Ruth E. Fisher

Media, entertainment and technology transactions, mergers & acquisitions

In order for cable company Comcast Corp. to acquire entertainment giant NBC Universal in a proposed $30 billion transaction, French conglomerate Vivendi needed to first sell its 20 percent stake in NBC back to General Electric Co., which owned the other 80 percent. The valuable property includes the flagship broadcast network, more than a dozen cable channels, several local sports networks, 10 fully owned local affiliates and Universal's movie studio and theme parks, so Vivendi's portion alone cost $5.8 billion. It was Fisher's job to help guide the Paris-based company through a sale that required careful coordination with several large corporations. That delicate process has yet to conclude, as the deal is awaiting regulatory approval. But even if the deal falls through, which seems an unlikely scenario, Fisher's client will keep a $2 billion deposit from GE.