An event for investors and the leaders of high growth technology companies looking to achieve the optimum exit.
Description
If you’re an Investor or a CEO and want to prepare a company for exit, how do you ensure that your business becomes the hottest acquisition target in the sector? With less than 20% of companies that are sold achieving hoped for values, how should you position your business to ensure you get that premium exit valuation? Selling to businesses in this post recession era provides a new challenge. Standards for due diligence have to be at unprecedented levels and companies need to be performing at the top of their game as part of their normal operations. This event is designed to provide valuable insights into how the best of the best have rapidly increased sales, gained employee focus and ensured business plans are met. Speakers include: Kristian Segerstrale, CEO of Playfish who recently exited to Electronic Arts Inc for $400m in just two years from founding it Anil Hansjee, who heads up Corporate Development EMEA at Google Nick Ogden, who led WorldPay until it’s £40m takeover by RBS Charles Cameron, Managing Partner of Encore Ventures Mark Farmer, Founding partner of Eden Ventures and Co-founder of several telecoms companies: most recently Cramer Systems, which emerged as the leading supplier of inventory systems to the telecoms industry and was acquired by Amdocs in 2006 for $425m, Mark was also Co-founder of Metrica, one of the UK’s first and most successful OSS Software companies, sold to ADC Telecoms in 1996 for $38m. Ben White, Founding Partner of Notion Capital and Co-Founder of MessageLabs which was acquired by Symantec for approximately $700m in 2008, which made it the second largest transaction for a private company in the history of the IT security industry. Uli Fricke, Chairwoman of the EVCA and the Co-founder Triangle Venture Management Group GmbH. Former CEO of the start-up company DFSR (a student exchange travel operator), which Uli joined while still in college. After preparing the company for sale, Uli joined CareMed (a medical insurance underwriter) as CEO, which she later sold successfully. There will also be two exciting panel debates with a mixture of professional advisers, investors and entrepreneurs. There will be controversy and wisdom in equal measure. European Leaders, RBS, ICON Corporate Finance, Taylor Wessing and Hotwire are proud to host this event for investors and the leaders of high growth companies looking to achieve the optimum exit.Agenda
15.30 Registration & refreshments 15.50 Welcome: Ashley Ward - Director, European Leaders 16.00 Keynote: Nick Ogden – Voice Commerce Group, Former CEO of Worldpay 16.15 Realising Super Returns and Premium Multiples on Exit: Moderated by Alan Bristow - CEO, ICON Corporate Finance Just 20% of businesses that put themselves up for sale secure their dream exit. Timing, greed and a poorly thought out original strategy are just some of the reasons why. Alan will draw out from the experienced expert panel the value drivers that get you the super returns. Mark Farmer - Partner and Co-founder, Eden Ventures Ben White - Founding Partner, Notion Capital, ex- MessageLabs Uli Fricke - Chairwoman, EVCA 16.45 Keynote: Charles Cameron - Encore Ventures 17.00 Break: Energy boost & refreshments 17.20 Keynote: Kristian Segerstrale - Founder & CEO, PlayfishWith a wealth of corporate experience in the TMT sector, Kristian knows what it takes to build a successful and valuable business. He recently exited his business to Electronic Arts Inc for $400m. Kristian provides his thoughts and insights into what it takes to turn the heads of potential buyers. 17.40 Things that make your business ‘stand out’: Panel discussion moderated by Brendon Craigie - MD, Hotwire Matt Heiman – Founding Investor, Justgiving.com Anil Hansjee - Head of Corporate Development, Google Simon Walker - Partner, Taylor Wessing Kristian Segerstrale – Founder & CEO, Playfish 18.15 Closing Remarks: Ashley Ward – Director, European Leaders 18.30 Food & Drink into the evening 20:00 EndsCost: Free of charge
Date: Thursday, 21 Oct 2010
Start Time: 3.30pm
End Time: 8.00pm
Address: RBS, 250 Bishopsgate, London EC2M 4AA