swift Transportation.
Other notable transactions include: Motorola in its acquisition of Symbol Technologies and the spin-off and public offering of Freescale Semiconductor; Macquarie in its acquisition of Duquesne Light Holdings; NovaGold in its successful defense against Barrick Gold’s unsolicited takeover; Jacuzzi Brands in its acquisition by Apollo Management; Stewart & Stevenson in its acquisition by Armor Holdings; Constellation Brands in its acquisitions of Robert Mondavi and Vincor; Groupe Danone in its U.S. joint venture agreements with Coca-Cola and Suntory Limited and in its acquisition of Stonyfield Farms; Taubman Centers in its successful defense against an unsolicited takeover from Simon Property Group and Westfield America; Conoco in its merger with Phillips Petroleum; Chevron in its merger with Texaco; and General Mills in its acquisition of Pillsbury.
Previously, Mr. Sherman was a Vice President at Abernathy MacGregor Frank in the firm’s M&A and crisis communications practice. His clients included: Energy East in its acquisitions of Connecticut Energy, CMP Group and CTG Resources; Quickturn Design Systems in its successful defense against Mentor Graphics’ unsolicited takeover and subsequent acquisition by Cadence Design Systems; Key Energy and Nabors Industries in their successful unsolicited acquisitions in the energy industry; and Hilton Hotels in its proposed acquisition of ITT. Mr. Sherman also advised on the first public company merger and first proxy contest in Central Europe: Poland’s Bank Handlowy w Warszawie SA’s proxy contest with the company’s largest shareholder, the Polish State Treasury.
Mr. Sherman received an M.B.A. from Columbia Business School and a B.A. in international relations and a B.A. in communications from the University of Pennsylvania. | 