Raising Private Equity Roundtable Event

Dublin City Enterprise Board and InterTrade Ireland will be hosting a roundtable event with panel of Private Equity experts. The aim of the day is to highlight issues that arise during the fund raising process and understand what it takes to attract an Investors attention.

Agenda for the Day

• What the VC’s are looking for, Current Preferences, Do’s and Don’ts,
• Making a successful pitch to investors and the Business Cube methodology – how to prepare a business plan for a potential investor
• Legal aspects of equity fund raising
• The Business Expansion Scheme, how to register and what investors look for in a BES company
• How can I raise Business Angel finance?

It is open to the following businesses;

• limited companies only (not sole traders) based in Dublin city
• export oriented companies (not local services)

We expect strong demand. Places are strictly limited so early booking is advised.

This event will take place on ;

Date: Wednesday 10th February 

Time: 8.30 - 12.30 (includes a light lunch)

Venue: Dublin City Enterprise Board, 5th Floor, O'Connell Bridge House, D'Olier Street, Dublin 2.

Cost: €25 per person.

Click here to book your place today.

Panel Members (confirmed so far)

Iain Cahill - BES specialist

Iain worked in the financial services industry for 14 years working for both GMAC (General Motors Acceptance Corporation) and GE Capital Woodchester.  His most recent role was Business Development Manager for Corporate Leasing.  Prior to that Iain was Branch Manager for GE Capital Woodchester based in the North East.  Having qualified as an Accountant with the ACCA in 1995, Iain went on to receive an MBA from Henley Management College, UK in 2003.  He is also QFA qualified.  Dublin born, he now resides in Navan with his wife and three children.

Michael Culligan - Business Angel Finance

Michael is an experienced international business executive with a background in the ICT, financial and education sectors. He has direct business experience in Asia, Europe & North America. Michael lectures Business Strategy on the Michael Smurfit MBA programme at UCD. He has worked with numerous start-up companies in the seed and early stage funding space and is project manager of the Halo Business Angel Partnership for DBIC.

Gráinne Lennon - Equity Advisor

Gráinne is employed as a finance/equity adviser and is Acting Operations manager within InterTradeIreland’s flagship initiative, EquityNetwork.  A Fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland, Gráinne has a wide range of experience gained from working in an executive capacity with a number of SME’s across the island.  Her skills stretch from business planning to raising finance and financial control in both the public and private sectors.  She has worked with early stage/start up businesses and more established ventures.

Bob McGowan-Smyth - V.C.

Bob has recently been appointed as the new lead equity advisor with the all island Trade and Business Development Body, InterTradeIreland.  A fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland, Bob has a long and successful track record in the venture capital industry.  His previous appointments have included Chief Executive of Enterprise Equity, the venture capital fund manager, from 1996 to 2004.  Bob currently acts as non-executive director and chairman on a number of boards.  His new appointment, which is on a part time basis, includes advising and assisting companies who are seeking to secure equity investment.

John Olden - Legal Expert

John in a Partner in the Business Department of LK Shields. He is well-known as a leading lawyer in the Irish market for his practice areas.  He practises primarily in the areas of venture capital / private equity and M&A, however he also does partnership work and inward investment work.   Before he joined LK Shields Solicitors in July 2007, John was a partner in the corporate department of another leading Dublin law firm.  John is chairman of the Business law Committee of the Law Society of Ireland.
LK Shields Solicitors provide quality legal services to clients who are Irish and international entities in the private and public sectors. They are known for their knowledge and experience and also for their business focus. The firm provides legal advice on all aspects of commercial related ventures and disputes. The work of the Business, Litigation and Dispute Resolution and Commercial Property Departments are complemented by the expertise of the dedicated units in Banking and Financial Services, Corporate Restructuring and Insolvency, Employment, Pensions and Employee Benefits , EU, Competition and Regulated Markets, Intellectual Property and Technology. LK Shields Solicitors is ranked amongst the leading law firms in Ireland.

Dr. Daniel O’Mahony -  €26m Bank of Ireland Seed and Early Stage Equity Fund

Daniel has 26 years international experience at a senior level of management in industry and scientific research, ten years of which were at Elan Corporation where he held the positions of VP Technology & Asset Divestment and VP Experimental Biology followed by R&D Director at Taro Pharmaceuticals. He has held academic posts at the Biochemistry Department, University College Cork; the Genetics Department, Trinity College, Dublin; The Weis Research Centre, PA, USA; the Department of Medicine & Experimental Therapeutics, University College Dublin and the Mater Hospital Centre for Cardiovascular Science. He established the very successful Technology Transfer Office at the National University Ireland, Galway in 2005.

His skills encompass major aspects of biopharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, technology licensing from university sector and campus company formation. He is a named inventor on 25 patents, author of over 40 publications and presenter and speaker at numerous international conferences. He sits on the board of a number of private companies. He holds a Ph.D in biochemistry and molecular genetics from University College Cork and a business degree in technology management from the Smurfit business school, University College Dublin. He has been a member of Kernel Capital Advisory board since 2002 and since then he has lead over 25 comprehensive due diligence reviews on behalf of the firm. He commenced a full time position with Kernel as a Partner in January 2008.