Charles Bedouelle, Sami Kassab & team
Exane BNP Paribas
Debuting in third place is the Exane BNP Paribas quartet conducted by Charles Bedouelle and Sami Kassab. The analysts, who work out of London, report on 30 Europe-based companies and provide shadow coverage of more than 50 other media and publishing outfits headquartered outside the region. The team “always has an interesting angle based on something fundamental,” says one buy-side advocate. Key themes in the coming year include the transition from traditional to digital media and deeper penetration into emerging markets. “Some segments are better positioned to benefit from those major secular shifts, such as advertising agencies, scientific and educational publishers, and outdoor and exhibition organizers,” notes Bedouelle, adding that broadcasters and consumer publishers are not as well positioned. Top recommendations include U.K.-based Pearson, the world’s largest book publisher and education company; French advertising agency Publicis Groupe; and UBM, a business-to-business publisher also headquartered in the U.K.
— Pam Baker