Do I have the best people supporting me through my IPO?
Identifying and engaging the right team of people is crucial to the success of your IPO. You’ll need to decide which external service providers will have the expertise to support you and your team as you make critical business decisions. Your team may consist of legal counsel, accountants, financial advisors, underwriters, and your registrar. You will be delegating many of the important tasks related to the IPO, such as lock-up releases, issuance of shares to underwriter(s), conversion of preferred classes of share or share splits to these providers so you want to make sure they are the best choice for you and for your stakeholders.
How will I manage our employee equity programs?
Going public means your cap table is no longer a closely held document. While your shareholder data will always remain confidential, as a public company your annual report will be available for anyone to view. You’ll need to determine who will administer your equity programs and how those parties will work together.
Who will be our registry provider?
Select your registry provider as early as possible. It is critical that you think beyond your IPO and choose a partner that will not only provide the guidance you need through the IPO process, but that will support you and your growing company with future needs. During the IPO, your registry provider will manage your shareholder accounts, including restrictions and lock-ups, conversion of preferred share or share splits. You’ll want to consider what the shareholder experience will be like leading up to, during and after the IPO. Will they have access to modern, self-service tools? Will they receive quality customer service should they need to speak with someone for assistance? Staying on course is critical. Choosing the right service provider today that will be ready for your needs of tomorrow will position you for success.
Will I have accountability for other areas and administrative functions?
These demands for you and your team are real. When it comes to getting these jobs done, finding an easier way is a must and a service provider with experience can help. Computershare can help you through this entire spectrum. • Entity compliance. Choose a registry provider that offers a wide range of equity and compliance services to streamline your supplier list and adhere to tightening budgets. • Convenient and secure ways to share board materials. Offering your board members tools that allow them to work more efficiently will help them make faster decisions on important business matters.
How will I communicate with my shareholders?
Following your IPO, keeping your shareholders engaged will be critical. Shareholder statements and an informative communication will be mailed by your registry provider. Information, such as company contacts, lock-up release information and IPO news can be included within these mailings. To ensure post-IPO success you’ll need to be clear and to the point when communicating with your shareholders.