Initial Public Offerings
Taking your company public, with conviction.
An IPO is the most scrutinised transaction a company will ever undertake. We act as your independent advisor from the first readiness review to the first day of trading, and well beyond.
Overview
What this service involves
An initial public offering converts a privately held company into one whose shares trade on a public exchange. It unlocks access to deep pools of capital, gives early shareholders liquidity, and raises a company's profile with customers, partners, and talent. It also brings permanent obligations: continuous disclosure, quarterly reporting, governance standards, and the discipline of a daily share price.
Our role is distinct from the underwriting banks. Underwriters sell the shares; we sit on your side of the table. We help you decide whether, when, and where to list, select and manage the syndicate, shape the equity story, and negotiate price and allocation so that the outcome serves your long-term shareholders rather than short-term trading interest.
We also advise on alternatives that may deliver a better result: direct listings, dual-track processes that run an IPO alongside a private sale, and pre-IPO financing rounds that strengthen the balance sheet before the public market sees it.
- Months of typical preparation
- 18-24
- Distinct workstreams we coordinate
- 6
- Listing routes we evaluate
- 3
Our process
How an engagement unfolds
Each stage has clear deliverables and decision points, so you always know where the transaction stands.
- 01
Readiness assessment
Months 1-3
We benchmark your company against the expectations of public investors and the exchange you are targeting, then build a gap-closing plan.
- Financial reporting: audited statements to public-company standards, internal controls, and close-cycle speed
- Governance: board composition, independent directors, audit and remuneration committees
- Legal structure: holding company, share classes, and pre-IPO reorganisation
- Equity story: market size, growth drivers, and the KPIs investors will track
- 02
Venue and structure
Months 3-6
Choosing where and how to list shapes valuation, liquidity, and ongoing cost for years to come.
- Exchange selection across primary and secondary markets, with peer-group valuation analysis
- Primary versus secondary share mix and use of proceeds
- Traditional IPO, direct listing, or dual-track with a private sale
- Lock-up, dual-class, and greenshoe (over-allotment) terms
- 03
Syndicate and documentation
Months 6-12
We run a competitive process to appoint underwriting banks, then manage them against a single integrated timetable.
- Bank selection, fee negotiation, and role allocation
- Prospectus drafting, risk factors, and regulator review cycles
- Due diligence coordination with lawyers and auditors
- Analyst presentation and early-look investor meetings
- 04
Marketing and pricing
Final 4-6 weeks
The roadshow and bookbuild determine the price. Our independence lets us challenge the banks on demand quality and allocation.
- Roadshow preparation and management presentation coaching
- Real-time order book analysis and investor quality review
- Price range setting and final pricing recommendation
- Allocation strategy weighted toward long-term holders
- 05
Life as a public company
First 12 months
The work does not end at listing. The first year sets the tone for how the market values you.
- Investor relations programme and earnings call preparation
- Guidance philosophy and consensus management
- Stabilisation period and lock-up expiry planning
- Ongoing disclosure and governance support
Capabilities
Where we add value
Independent valuation
Bottom-up valuation built from peer multiples and discounted cash flow, so you negotiate price from evidence.
Syndicate management
We hold banks accountable to timetable, research quality, and distribution commitments.
Equity story development
A clear narrative and KPI framework that public investors can model and believe.
Dual-track execution
Run an IPO and a private sale in parallel to maximise leverage and certainty.
Pre-IPO capital
Crossover and late-stage rounds that anchor demand and strengthen the balance sheet.
Post-listing support
Investor relations, guidance strategy, and capital markets follow-ons.
Who we work with
- Founder-led growth companies preparing a first listing
- Private equity and venture sponsors seeking an exit
- Family-owned businesses planning succession through the public market
- Corporates carving out and separately listing a division
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Discuss a mandate in confidence.
Every engagement begins with a confidential conversation with a senior partner. No obligation, and no junior hand-offs.