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NYSE Euronext, Lisbon, co-hosted the sixth annual IPO Retreat with Ernst & Young, IAPMEI and the law firm Pedro Raposo & Associados. The IPO Retreat was held over the last two days in Viseu, Portugal, at the Pousada de Viseu. The event provided an opportunity for more than 20 SMEs to discuss and debate the advantages of leveraging the capital markets to promote competitiveness, growth, innovation and the internationalization of Portuguese companies.
The objectives of the IPO Retreat were to clarify the process behind the completion of an initial public offering (IPO); as well as the entry obligations and ongoing listing requirements for companies present on a stock exchange.
During the IPO Retreat, the SME guests had the opportunity to hear and question several experts - including representatives from NYSE Euronext. In particular, topics discussed included the benefits of raising funds through the capital markets, as well as the different solutions available, including the possibility of listing on a stock exchange, such as NYSE Euronext.
"The sixth annual IPO Retreat event, held this year in Viseu, aimed to explain in a comprehensive, yet informal way, the benefits and challenges which face many SMEs - particularly in terms of funding. We highlighted some of the possibilities offered by the capital markets to meet our customers’ needs,” said Luis Laginha de Sousa, CEO of NYSE Euronext, Lisbon.
"Given the current economic climate and the financing issues facing SMEs, including access to bank credit, the capital markets allow for multiple solutions that can provide alternatives which can be utilized by companies in general and SMEs in particular," he added.
“Preparing a company for an IPO, regardless of economic conditions, is always a good exercise. The result is a stronger company, prepared to use all available financing options to meet new opportunities and challenges," said John Mackey, a partner for capital markets at Ernst & Young.
“IAPMEI has encouraged and contributed to the wholesale financing of SMEs, considering that there is a need for SMEs to be larger so that they can strengthen their competitive position in the market, and cope with the processes of internationalization,” said Luis Filipe Costa, president of the IAPMEI, an institute that supports the development and growth of SMEs.
“The credit crunch has opened an opportunity for SMEs to capitalize, so this initiative - IPO Retreat - is very positive and we are pleased to see a growing interest from our SMEs in the capital markets”, he added.
"Demystifying the entry requirements on the stock exchange – which is nothing more than transparency reporting obligations for an external audience, which is already incorporated in the structure of most companies - is essential, so enterprising companies can utilize an indispensable tool for growth and capitalization," said Peter Raposo, from the law firm Pedro Raposo & Associados.
