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Last November, more than 200 dealmakers from across Europe and the US gathered together in London for the annual Eurogrowth conference. The event brought together a range of compelling content and unrivalled networking opportunities for M&A professionals to talk ‘dealflow’.
Roelof Valkenier, 2017 ACG Holland President and Practice Leader at Marsh Private Equity, attending the event for the second time enjoyed the vibe and energy and was very proud to have so many ACG Holland members and sponsors present at the event.
“It is always good to see and experience how the global ACG community works. US dealmakers use Eurogrowth as a springboard to meet new connections and are very active in introducing themselves and their proposition. They have a different way of doing business and it is fun to be a part of.”
Boudewijn Niels, ACG Holland Board Member and Senior Associate at Atlas Tax couldn’t agree more. “I have a good understanding of what ACG is about in the Netherlands and Eurogrowth was a very good first step to understanding how I can use the network internationally. It was valuable experience. Knowing how it now works, I will be sure to approach people in advance next year, prepare better and couple it with some events that we can organize ourselves; for instance, a dinner with attending business contacts before or after the event.”
Compelling content
The event kicked off with Invest Europe’s Chief Executive Michael Collins talking about financial services rules and regulations and his outlook for private equity. A keynote panel with leading global M&A experts on cross border dealmaking then set the scene for day two. For anyone eager to sharpen their knowledge on key industry issues there were a range of breakout sessions to choose from. ESG, China, Cybersecurity & Eastern Europe were just a few of the specialist topics on offer. Karan Bilimoria, Founder of Cobra Beer was invited to close the event and once everyone was settled with a beer, he entertained participants with a fascinating story about his company’s growth and its commitment to corporate social responsibility.
Unrivalled networking opportunities
For Bart Jonkman, Managing Partner Capital Mind, the focus of Eurogrowth (and Intergrowth – the US version of this event) is more about meeting people than attending the content sessions and he particularly values the social programme. “It is very easy to meet people over a glass of wine at these events and I find it very natural to extend introductions to others in a relaxing, non-forced way.
“I run a corporate finance firm with an active dealflow. 70% of what we do is outside of Holland so being able to introduce our deals to international private equity people at events like this is extremely valuable. Eurogrowth & Intergrowth provide a handy app to facilitate meeting people and I experience it as a very good way to do business quickly. Sometimes the meetings last only two minutes like my first one in New Orleans. It was quite a surprise but you learn the trick fast and it is very good for your story telling technique. Sometimes there is no business to be had, but when there is, a longer meeting follows.
“As well as providing a platform to meet new people, I like the event because it enables me to once again catch up with my Dutch ACG network such as Hans van Ierland, Titus Schurink and Angenita Pex. It also helps me to keep in touch with people I have met at previous Euro / Intergrowth events. For instance, during the London (2014) and Barcelona (2016) Eurogrowth events, I met at least twelve new private equity firms and when at Intergrowth this generally increases to about 40. It may not generate results for tomorrow but certainly for the future.”
Sharing challenges and priorities
For the ACG Holland Board of Directors, the annual chapters meeting which took place on the eve before the event was a great way to listen to the experiences, challenges and priorities of ACG peers around the world. “We are all focused on building a network that unites members around a common theme of corporate growth in the middle market,” says Roelof. “However, within each chapter there are nuances. For instance, some Chapters like New York are enormous and have an almost weekly range of programming and events. Others have successfully established segments within their chapter such as women’s and youth networks – something we are keen to get started in ACG Holland. So, whether sharing or receiving ideas, there is a lot to be gained from this once a year global chapter get-together.”
Readying ourselves for Eurogrowth 2018
The 2018 Eurogrowth event will be held in Amsterdam and preparations are already in full swing. Angenita Pex, ACG Holland Board Member and M&A lawyer at Houthoff is chairing the event and is excited about the programme being developed. “The Netherlands, as the gateway to Europe has always been very internationally orientated and Eurogrowth is a great way to show how active we are in M&A, from start-ups to IPO’s. We have a great venue for networking; the Amsterdam Hilton, close to the Amsterdam business centre, which facilitates participation for locals, commitments from some very good speakers and thus hope to attract a record number of guests. Furthermore, there were 16 nationalities present in London and we hope to have even more in Amsterdam.”
The event will take place on 19-20th June. Save the dates and see you there!