The Philippine Stock Exchange, Inc. (PSE) staged The Road to IPO 2024 forum on Tuesday, October 22, 2024 to help PSE LEAP clients and other potential listing applicants better understand the process and prospects of becoming a publicly listed company.
The Road to IPO 2024 was co-presented by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and co-hosted by MOBILIST.
“When The Road to IPO was conceptualized, it was intended to complement the PSE Listing Assistance and Engagement Program (LEAP). The former was the general approach to raise awareness on IPO listing while the latter is the handholding program for those who want to explore the opportunities of going public,” explained PSE President and CEO Ramon S. Monzon.
“We have had three online runs of the forum and this year, we decided to make it an in-person event to give potential listing applicants the unique opportunity to meet and interact with executives of PSE, guest listed firms, and the investment houses,” he added.
Mr. Monzon gave the welcome remarks while SEC Director for Markets and Securities Regulation Department Oliver O. Leonardo delivered the keynote message.
A presentation on current market conditions as well as outlook for the stock market by PhilEquity Management, Inc. Vice President Miguel A. Agarao kicked off the session. This was followed by a session entitled Beyond the Ticker: Lessons Learned from Successful IPOs moderated by Chinabank Capital Corporation President Ryan L. Tapia with Ayala Land Offices President and CEO and former AREIT, Inc. President and CEO Carol T. Mills, and Nickel Asia Corporation (NAC) President and CEO Martin Antonio G. Zamora as panelists.
The success of the first MOBILIST-supported maiden offering served as the backdrop for the discussion on Empowering Sustainable Development: An Introduction to MOBLIST. Among the panelists were UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) Senior Private Sector Adviser Ross Ferguson, Palladium Capital Advisory Associate Natalie Kwong, and Citicore Renewable Energy Corporation (CREC) President and CEO Oliver Y. Tan with PSE COO Atty. Roel A. Refran as moderator. MOBILIST is the flagship program of the UK government that supports investment solutions for climate transition and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. PSE formally launched its partnership with MOBILIST in July 2023. In less than a year, MOBILIST invested in its first Philippine company through the IPO of CREC.
The final panel discussion focused on Igniting Investor Interest: Crafting a Compelling Narrative for Your Company which was moderated by Investment & Capital Corporation of the Philippines Senior Managing Director J. Mariano Ocampo. Sharing their take on the topic were AB Capital Securities, Inc. Head of Research Hazel Tañedo, Manulife Investment Management and Trust Corporation Head of Equities Mark Alan Cañizares, and GT Capital Holdings, Inc. (GTCAP) Investor Relations Head Jose B. Crisol, Jr.
The forum participants had the opportunity to ask their IPO-related questions directly to officers and representatives of investment houses in their designated booths at the event location. The investment houses include BDO Capital and Investment Corporation, China Bank Capital Corporation, First Metro Investment Corporation, Investment & Capital Corporation of the Philippines, PNB Capital and Investment Corporation, and SB Capital Investment. They were also event sponsors of The Road to IPO 2024.
“The Road to IPO becomes an easier path to navigate with the help of capital market stakeholders who share PSE’s desire to see a more robust roster of listed firms. We are grateful to our co-host and event sponsors, the speakers and moderators, and everyone who supported this event,” said Mr. Monzon.
Companies that are looking to tap the equities market for capital raising may book an online listing application consultation through https://www.pse.com.ph/listing-application-online-consultation/.
Shown in photo (from left): Chinabank Capital Corporation President Ryan L. Tapia, Ayala Land Offices President and CEO Carol T. Mills, NAC President and CEO Martin Antonio G. Zamora, GTCAP Investor Relations Head Jose B. Crisol, Jr., UK FCDO Senior Private Sector Adviser Ross Ferguson, Palladium Capital Advisory Associate Natalie Kwong, PSE President and CEO Ramon S. Monzon, SEC Director for Markets and Securities Regulation Department Oliver O. Leonardo, PhilEquity Management, Inc. Vice President Miguel A. Agarao, and Manulife Investment Management and Trust Corporation Head of Equities Mark Alan Cañizares.
