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Agenda | CE Premier: Planning for Your IPO

                     Monday, 19 April
8:30-9:00 Registration
9:00-9:10 Welcome and Opening Remarks
9:10-9:45 Keynote Address
9:45-10:45 Forecasting IPO markets in the next 12 months
While the Global IPO market in 2009 continued to show sluggishness, the second half of the year saw the markets pick up. 75% of all US-listings in 2009 took place in the last 6 months. Against this backdrop, the next 12 months appear to promise strong valuation opportunities for businesses with proven revenues and profits. Still, recovery is fragile and pitfalls ranging from disappointing IPO results to poor returns can dampen strong projections. The Forum’s opening session will weigh in on the key trends influencing markets and forecast the climate for IPOs for the next 12 months.
10:45-11:15

Networking and Refreshment Break

11:15-12:00 Maximizing Long-Term Value with the RIGHT Exchange
For a company en-route to an IPO, different paths will present different opportunities. By reputation, the traditional powerhouses (NASDAQ & NYSE) promise investor sophistication and capital liquidity. Yet, European exchanges still maintain much financial authority and Asian ones have displayed compelling performances. In 2009, Hong Kong was the leading exchange for money raised on new issues, while both Shanghai and ChiNext displayed IPO strength as well. Such complex options can lead to a range of results. This session will prepare CEOs and CFOs to more critically compare exchange options and ultimately more accurately identify the exchange best customized for their business.
12:00-13:30 Lunch and Networking
13:30-14:30 Recruiting and Working with your IPO team: Underwriters, Representation and Accounting
Lasting anywhere from 14 to 18 weeks, the IPO process is an intense, grueling experience for a company’s leadership. Fortunately, there’s help: the Underwriters, Attorneys and Accountants. From organizing road shows to coordinating share issuance with transfer agents, the IPO working group will be one of the decisive factors, promising success or guaranteeing failure. Considering this, what red flags should the CEO bear in mind when choosing the IPO team? How should company’s leadership best leverage the IPO teams’ expertise to ensure a smooth public offering? Session 3 will tackle these and other practical questions, helping CEOs lay the foundation for success.
14:30-15:00 Smooth Sailing: Arranging Regulatory and Accounting Details
Successfully progressing from IPO announcement to shares issuance and trading, requires that a company’s leadership first address and resolve a range of critical details. Has your company set-up a series of strict internal controls to meet demanding Sarbanes-Oxley standards? Does your company have an optimized tax infrastructure in place to minimize tariffs on international transactions? Is your prospectus ready to pass the SEC review process? In this discussion, SEC and accounting leaders will prepare your company’s senior management to identify the key finance and accounting arrangements and then minimize their associated risks.
15:00-16:00 The Road Show: Communicating Vision
In a few short weeks, your company will be entering the spotlight as a public company. One of the last remaining hurdles is the Road Show, a public presentation of your company’s story and its competitive advantages. Are you prepared? The Road Show can be an arduous task for a company’s senior management, dashing through a dozen or more cities in the span of two weeks as they are drilled with hard-hitting questions by the most sophisticated investment analysts and media representatives. This panel will gather experienced IPO communications specialists and practiced CEOs and CFOs, sharing detailed insights to best position your company.
16:00-16:30 Networking and Refreshment Break
16:30-17:30 The Day After: Operational and Cultural Dynamics when Public
Once a company goes public, the rules change. Progress is constantly scrutinized in 3-month windows and corporate culture must sustain added accountability and responsibility. Leaders willing to take on the upgraded duty must thoroughly prepare and quickly adapt or else find themselves unfit to perform in the changed environment. The conference’s concluding panel will descriptively illustrate the organizational changes a company undergoes and then share the leadership concepts critical to directing this expanded enterprise.
17:30-20:00 Cocktail Party (Open to all Participants)