Wasserman, a global sports, music and entertainment company, has acquired International Football Management (IFM) – advised by Walder Wyss – in a deal announced today by Wasserman vice president, international operations, global football, Lee Charnley.
As part of the acquisition, Wolfgang Vöge, Franco Moretti, Fabian von Matt and Jürg von Matt will all join Wasserman as senior vice president.
Walder Wyss’ team
Walder Wyss advised the sellers in this transaction. The Walder Wyss team was led by corporate/M&A partner Dominik Hohler (in the picture) and included Letizia Schlegel (associate, corporate/M&A), Erik Lanz (associate, corporate/M&A), Fabienne Limacher (partner, tax), Joy Malka (counsel, employment) and Tabea Gutmann (senior associate, employment).
Lee Charnley commented on the acquisition, stating.
Lee Charnley
“Over the past 20 years, the IFM team has built the number one football player agency in Switzerland. It’s a business founded on honesty, trust and respect – values which align entirely with our own approach to talent representation. With Franco and Fabian leading our football operations out of Switzerland moving forwards, we will continue to build on those strong foundations, identifying untapped opportunities for our new and expanded roster of elite football talent.”
International Football Management – IFM
Founded in 2003 by former professional footballer, Wolfgang Vöge, IFM has been advising footballers, clubs and associations for more than twenty years. IFM is among the leading player representation business in Switzerland, with over 40 footballers participating across the major domestic leagues in Europe. At the recent UEFA EURO 2024 Championships in Germany, IFM had six clients in the Switzerland squad that reached the Quarter Final stage.
The team will continue to operate from offices in Winterthur, Switzerland where the company was founded, as well as in Zurich. The opening of a formal office in Switzerland further establishes Wasserman’s presence in the DACH region and the team will work closely with Wasserman colleagues in Germany to maximise opportunities and strengthen their operations in these key markets.
Wasserman
Headquartered in Los Angeles, Wasserman’s presence spans 27 countries and more than 66 cities, including New York, London, Abu Dhabi, Amsterdam, Hong Kong, Madrid, Mexico City, Toronto, Paris and Sydney.
