Game and finance specialists found Lodestar

Independent finance expert firm Lovell Consultancy has announced that it has changed its name to Lodestar Partners following the addition of experienced investment banker Richard Williamson to the company as a partner and director.

The newly renamed firm will continue to focus on supplying financial expertise specifically to the games industry, and to pursue its stated aim of bridging the "gulf of understanding" between games companies and the City.

Williamson, who has worked in a wide variety of areas of finance and has advised clients ranging from BT and Anglo American through to lastminute.com and AutoLogic, is described as having a "passion for the product", being a gamer himself.

"The games industry is developing so swiftly that few companies have the expertise to provide rigorous and focused advice to companies and investors in the sector," he commented. "The opportunity to be involved in this dynamic and evolving industry is extremely compelling."

"Richard brings a wealth of experience across a broad spectrum of transactions, together with a long track record of successful deals," enthused founding partner Nicholas Lovell. "He has an outstanding understanding of finance and the application of that knowledge in practice.

"Richard will be an invaluable asset to the company, bringing further experience and a fresh perspective to the business — this, combined with our existing industry contacts and depth of knowledge in the games sector, will make a powerful and balanced team. I am looking forward to the opportunity to demonstrate this in 2004."