Description Communications Equity Associates (CEA) provides investment banking, merchant banking, and private equity services to global companies in the communications, entertainment, and media industries. The company offers mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, divestment, and fund-raising services from 10 offices in the US and Europe. Its private equity division manages a family of funds with more than $1 billion under management. CEA has completed more than 900 transactions, most of which are cross-border arrangements. Customers have included such big names as AT&T, IBM, EDS, and Siemens. The company was founded in 1973 by CEO Rick Michaels.