Luke S. Schaeffer

Luke Schaeffer is the Global Co-Leader of the Telecom, Media & Technology industry practice. Mr. Schaeffer specializes in enterprise transformation, in transactions, turnarounds and growth contexts. Services include strategy, revenue growth, operating model design, organizational design, cost take-out, process improvement, interim management, financial and operational restructuring, commercial and operational diligence, integration and separation planning and M&A and capital raising.

Transactions Mr. Schaeffer has worked on include the merger of Entercom and CBS Radio, Refinery29 with Vice Media, Lin Media with Media General, the merger of Young Broadcasting with Media General, the sale of Digital Domain’s visual special effects business, multiple data center transactions, multiple mergers and financings of film post-production and equipment businesses, a $450 million secured debt raise for a regional competitive local exchange carrier (“CLEC”), a $245 million CLEC strategic acquisition, a $170 million senior secured debt raise for a regional CLEC, a $75 million equity fundraise by a start-up mobile wireless carrier and a $50 million equity raise by an early stage cable over-builder.

Transformations Mr. Schaeffer has led include an enterprise-wide transformation at CBS, cost-out at multiple prominent digital media companies, growth turn-arounds at several technology unicorns, operating model and org redesign at a global telecom technology service provider, the organizational redesign of a large U.S. directories business, a comprehensive performance improvement assessment for an entertainment studio, a new media content and advertising strategic plan for a national wireless operator, go-to-market strategy for a new media wireless commerce platform, digital strategy assessment for an integrated traditional media business, a strategic and operational transformation of a billion-dollar incumbent local exchange carrier (including evaluation of new products such as video and wireless broadband) and an operational stabilization of a private equity owned incumbent local exchange carrier (“LEC”).

Turnaround and restructuring engagements Mr. Schaeffer has advised on include multiple video game developers, multiple entertainment and broadcast company restructurings, a balance sheet restructuring of a large cable operator, an in-court balance sheet restructuring and expert witness testimony of a regional LEC, multiple publishing businesses, multiple competitive telecom operators.

Mr. Schaeffer has recently served as Chief Restructuring Officer (CRO) of disruptive augmented reality hardware company, Deputy CRO of Relativity Media, Interim Chief Operating Officer of an event rental business, Chief Restructuring Officer in an out-of-court operational restructuring of an entertainment post-production business, and Interim Vice President of Development for Digital Domain during its bankruptcy with responsibility for leading that 363 sale process.

Prior to joining FTI Consulting, Mr. Schaeffer was the Founding Managing Partner at West Lake Partners, a niche strategic and transaction advisory firm focused on expansion stage and middle-market companies in the communications and technology industries. Previously, Mr. Schaeffer worked for two private equity firms – Whitney & Co. and One Liberty Ventures – where he worked with, and invested in, communications, media, technology and services businesses. Mr. Schaeffer also spent several years with PricewaterhouseCoopers, where he was a founding member of FTI Consulting’s predecessor Telecom Industry practice.