directorFORUM

REAL companies, dialogue, issues & opportunities.

Meet directors, advisers & investors from the engine room of the UK economy: Directorzone £500k – 100m turnover companies.  Some free places - please see below.

REGISTRATION (above): £35-45 by Wed 28 April; later + £10; on door + £10. Some free places.

AGENDA 

17.30 Reception / networking / advice zones - overseas growth, IP, research & enterprise.
18.00 Expansion Point Q&A: Ming Foods + LEXX Publishing & Media case studies. 
19.00 Networking break / advice zones.
19.30 Boardroom Q&A:

:: Guest speaker: Guy Willner, Non-Executive Director and investor at Teraco Data Environments Pty. “From VC-backed telecoms entrepreneur, to listed company CEO, to international NED and investor.”
:: Open Forum: Jonathan Jenkins, Director of Ventures, UnLtd. "SME Equity Funding".
:: Boardroom mentors.

20.30 Networking break / advice zones.
21.20 End.
21.30 Liquid networking @ local hostelry.

BOARDROOM Q&A

GUEST SPEAKER:  Guy Willner, Non-Executive Director at Teraco Data Environments Pty.
“From VC-backed telecoms entrepreneur, to listed company CEO, to international NED and investor.”
Guy Willner, non-executive director at Teraco Data Environments Pty - the first carrier-neutral datacentre company in Africa and home of the NapAfrica Internet Exchange. In July, Guy Willner invested in Teraco and is a non-exec on the Board. Guy co-founded IXEurope, a neutral data centre operator, in London in 1998. IXEurope grew to become the largest European neutral data centre business with 14 data centres in 6 countries, in total around 66,000 square metres. In 2008, the business was acquired by Equinix for $482m. Why Teraco? A Q&A with Guy Willner.

OPEN FORUM. Issues highlighted in last month’s City of London Corporation SME equity funding report (AIM, Nomads, Trade Sales, Angel-VC disconnect, etc.).“The City's Role in Providing for the Public Equity Financing Needs of UK SMEs". 100+ page report download.
Chairman: Jonathan Jenkins, Director of Ventures, UnLtd - 15+ years experience in SME fundraising, including work at a UK merchant bank and as Managing Director, PLUS Markets, a stock exchange created by his family to enable access to capital for smaller companies. In his time at PLUS, over 500 companies raised a total of £2bn.

BOARDROOM MENTORS, availble to discuss boradroom issues with other mentors:

• Paul McGroary, Non-Executive Director, Central China Goldfields plc (AIM, 2005); Director, Marshall Lake Mining plc. CCG is working in some of the most under-explored regions in China and intends to become its premier mining & exploration company.

• Ming Foods, an innovative thin pastry manufacturer, is the leading manufacturer and supplier of premium quality Chinese pancakes for wholesale to specialist ethnic supermarkets, wholesale suppliers and restaurants. Expanding rapidly in the US and Latin America. 
  "Market visits make export base for pastry producer".
• LEXX Publishing & Media. LEXX offers essential information tools for the global maritime & offshore sector. Its database of 180,000+ records includes: Port Authorities & Terminals; Shipping Lines, Shipping Agents, Ship Owning Groups, Chartering Companies; Logistics Providers, Professional Services Providers; LPG, LNG, FPSO Owners & Operators; Oil & Gas Exploration & Transportation.
• Panel: David Smith, Senior Partner, Fasken Martineau LLP; Robert Furse, International Trade Advisor, UKTI; Dr. Tim Meldrum, Research & Enterprise, City University London.

ADVICE ZONES / SPONSORS

OVERSEAS EXPANSION. UK Trade & Investment - London 

Team at event: International Trade Advisers, Marketing team.
Issues: Developing your business overseas, marketing, trade missions + other questions about overseas markets. UKTI expert knowledge, facilities - Embassies and High Commissions 100+ countries - contacts & lobbying clout.
Target: Established companies based within the M25: 1. re-actively exporting & now looking for advice on how to export strategically; 2. not exporting yet, but interested & ready to do so.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY - protecting your assets. Fasken Martineau LLP    

Team at event: Corporate lawyers; trusted advisers to clients ranging from emerging enterprises to multinational companies.
Capabilities: Company & Corporate commercial law, tax, intellectual property, information technology, commercial property, employment, international trade & litigation.
Markets: AIM Market. African, Canadian, Chinese, Indian and Middle Eastern markets. Energy, life sciences, aviation, insurance, mining & natural resources, technology, publishing & retail property.
Target: start-ups to major international corporations interested in mergers, acquisitions & disposals, public & private financing, corporate governance & joint ventures.

RESEARCH & ENTERPRISE. Research & Enterprise, City University London 

Team at event: City University London, the university for business and the professions at the heart of the UK capital, has gained its internationally-renowned experience from over a century of teaching and learning. Research & Enterprise is building bridges: we link City’s commercial expertise & innovation with global business through the synergies we create between knowledge & technology transfer, research contracts, consultancy and enterprise training.
Issues: Technology commercialisation, knowledge transfer, enterprise learning and development, from research to employment.
Target: Entrepreneurial researchers, businesses & professionals interested in exploring the benefits of international university-enterprise collaboration.

FREE PLACES. Our sponsors are offering a small number of free places to directors of £500k – 100m turnover companies seeking advice on:

• AIM, M&A and other capital markets issues - 5 places courtesy of Fasken Martineau LLP.
• Export advice - 5 places courtesy of UK Trade & Investment London.
• Engaging with City University research & IP - and/or City/Cass alumni - 5 places courtesy of City University London.

To request your free place, please click here to use a Cityzone response channel, specifying which category is relevent for you.

VENUE: Cass Business School
Located in the heart of London’s financial district, Cass Business School is a leading provider of business and management education. Our MBA is recognised globally as a market leader, we have the widest portfolio of Specialist Masters programmes (MSc) in Europe and our Undergraduate School is one of the best in the UK. Ranked in the UK’s top 10 business and management research schools.