Director Imperatives: Exit Strategies - What Boards Need to Know Now

Company founders are advised to “begin with the end in mind,” whether that’s an initial public offering (IPO), strategic partnership, acquisition by a larger company, or a growth strategy to remain a privately held entity.

While the recent activity in corporate exits has cooled from a few years ago, deals are still getting done and some market-watchers predict that the pace will accelerate in the second half of 2023.

Join the NACD Research Triangle Chapter at Pendo HQ in downtown Raleigh for a timely update on the state of the market for exit events, what’s driving deals, and what boards can do to help management achieve the best possible outcome.

Program Schedule

3:30 p.m.  Registration opens

4:00 p.m. Welcome

Greetings from Jennifer Kaelin, CFO, Pendo

Recognition of Todd Olson, CEO, Pendo, as an EY Entrepreneur of the Year

Update on state of the markets, Bill Hobbs, Managing Director, Business Consulting and Deputy Leader, Financial Services Center for Board Matters, EY

4:20 p.m.  The ChannelAdvisor Story

Morrisville-based ecommerce company ChannelAdvisor was acquired in November 2022 by CommerceHub, capping a 20-year run from startup to publicly traded company to acquisition by a private equity firm. Company co-founder and director Scot Wingo, and ChannelAdvisor director Janet Cowell, join moderator Joe Colopy, partner, Jurassic Capital, for an in-depth conversation on how the deal came together and the advice they have for directors.

5:10 p.m.  Making Connections

Join GrepBeat managing editor Pete McEntegart for a wide-ranging discussion on recent exits, financing, the board’s role in risk management, and a discussion of desired board skills as companies position themselves for an M&A or IPO.

Panelists include Anil Chawla, tech entrepreneur whose company, Archive Social, was acquired in 2022; Dan Ward, director of Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s investment bank; and Ben Yerxa, serial biotech entrepreneur and director, co-founder and CEO of Opus Genetics.

6:00 p.m. Reception on Pendo’s outdoor deck