Mark Harms Bio

Mark Harms is the Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of Global Leisure Partners. Mark co-founded GLP in 2004 and has pioneered its strategic direction. This has led to GLP advising on c 70+ bn of transactions to date, deploying significant capital as principal in a number of investments and developing an industry leading Operating Executive Network. Mark divides his time between the U.S. and the U.K. Mark has significant experience in the leisure sector having completed advisory and principal transactions in North and South America, Europe and Australia over the last 40+ years. With over 150 completed advisory engagements and with more than half of these in the fitness, gaming, hospitality and leisure industries, Mark brings a deep understanding and knowledge regarding the competitive strategies of the major companies in each industry sector. In addition, Mark has extensive experience with regard to leveraged debt, mezzanine and equity financing techniques in Europe and the U.S. with over US$100 bn in completed transactions. Mark has a strong knowledge of financing markets worldwide, significant restructuring expertise and is also highly experienced in cross-border transactions. He has a powerful network of relationships globally, and access to substantial amounts of capital. Mark’s transaction experience includes several recent private to public mergers and complex recapitalizations (see GLP Transaction History for details): the recapitalization of McLaren (7 transactions, over $2.1bn of capital raised); the $3.3 b Aldel/ Hagerty business combination for which he also helped raise a $700m PIPE, The $600m BCAC/ Vintage Wine Estates merger and associated $120m PIPE, the $6.2bn combination of Everi and IGT Gaming & Digital (now being sold to Apollo for $6.3bn), and the $225m Hostmore/TGI Friday’s transaction which is in process. Mark is an experienced non executive Director for both private and public companies. He represented GLP’s principal investment affiliate Bespoke Capital Partners on the boards of its portfolio holdings including 24 Hour Fitness, Vinventions, World Fitness Services, Ainigma Holdings and Vintage Wine Estates. Prior to founding GLP, he previously worked at Oppenheimer as a Managing Director and at CIBC as Global Head of the Gaming, Lodging, and Leisure Group as well as the Head of the Consumer Growth Group. Under his leadership Oppenheimer and CIBC developed a global reputation for financing and advisory excellence and leading market shares in each of the key financing product lines. Mr. Harms has a BA (Honors) from the University of Michigan and an MBA from the University of Chicago (Highest Honors). He is fluent in German.