NEW YORK—January 17, 2024—Bain & Company has appointed Daniel (Danny) Hong to lead its Communications, Media & Entertainment (CME) practice in the Americas, which spans North, Central, and South America. Danny, a 21-year veteran of the firm, will remain based in Bain’s New York office, where he has a successful track record of helping media and telecommunications companies address critical business issues, including M&A, operating model, transformation, and growth.

Bain’s global CME practice has more than doubled in size in the last 3 years. Looking ahead, Danny will lead the Americas practice as it continues to grow across a wide range of both incumbent and emerging sectors, including telecommunications, digital infrastructure, video, advertising, video gaming, sports, location-based entertainment (LBE), information services, and other subsectors.

“Bain has long supported leading media and entertainment companies around the globe in delivering industry-leading results,” said Andre James, head of Bain’s global Media & Entertainment practice. “Our expertise benefits those at every corner of the industry. And as the industry continues to evolve, so too do our offerings. Danny will play a pivotal role in continuing to position our clients for long-term successes, equipping them with the cutting-edge capabilities necessary to win amid today’s most pressing disruptions, including generative AI and shifting consumer demands.”

Bain works with 8 of the top 10 global diversified media and entertainment companies, the top 5 B2B information companies, 8 of the 11 leading publishing companies, many of the top global streaming services, and several global video game companies. The firm is also on the front lines of sports and LBE, having completed 170 sports and LBE projects to date.  

“The Americas accounts for the vast majority of the world’s media market, and we’ve long been one of the leaders in that industry,” said Herbert Blum, global head of CME for Bain & Company. “In addition, we’ve helped 93% of the world’s top 30 telecom operators, and we are the leading adviser for private equity funds on telecom deals. Our thought leadership and ability to deliver results will be critical in the next decade as the industry is undergoing seismic shifts not seen since the great deregulations some 40 years ago.  Danny’s results track record to impact change will further help our clients to win in this rapidly changing landscape.”

In addition to Danny’s extensive work in the communications, media, and entertainment industries, Danny also has significant deal experience, having led dozens of diligence efforts on behalf of public and private equity clients during his time at Bain.

“Despite a growing number of ways to reach consumers, keeping customers and audiences engaged has never been more challenging,” said Danny Hong. “I look forward to working with our clients across the Americas to anticipate industry shifts ahead and transform at speed as technologies evolve. Our primary objective with all clients will continue to be about developing a sustainable competitive advantage, be it through evolving an operating model, identifying growth opportunities, leveraging technology for performance improvement, or supporting M&A.”

Outside of his client work, Danny has led multiple pro bono engagements in the social impact sector and is involved with Bain's recruiting and training programs. He is also a founding New York leadership council member for Cradles to Crayons, the largest national nonprofit focused on ending Children's Clothing Insecurity. He holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a B.A. in business economics from Brown University.

Media contacts

To arrange an interview or for any questions, please contact:

Katie Ware (New York) — Email: katie.ware@bain.com

Gary Duncan (London) — Email: gary.duncan@bain.com

Ann Lee (Singapore) — Email: ann.lee@bain.com