Andrew Bell
Principal
Andrew Bell is an experienced corporate development professional with more than 15 years experience in the international telecommunications industry encompassing mobile, wireline, web hosting and cable television businesses in UK, Europe, USA, Japan and China. He has extensive expertise in M&A, corporate development, leading commercial projects, restructuring and business planning, in both corporate and operational line management roles.
Previously he was Director Commercial and Business Development at the GSM Association instrumental in the buyout of the Mobile World Congress business and startup of the Pathfinder number mapping service. From 2002-2004 he held senior management roles at Cable & Wireless America -latterly as Vice President, Business Restructuring. In USA, he was responsible for the sale and migration of the legacy voice business to Primus Communications, disposed of excess datacentre capacity and organised the successful bidding and due diligence process that resulted in the company's sale through Chapter 11 to Savvis.
From 1997-2002, Mr. Bell was Director, Corporate Finance at Cable & Wireless' Head Office where he was responsible for large transactions and strategic projects, leading cross-functional teams and working closely with operational heads. He was the corporate finance lead on the successful acquisition by Cable & Wireless of IDC Japan (the No. 2 international services operator) for £540 million, together with the sale of minority stakes in a number of Japanese regional mobile operators for $410 million.
From 1992-1997, he held business planning roles at Mercury Communications (the No.2 UK operator), latterly as Strategy and Business Development Manager where he played a significant part in the planning and implementation of the 3-way merger between Mercury, Bell Cable media and Nynex into Cable & Wireless Communications, the full service telecommunications and cable television operator.
Mr. Bell has a BA from St. Anne's College, Oxford. He trained with Arthur Andersen and is a Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.