Private Equity
International
International
Operating Partners Forum: Europe Virtual Experience 2020
Steven Dunne
Senior Partner, Frog Capital
The value creation event for alternative asset classes
Europe’s largest event aimed at driving value within private equity owned companies is going virtual. Bringing together a global audience to share successful strategies and provide practical insight to help you create growth in these challenging times.
Join us at this crucial time to discuss how to deal with the current downturn and how to return to growth post-crisis. Hear from experienced operating partners and C-level executives on how they continue to deliver value creation strategies, create top-line growth and drive EBITDA improvement in their portfolio.
The event provides extensive opportunities to network virtually. Connect with your peers through one-to-one meetings, group discussions, build relationships and compare value creation best practices.
Video Player
00:00
00:00
Experience the Forum on our virtual platform
Watch our guided video for a preview of what you can expect at this year’s virtual forum.
Features include:
» Watch sessions anytime, anywhere
» Schedule 1-to-1 or private group meetings
» On-Demand access for 5 months
» Live Q&A, polling and surveys
» And so much more!
Explore the virtual experience
Essential market insight
Hear from industry leaders including BC Partners, KKR, Silverlake Partners and many more as they share how they are continuing to find growth at their portfolio companies. All content will be recorded and available on-demand.
Global audience for new opportunities
Going virtual means removing the restrictions of international travel. Save time, money and connect with a truly global audience. Bringing new faces, different perspectives and increasing your opportunities to connect.
6 months access to the community
Continue conversations with other attendees and access the discussion forums 5 months after the event. The platform will be open 4 weeks before the event so you can set up your meetings ahead of time and 5 months after to continue making connections.
Darrell Stein, Director & Operations Advisor to Private Equity Funds (KKR), HBF Solutions Ltd
Fireside chat: Using technology to accelerate value creation in the first 100 days and beyond
Commercially astute, passionate, globally experienced CIO with an impressive track record of execution excellence in both Retail/ FMCG and a range of Private Equity Businesses. Currently advising and delivering digital transformations for KKR.
Darrell has experience of delivering accelerated solutions across a number of private equity industries such as the rapid carve out of business units, significant cost efficiencies, development of third party agreements and driving digital sales growth. A highly pragmatic hands-on CIO, recognised for mentoring talent as demonstrated by 9 current CIO’s having worked directly for him. An active member of the technology community, advising both established and start-up enterprises.
Connect with value creation professionals from
Speakers include
Testimonials from 2019
David Bryan
Managing Partner & CEO, BM&T
This is now the must-attend event for Operating Partners in the UK if not Europe. An excellent opportunity to catch up with the latest thinking and to network w…
Benjamin Bach
Partner, E2T Capital
Good forum, practical, a wealth of know-how sitting in the room and straight to the point
Charlotte Gregson
Comatch, Managing Director UK
The forum is a great environment to connect with familiar faces, meet new people and discuss topical issues facing the industry
Video Player
00:00
00:00
Experience the Forum on our virtual platform
Watch our guided video for a preview of what you can expect at this year’s virtual forum.
Features include:
» Watch sessions anytime, anywhere
» Schedule 1-to-1 or private group meetings
» On-Demand access for 5 months
» Live Q&A, polling and surveys
» And so much more!
One click access to value creation expertise from the safety of your workspace
Essential market insight
Hear from industry leaders including; BC Partners, CVC Capital, KKR and many more how they are continuing to find growth at their portfolio companies. All content will be recorded and available on-demand.
Global audience for new opportunities
Going virtual means removing the restrictions of international travel. Save time, money and connect with a truly global audience. Bringing new faces, different perspectives and increasing your opportunities to connect.
6 months access to the community
Continue conversations with other attendees and access the discussion forums 5 months after the event. The platform will be open 4 weeks before the event to allow you to arrange meetings during the event and 5 months after to allow you continue making connections.
Discover new value creation strategies
Discover how your peers are responding to the impact of the pandemic and explore new strategies for creating growth in a downturn.
Access 16 hours of interactive content from 80 speakers across the two days. Watch keynote interviews, panel discussions, debates and much more.
With the online platform you can:
- Create your own daily agenda so you don’t miss a meeting or a key session
- Take part in the sessions through speaker Q&A and live polling
- Watch any sessions you missed at a later date. All sessions will be available on-demand for 5 months
Catch up with old colleagues and make new connections
Connect with your peers through video meetings, forum discussions and private messaging.
The Forum’s virtual experience provides you with 6 months access to the platform and the operating partner community.
Through the platform you can:
- Filter and search the delegate list to find the people you want to meet
- Arrange video meetings with other attendees for a private meeting to business opportunities and get deals done
- Take part in forum discussions with other attendees with similar interests to get answers to your most pressing questions and share ideas on key topics
Explore the sponsor exhibition
Explore the virtual exhibition hall and chat with sponsors to discover solutions to your business concerns.
Through the platform you can:
- Visit the virtual exhibition booth to discover the range of solutions available to help you better serve your customers
- Interact with the exhibitors you can request more information with the click of a button or arrange a meeting to discuss the products and services in more detail
Connect with value creation professionals
The virtual experience allows you to find and connect with the people you want to meet more easily. Search the attendee list, start a conversation and arrange meetings with value creation professionals.
Find the people you want to meet
Want to catch up with an old colleague or make a new contact with a specific focus?
Search and filter the delegate list and create a shortlist of the people you most want to meet. Message them to chat and arrange online video meetings throughout the event.
Arrange 1-2-1 video meetings
Share strategies and discuss ways to find growth post-pandemic in private meetings. During the event you can have video meetings with other attendees. Simply search the delegate list for the people you want to meet, arrange a time and send them a meeting invite. You can invite up to five people to any one meeting.
Identify other attendees with the same interests
Whatever your area of interest the forum discussions allow you to take part in conversations on the issues that matter most to you or start your own topic.
You will be able to see who else is joining the conversation and message them privately if you want to continue the discussion.
6 months access to the community
You will have 6 months of access to the platform. Login 4 weeks before the event to build your agenda and arrange meetings with the people you want to meet during the event.
The messaging and forums, as well as access to recordings of all sessions will be available 5 months after the event.
All timings are listed in BST/UTC+1
With the online platform you can:
- Create your own daily agenda so you don’t miss a meeting or a key session
- Take part in the sessions through speaker Q&A and live polling
- Watch any sessions you missed at a later date. All sessions will be available on-demand for 5 months
For more information on the agenda in 2020 please contact Charles Gould at charles.g@peimedia.com or call +44 (0) 203 879 3893.
View agenda page
Agenda
Operating Partners Forum: Europe 2020 - Monday 5th
Pre-event networking sessions
15:00 - 15:15
Pathable Tutorial
Before the start of the event, this session will help to give you a brief overview of the Pathable platform to ensure you are comfortable with its use. The session will be interactive so you will have an opportunity to ask us questions on anything you are not sure about when it comes to the technical side of things.
15:15 - 17:30
Pre-conference Workshops and Networking
Srinivasaa HG,
Trupti Mukker,
Mark Billige,
Gary Hoover
In these interactive roundtables you will be placed in a zoom-style call to discuss the relevant topic with other industry members. The sessions will be hosted by a virtual workshop leader and one-two speakers, they will help kick off the discussion and then it will turn into a more free-flowing discussion with other participants.
Please be prepared to contribute with questions and input on how you are engaging with topics under discussion.
3:15-4:00
Workshop: Digital value creation to drive profitable exits sooner
The past few years have increasingly seen digital become a core part of private equity growth strategy. Digital transformation is a proven way to drive tangible value quickly. Join this session to hear examples of PE portfolio companies and large organisations that leveraged Digital transformation to (a) reimagine their business to generate additional revenue channels and stay ahead of the curve (b) bring in process efficiencies and operational excellence, resulting in large scale cost takeout. This interactive workshop will provide practical takeaways to help with transforming portfolio businesses. Worth reading Wipro’s whitepaper on The New Private Equity: Creating Value Quickly and Reliably Through Digital Transformation ahead of the session.
Srinivasaa HG, VP & EMEA Head, Wipro Digital
Trupti Mukker, VP & Global Head of FS Digital Operations, Wipro
4:00-4:30
Workshop: How to successfully transition to subscriptions / recurring revenue models
Have your portfolio companies been grappling with how to transition to the subscription economy? Whilst the potential upside in terms of enhanced revenue quality/longevity and multiple expansion are clear, getting it right requires careful optimisation of several interdependent levers. Crafting the right propositions, getting pricing structure and levels right, developing a robust customer phasing/migration strategy and equipping the sales force for success are all crucial. Join our interactive workshop where we will distil years of helping hundreds of companies navigate this journey into the most important lessons learnt and concrete do’s and don’ts for real sustainable success.
Facilitators
Mark Billige, CEO, Simon-Kucher & Partners
James Brown, UK Managing Partner, Simon-Kucher & Partners
Dr. Peter Colman, UK Sales Excellence Practice Lead, Simon-Kucher & Partners
4:30-5:00
Workshop: Don’t Compromise Exit Dates—Dig Deeper, Faster to Accelerate Value Creation Opportunities
PE firms and their PortCos shouldn’t have to adjust their targets or holding periods in response to the global pandemic. Rather, there are opportunities to refigure where the value lies and then adjust strategies for capturing the value accordingly. If the exit date is looming, firms will want to find the best opportunities where high EBITDA impact intersects with the shortest-possible timeframe for value capture. Join this session to learn about a PE firm that was looking to exit within 12-18 months. This $250 million business captured $13 million in savings achievable in 10 months with an estimated EBIDTA impact of 300 to 500 basis points. Discuss different ways to accelerate value creation both on and off the manufacturing floor. Find ways to think differently about what types of projects are possible within the allotted timeframe and accessible resources.
Facilitators
Gary Hoover, Vice President, Global Private Equity Practice, TBM Consulting Group
John Wynne, Managing Director, TBM Europe, TBM Consulting Group
John Ferguson, Vice President, International Operations, TBM Consulting Group
5:00-5:30
Speed networking half hour
This unique session will allow delegates to participate in at least 5 private one-on-one meetings.
Agenda
Operating Partners Forum: Europe 2020 - Tuesday 6th
Operating Partners Forum: Europe 2020
09:00 - 09:30
Networking breakfast and introduction to tech
09:30 - 09:40
PEI Welcome & Chairperson’s Opening Remarks
Lisa Stone
09:40 - 10:15
The evolution of value creation and changes to the structure of portfolio groups
Susanne Vanner,
Maria Carradice,
Jérôme Losson,
Gabriele Questa
Panel Session
- How has covid-19 changed the approach to value creation
- Quantifying operating partner performance: KPIs and metrics used by firms and how they are charging
- Predictions for trends in the next 10 years for more specialist roles and closeness to the investment team
Moderator: Susanne Vanner, Partner, EY
10:15 - 10:20
Stretch Break
Operating Partners Forum: Europe 2020
10:20 - 10:55
Operating partner assessments of the commercial organisation during diligence
Jim Corey,
Caimin Jones,
Lorenzo Levi
Panel Session
- To what extent are operating partners being asked to examine top-line revenue issues during diligence?
- What issues are operating partners being asked to analyse?
- Knowing what to look for: Spotting risks and opportunities
- Techniques for being most effective during diligence
Facilitator: Jim Corey, Managing Partner, Blue Ridge Partners
10:55 - 11:00
Stretch Break
Operating Partners Forum: Europe 2020
11:00 - 11:20
Fireside Chat: Using Technology to accelerate value creation in the first 100 days and beyond
Aswatha Amarnath,
Darrell Stein
- How can technology help private equity realise profitable exits sooner?
- Making a concrete action plan in the first 100 days
- Focusing on large scale cost take out in your portfolio companies by driving operational efficiencies and intelligent automation
- Converting fixed costs to variable costs – Monetise and modernise to help improve cash flow during the Covid-19 crisis
- Looking for new revenue streams and sales growth through business process reimagination and digital transformation
- Case studies on PE Firms leveraging technology from due diligence to cost-effective exit
Amarnath, Senior Vice President, Wipro
In conversation with
Darrell Stein, Director & Operations Advisor to Private Equity Funds (KKR), HBF Solutions Ltd
11:20 - 11:50
Networking Break with 1-2-1 Meetings & 'Meet the Speakers'
Operating Partners Forum: Europe 2020 - Day 1
11:50 - 12:10
What born-digital culture can tell us about transforming traditional companies
Rob Hornby
- Aligning culture with digital transformation
- What can we learn from some of the mistakes of large born-digital companies?
- Has the Covid-19 pandemic altered or speeded up traditional companies’ digital transformation ambitions?
Rob Hornby, Managing Director & Chief Digital Officer, London, AlixPartners
12:10 - 12:15
Stretch Break
Operating Partners Forum: Europe 2020
12:15 - 12:35
Pricing: The critical value creation lever
Mark Billige,
Simon Gibbs
- Why pricing is the #1 value creation lever for private equity portfolio companies
- Unlocking the power of pricing to drive various PE investment theses, including EBITDA enhancement, organic revenue growth, multiple expansion and buy-and-build revenue synergies
- Perspectives from a pricing specialist as well as a portco Chairman and CEO
12:35 - 12:40
Stretch Break
Operating Partners Forum: Europe 2020
12:40 - 01:10
Strategic implementation of digital transformations throughout the lifecycle
Anish Kundi,
Maria Carradice,
Gregory Salinger,
Stefano Santarelli
Panel Session
- Looking at specific ways operating partners are harnessing better digital strategies to drive returns
- Covering the four phases: due diligence, 100 days, hold, exit
- Understanding how operating partner teams get started when it comes to digital
Moderator:Anish Kundi, Director – Private Equity, SAP
13:10 - 14:30
Mid-day networking break with 1-2-1 Meetings & 'Meet the Speakers'
Stream A - Interactive Breakout Sessions
14:30 - 15:00
Managing cybersecurity and data privacy
Paul Harragan ,
Jamie Smith
15:05 - 15:35
Working with management to implement rapid EBITDA improvement
Nigel Lee,
Paul Reading,
Russ Albright
15:40 - 16:10
Assessing effectiveness of management teams
Conor Boden,
Séverine de Wulf,
Joy McCormack,
Sam Gilpin
Moderator: Sam Gilpin, Managing Director, YSC
Stream B - Interactive Breakout Sessions
14:30 - 15:00
How can cloud accelerate speed pre and post transaction?
Abhinav Saxena,
Chris Goodall,
Alex Mathers
Moderator: Abhinav Saxena, Senior Business Development Manager – Private Equity EMEA, AWS
15:05 - 15:35
How is digital transformation changing buyer journeys?
Marc Metzner,
James Bagan,
Dave Kirby,
Duncan Ramsay
15:40 - 16:10
Managing sales teams to drive growth in a more virtualised environment
Moti Shahani,
Matthias Sander,
Riccardo Basile
16:10 - 16:45
Networking Break with 1-2-1 Meetings & 'Meet the Speakers'
Operating Partners Forum: Europe 2020
16:45 - 17:15
Ask the experts: Panel of key speakers from the day audience Q& A
Diane Albano,
Conor Boden,
Gabriele Questa,
Gregory Salinger
Leading speakers from the earlier sessions come together to explore the key questions that have arisen during the day
Moderator: Diane Albano, Chief Revenue Officer, Globalization Partners
17:15 - 17:45
Virtual Networking & close of day one
Agenda
Operating Partners Forum: Europe 2020 - Wednesday 7th
Operating Partners Forum: Europe 2020
08:30 - 09:55
Invitation-only Think Tank for Operating Partners
Miles Graham,
Tony O'Carroll
This closed-door session is an opportunity to share first-hand accounts on how to best position yourself in your career as an operating partner. The think tank will expose the toughest challenges operating partners face daily and will allow you to learn best practices in dealing with them.
09:55 - 10:00
Chairperson’s Welcome Back Remarks
James Berkeley
10:00 - 10:30
Navigating through the downturn – what to do from a PE operations standpoint
Alejandro Alcalde Rasch,
Fredrik Henzler,
Tony O'Carroll,
James Markham
Panel Session
- How prepared were PE backed businesses and their private equity owners for the downturn that’s been brought about by the Coronavirus pandemic?
- What should management teams and sponsors of businesses be prioritising during these tough times?
- Tips for companies re-evaluating their business models/shutting down certain activities/scenario analysis
Moderator: Nicolas Monnier, Sales Product Manager, SAP
10:30 - 10:35
Stretch Break
Operating Partners Forum: Europe 2020
10:35 - 11:05
Managing the CFO-CEO relationship at portfolio companies
James Berkeley,
Steven Dunne,
Krzysztof Drozd,
Victor Vadaneaux
Panel Session
- Getting senior management aligned with the value creation plan
- How can PE best support CEOs and CFOs?
- How should CFOs work with the board and CEOs on the growth strategy?
- Working with a CFO when having issues with a CEO
Moderator: James Berkeley, Managing Director, Ellice Consulting
11:05 - 11:30
Morning Networking Break – Virtual Lounge, 1-2-1 Meetings & 'Meet the Speakers'
Operating Partners Forum: Europe 2020
11:30 - 12:00
Managing board effectiveness: Making boards a value creation driver
David Cooper ,
Warwick Nash,
Karen O'Mahony,
Mala Shah-Coulon
- Getting value from your chair, what is their role in board meetings
- How do the best boards plan their time to ensure they add value
- Quantifying the value of a good board
Moderator: Mala Shah-Coulon, Associate Partner, EY
12:00 - 12:05
Stretch Break
Operating Partners Forum: Europe 2020
12:05 - 12:35
Add-on acquisitions: How operators can add value as part of a buy and build strategy
Mark Veldon,
Antonin de Margerie,
Jean-Philippe Syed,
Franck Temam
Panel Session
- Which sectors are most well suited to this approach to value add?
- Why technology and digitisation has made buy-and-builds more attractive
- How to think about a company’s cash flow when they’ve had multiple mid-year acquisitions
- Executing value creation strategy to ensure new acquisitions are integrated seamlessly
- Creating a playbook to prepare a company’s process, technology, and people for a merger
Moderator: Mark Veldon, Managing Director, Alix Partners
12:35 - 12:40
Stretch Break
Operating Partners Forum: Europe 2020
12:40 - 12:55
Deal Mechanic case studies: Operational excellence stories explained by the participants
Richard Riboe
- Nordic Capital: AniCura
Richard Riboe, Director, Nordic Capital
12:55 - 14:00
Mid-day networking break with 1-2-1 Meetings & 'Meet the Speakers'
Interactive Breakout Sessions
14:00 - 14:30
Managing culture & strategy to ensure an engaged and incentivised workforce
Andrea Davis,
Lisa Telford
14:35 - 15:05
How embracing ESG & impacts can enhance returns
Ellen de Kreij,
Pia Irell,
James Magor
15:05 - 15:10
Stretch Break
Operating Partners Forum: Europe 2020
15:10 - 15:40
Using data science & tech to drive and monitor value creation strategy
Steve Jones,
Sara McMunn,
Wayne Brown
15:40 - 15:45
Closing Remarks
Sponsorship opportunities
Explore the virtual exhibition hall and chat with sponsors to discover solutions to your business concerns and find ways to improve the service for your customers.
Through the platform you can:
- Visit the virtual exhibition booth to discover the range of solutions available to help you better serve your customers
- Interact with the exhibitors you can request more information with the click of a button or arrange a meeting to discuss the products and services in more detail
For more information on available sponsorship opportunities in 2020 please fill in the enquiry form or contact Christopher Wagland at chris.w@peimedia.com or call +44 (0) 207 566 5475.
2020 Confirmed Sponsors
Pre-Event Resources
Frequently asked questions
We understand that the world of virtual events is a new one, so we have put together a series of FAQs to make things clearer.
If you have a question that isn’t covered below please contact us at customerservices@peimedia.com and a member of our team will get back to you.
1.
What time zone is the event held in?
All times show on the event website are British Summer Time (BST)/UTC+1.
2.
What if I have a question or any problems during the event?
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- Members of our team will be available for the duration of the event to answer any of your questions and help in any way we can.
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- To get in touch with us:
- Go to the menu bar within the platform, select ‘People’, filter by ‘PEI Media’ and select a member of staff on the Event Operations Team. Then send a message by clicking their profile and they will respond as soon as possible.
- If you are having problems accessing the platform, email eventsteam@peimedia.com
3.
What equipment do I need?
All you need is your computer and an internet connection to experience the Operating Partners Forum. We recommend that you access the event from a desktop or laptop computer using Google Chrome, Firefox or Safari browsers. We also recommend you enable your webcam while at the Forum. You will not be visible during the main sessions, but this will make interacting with other delegates easier when you take part in roundtable discussions, networking sessions and one-to-one video meetings.
4.
How do I access the platform?
The platform will launch 4 weeks prior to the event. As a registered attendee, you will be sent a unique link to access the platform. That link is unique to you and cannot be shared with anyone else.
5.
How will I know how to use the platform?
We have a dedicated “Virtual experience” page to help you navigate the platform. The advantage of having access a few weeks before is that we can help you iron out any issues you might be having with plenty of time before the event.
6.
Do I need to sit in front of my laptop all day or all night?
No. There will be live content (which is where you can take part in live Q&As) and select sessions will be made on demand for an additional 5 months, so you can watch sessions at a time convenient to you.
7.
I have watched enough webinars over the past 6 months, why would I want to watch more?
We hear you – which is why we have structured the platform to ensure you are part of the conversation. You will be able to:
- Ask questions of panel speakers during the session
- Spend time face-to-face via video conference with speakers to ask questions after the session
- Join roundtables to discuss the topics that matter to you with like-minded peers
- Focused networking breaks where you can discuss the strategies and opportunities you are
interested in - Pop in to sponsor booths to connect via video and discuss their offerings or a presentation that they have given
8.
What if I forget that a session I want to attend is on?
You can build your own personal agenda within the platform and opt-in to receive notifications when sessions are about to begin.
9.
Is “virtual networking” just a buzzword for direct messaging or email?
Absolutely not! The virtual platform will feature direct messaging functionality, but it also has inbuilt video conferencing that allows you to invite other people into a single meeting. Just select your potential business partner/s from the attendee list and invite them to chat.
10.
What about the timezone difference? How do I set meetings on my timezone?
The platform shows available meeting times as per your computers timezone. For example, if you are based in London, a meeting you set for 12 pm from your account will show to a recipient in Berlin as 1 pm, reducing the human error impact of incorrectly guessing timezones. It is worth noting that event timings will be running on British Summer Time (BST) which is UTC+1. The platform will note the timezone abbreviation next to most timings to avoid confusion.
Steven Dunne
Senior Partner, Frog Capital
Steven has over 20 years of private equity experience gained within private equity firms, as CFO/COO of private equity and venture capital backed companies taking them through to exit, as well as PE M&A exposure in investment banking. He joined Frog as Senior Partner in charge of Portfolio in 2015 also acting as the operating partner for finance and leading on Responsible Investment.
Steven represented Frog on the board of portfolio exits such as Mediatonic, EDITED and more recently Azimo. He heads the Operating Partner Programme which provides seamless expert support through due diligence to portfolio company engagement and delivery of the Scale-Up methodology. Steven currently sits on the board of Winningtemp, a Swedish employee engagement software company.
Prior to joining Frog, Steven spent four years as CFO at Syscap, a PE backed tech enabled provider of alternative funding to SMEs, where he managed the successful trade sale. In addition to his operational experience, Steven spent four years as a Portfolio Director at Livingbridge. Steven is a Fellow Chartered Accountant (qualified with PricewaterhouseCoopers) and in addition to holding an MA in Economics from Cambridge University, he has a post-graduate qualification in Organizational Psychology.
Frog Capital
Frog is a Scale-Up Investor in high-growth European software companies making a positive social impact.
We invest in equity rounds of €5m - €20m in companies with annualised revenues of typically €3m - €30m and strong momentum.
Frog’s expertise and experience make the Scale-Up phase a science, not an art. Together with our network, we are continually improving the Scale-up Methodology to help businesses succeed.