Century City-based investment firm Manhattan West recently led the management buyout of Round Room Live, a live-entertainment producer and theater operator with a national presence.
The firm announced on Oct. 26 that its funding allowed Round Room Live’s founders and executives to buy out its lead investor, a subsidiary of Hasbro Inc., for an undisclosed sum. The share purchase deal closed on Oct. 21.
Manhattan West described Round Room Live as one of the world’s top producers of family entertainment, highlighting ongoing successful touring shows themed around beloved kid IPs like Blues Clues, Peppa Pig and Baby Shark.
“As industry leaders in experiential entertainment, the Round Room team has our full support as they continue to expand their global footprint,” Matt Gibbons, managing director and head of private equity at Manhattan West, said in a statement.
In an email to the Business Journal, a spokesperson for Manhattan West said the firm funds lower-middle market companies in the media, entertainment and sports sectors, and “this deal falls directly in line with its expertise.” The spokesperson said Manhattan West currently has 50 employees and is growing rapidly. According to the firm’s website, Manhattan West is “democratizing access to alternative investment opportunities across multiple alternative asset classes in addition to Real Estate.”
In the announcement, Round Room Live founder and co-president Stephen Shaw said the deal “is a significant milestone for the company, which has become one of the most dynamic live entertainment producers and promoters in the world.
“This new partnership with Manhattan West will fuel our ambitious growth plans to distribute exciting entertainment experiences on a global scale,” said Shaw, who completed the management buyout alongside co-president Jonathan Linden.
