Finance 4 Growth Series SME Funding Landscape Meet the Players

O'ROURKE, SHAUNA Finance 4 Growth series SME Funding Landscape – Meet The Players

Finance 4 Growth

Welcome

Enterprise Ireland is delighted to welcome you to the Finance 4 Growth workshop on the SME funding landscape. We hope you find the presentations and panels useful.

The Finance 4 Growth workshop series is part of Enterprise Ireland’s overall ‘Access to Finance’ activities. The theme of these workshops is that “Technical accounting skills alone are no longer sufficient for our clients to realise their growth potential; the finance function must now be a strategic partner across the business providing the strategic data and analysis required to make informed strategic and financing decisions”. These workshops are targeted primarily at senior management within our client companies and seek to develop the capability of our SMEs to access the various sources of capital they require.

Today’s workshop explores the various funding options available to SMEs depending on their stage of development and the pros and cons of the various sources of funding. It focuses on the available sources of equity and debt funding for Irish SMEs and outlines the necessary steps to ensure that an SME is successful in raising third party funding.

Please take the opportunity to meet with the various funding providers operating in the Irish market.

Walter Hobbs, Executive Director Investment & Finance at Enterprise Ireland

2 Finance 4 Growth series SME Funding Landscape – Meet The Players

Agenda

8.00 Registration and coffee

8.30 Opening address Walter Hobbs, Enterprise Ireland

8.40 Recap on Finance4Growth – Developing and Elaine Russell, Strategic Growth implementing a business plan Leaders

9.00 Capital Structure – the importance of choosing the right Alan Fahey, ROCG type of finance for your business

Funding – the process and documents

9.30 Overview of the funding landscape and the players - Equity Panel

 EIIS Brian Hyland, RSM  Business Angels John Phelan, HBAN  Funds Michael Neary, Grant Thornton

10.10 Coffee Break

10.30 Overview of the funding landscape and the players - Debt Panel

 Banks Catherine Collins, CRO  Alternative Debt Finance John Power, IFP Ireland  Developing the Debt Landscape Nick Ashmore, SBCI

11.05 Client Experience

 Micks garage and Benetel Barry Doyle, CFO  Obelisk and their recent funding round Declan O’Neil, CEO Obelisk

11.40 Wrap Up

Equity Finance – Blue Table 1 Atlantic Bridge Capital Table 2 BDO Development Capital Fund Table 3 Broadlake Table 4 BVP Table 5 Cardinal Capital Group Table 6 EIIS Management Table 7 HBAN Table 8 Kernel Capital Table 9 Lioncourt Investments Table 10 MML Growth Capital Partners Ireland Table 11 Renatus Capital Partners

Bank Finance – Red Table 12 Allied Irish Bank Table 13 Bank of Ireland Table 14 Investec Table 15 Permanent tsb Table 16 Ulster Bank

Alternative Finance - Green Table 17 Bibby Financial Services Table 18 BlueBay Table 19 Bluestone Asset Finance Table 20 Bridge & York Capital Partners Table 21 CapitalFlow Commerical Finance Table 22 Celtrino & PayMe Table 23 Close Brothers Commercial Finance Table 24 Credebt Exchange Ltd / Convertibill Table 25 Finance Leasing Ireland Table 26 GRENKE Table 27 GRID Finance Table 28 InvoiceFair Table 29 Linked Finance Table 30 Liquid Finance Table 31 Merrion Fleet Management Table 32 SME Finance & Leasing Solutions Ltd Table 33 Traction

Government Support - Orange Table 34 Credit Review Office / SBCI / Supporting SME’s Table 35 Enterprise Ireland

EQUITY

Atlantic Bridge Capital is a Global Growth Equity Technology Fund with over $450 million of assets under management across four Funds, investing in technology companies in Europe, the US and China. We have offices and staff based in London, Dublin, Silicon Valley, Beijing & Hong Kong.

Contact: Email: [email protected] Phone: 01 603 4450

The BDO Development Capital Fund is a €75 million Fund aimed at investing development and growth capital in established, mid-sized and profitable companies to support and accelerate their export growth plans. The Fund supports high calibre, ambitious, determined and motivated management teams by providing not only the funding to achieve their growth, but also actively supporting management teams post investment to assist them exploit and maximise their growth opportunities. This support is provided via our experienced Investment Directors, our Funding Partners and our panel of industry experts. The Fund’s investment amounts range from €2 - €10 million with a five year investment term. We employ flexible transaction instruments including equity, equity/debt mix which are structured appropriate to the particular business circumstances.

Contact: Sinead Heaney - Investment Director [email protected] 01 4700 475

Andrew Bourg - Investment Director [email protected] 01 4700 470

Broadlake is a Private Investment Firm that invests €2m-€10m in established growing businesses. At Broadlake we invest our own money in great people and partner with them on the growth journey. We partner with people that are the best in their fields and we complement them with our skills and experience to help them achieve great things. We don’t just invest capital. We invest our time, our energy and or expertise – we invest ourselves. Find out more about the amazing entrepreneurs we work with on our website www.broadlake.ie Contact: Kevin MacSweeny - Head of New Investments [email protected]

Established in 2004, BVP is an investment manager specialising in cleantech companies and projects. We are interested in data analytics, IoT applications, hardware, services and other software applications relating to energy, environment, food, materials, water and others. To date we have equity investments in over 20 companies. Our investments are typically made at a seed or early stage, and range from €250k-€500k per company. We also raise equity and project finance to enable the development of infrastructural projects. This has included project finance bonds for both solar and wind projects and we're looking broader too at energy efficiency related projects. Contact: Alison Crawford - Investment Executive [email protected] 01-6572900

Cardinal Capital Group is a specialist provider of alternative capital directing private equity capital, real estate mezzanine finance and alternative lending to a broad range of business sectors including technology, food, healthcare, financial services and real estate Contact: John Dolan - Managing Director [email protected] 01 6319730

EIIS Management acts as the investment Manager to the Goodbody EIIS Funds. Our Funds seeks to invest between €500,000 and €5,000,000 in quality Irish SMEs. The Funds invest under the Employment and Investment Incentive Scheme (“EIIS”) which offers investors up to 40% tax relief. EIIS is suitable for working capital, capital investment and project financing. The scheme is open to the majority of Irish SMEs. EIIS Management is a joint venture between Goodbody Stockbrokers and Hughes Blake Chartered Accountants. Contact: Stephen McGivern - Partner | Corporate Finance [email protected] 01 669 9999

HBAN is an all-island umbrella group responsible for the development of business angel syndicates. HBAN actively works to increase the number of angel investors involved in investing in early stage companies and supports the formation of new and existing angel networks, both regionally and internationally, and within industry sectors. Contact: John Phelan - National Manager [email protected] 01 669 8525

Kernel Capital is an independent manager of the Bank of Ireland Kernel Capital Growth Funds, comprising of €210m of funds raised through six separate venture capital funds in the years 2002, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2013 and 2015. Established in 2002 Kernel Capital currently has fund management contracts until 2025 and a portfolio of over seventy five export focused companies employing more than one thousand people on the island of Ireland. Kernel Capital is actively investing through the Bank of Ireland Kernel Capital Growth Funds targeting deal size for Kernel Capital's element in the region of €1m to €5m. With eighty institutional co-investors in the Bank of Ireland Kernel Capital Growth Funds portfolio companies, larger investments are facilitated through syndication. These 10 year Growth Funds were raised in 2013 and 2015, and invest in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland respectively. Contact: Orla Rimmington - Partner [email protected] 021 4928974

Lioncourt Investments is an independent investment business founded by David Andrews and Michael Tunney in 1998. Our current portfolio includes Valeo Foods, Lioncourt Homes, Beechfield Care Group and the Real Experience Group. We are looking to partner with exceptional management teams in acquiring or making investments in scalable businesses. Contact: Michael Lynch - Funding & Investment Manager [email protected] 01 205 8025

MML Growth Capital Partners Ireland is a €125 million fund dedicated to backing ambitious managers of small and medium-sized private businesses located on the island of Ireland to reach the next stage of their evolution, maximising growth opportunities at home and abroad. It provides capital to businesses for expansions, acquisitions, shareholder reorganisations, recapitalisations and management buyouts contributing between €2 million and €12 million as part of each investment. MML Growth Capital Partners Ireland creates bespoke deals in response to unique opportunities, recognising that while the challenges facing businesses are sometimes similar, the specific details are never the same.

Contact: Rory Quirke - Director +353 1 619 0000 www.mmlcapital.ie

Renatus Capital Partners was founded by Mark Flood and Brendan Traynor to provide equity capital to dynamic and growing small and medium-sized Irish businesses. Renatus typically invests alongside senior debt and provides €1m-3m equity capital to support management buy-outs, management buy-ins, businesses buying other businesses, shareholder reorganisations, recapitalisations and business expansions. Along with capital, Renatus can offer a wealth of experience through its executive team and investor network (a collective of high-net-worth individuals, private family wealth and successful entrepreneurs), which will enable SMEs to think strategically, optimise operational structures and maximise growth potential. Contact: Mark Flood – Director [email protected] 086 8362688

Offering various funding options including loans, overdrafts, invoice finance, asset finance and other working capital as well as equity finance and mezzanine finance among others. Target wide variety of customers from Start-Up through to established. Contact: Conor Hynes - AIB Business Banking, [email protected] www.aib.ie

Financial Services covering a wide scope of Products and advisory for all stages of business cycle and needs. Advice and Support for Companies involved in overseas trade. All financial lending aspects from stocking loans to o/d to longer term loans for SME's of all types. SME's and Commercial/Residential Property Investment customers Term debt / working capital facilities / trade finance products / suite of day to day business banking products & facilities Contact: Gary Troy – Business Relationship Manager [email protected] +353 87 6640065

Investec is a distinctive Specialist Bank and Asset Manager. We provide a diverse range of financial products and services to the technology sector in Ireland, the United Kingdom, South Africa and Australia and certain other geographies. Investec’s strategic goals are motivated by the desire to develop an efficient and integrated business on an international scale through the active pursuit of clearly established core competencies in the group’s principal business areas including Wealth and Investment, Mergers & Acquisitions, Venture Capital, and Enterprise Foreign Exchange Policy Management Contact: Derek Crawley – Partner Rory Hickey – Exec. Corporate Finance [email protected] [email protected] 01 4210435 01 4210348

Permanent tsb delivers SME banking products through 77 branches nationwide. We offer simple and convenient banking solutions for small and medium enterprises (SME's). Our advisors, supported by dedicated SME Business Managers, will be happy to help you with any query you may have. We also offer greater availability over the phone and online through www.business24.ie. Key features include; 77 branches nationwide, QuickBank Service Machines, Business24 Telephone Access, Business24 Online Access, Dedicated support from SME Business Managers. Drop in or arrange an appointment with your local advisor and find out how permanent tsb can help your business.

Contact: Ronan Fairbrother - SME Business Manager [email protected] 087 9116619

Ulster Bank is a full service bank dedicated to serving the needs of businesses – from SMEs to large corporates. We provide day to day banking facilities, working capital and term funding, Foreign currency hedging, Invoice, Asset and Trade Finance facilities. Through our parent RBS we provide access to an unrivalled network of ‘on the ground’ banking facilities in Ireland’s key export markets. Contact: Conor Dromey – Senior Manager SME Banking [email protected] 01 7025255 / 087 6672124

ALTERNATIVE FINANCE

Bibby Financial Services (BFSI), based in Sandyford, Dublin, is a leading Invoice Finance Provider to small and medium sized businesses all across Ireland, offering a range of flexible products that help businesses with cash flow and working capital demands. With more than 0 operations spanning Europe, the Americas and Asia, the Bibby Group help clients maximise business opportunities both in their domestic markets and when trading internationally. Contact: Alan Marsh – Business Development Manager [email protected] 087 064 3179

David Lyons - Business Development Manager [email protected] 086 797 6504

Secured term debt > €5m for established cash generative Irish businesses. All sectors other than Real Estate considered. Tailored, flexible use of proceeds and transaction structures. Debt capacity structured as a multiple of cash flow not LTV. Contact: Pat Walsh - Head of Irish Investments [email protected]

Ross Morrow - Senior Analyst [email protected]

Bluestone Asset Finance aim to work directly with our customers who are finding it difficult to get motor and commercial finance. Our personal approach helps us fully understand the real circumstance which may be affecting your credit rating. Working with our established base of local dealers across Ireland, we're confident we can get you the motor loan you need. We have the key to securing a car loan that is just right for you. We offer finance solutions to consumers, non-consumers, SMEs, self- employed, adverse credit customers who can demonstrate a clear ability to service and customers with no credit history. Contact: Colin Canny – Business Development Manager [email protected] +353 (0)1 6448900 / +353 (0) 87 052 1242 www.bluestoneam.ie

Bridge & York Capital Partners have entered into the Irish Leasing Market with its own asset finance fund (Industrial Finance & Leasing Ltd) and has exclusive access to a number of additional specialist lease funders which provide new forms of business funding to SMEs to support their business investment and expansion. B&YCP operates in a wide range of industries including renewable energy and energy storage, food, manufacturing, engineering and construction. B&YCP works closely with customers to deliver the best possible funding solutions across all aspects of leasing, debt, ABL and equity with offices in Dublin, Belfast, process centre in Fife, Head Office in London and offices throughout the UK. Contact: George Delaney [email protected] +353 (0) 87 6299317 / +353 (0) 1 636 3118 www.bridgeandyork.com

Capitalflow Commercial Finance is a new, institutionally backed and exciting independent Commercial Finance provider, and is now offering its services to SMEs across the Island of Ireland. Capitalflow’s core products are Asset Finance and Invoice Discounting. We at Capitalflow, will offer our clients a partnership relationship and speed of decision making. Through our team of Regional Sales Directors, we understand how best to facilitate business owners’ requests for asset purchases, re-financing of existing assets and/or provision of working capital solutions through our broad range of commercial finance products that are competitively priced and demonstrate a flexible risk-appetite to doing business. Contact: Ronan Kelly – National Sales Director [email protected] +353 87 682 5853 / +353 1 563 2400 www.capitalflow.ie

Celtrino / Pay Me Celtrino is Ireland’s largest provider of e-invoicing services. Each year our customers process millions of invoices worth billions of Euro through our network. Through discussions with our customers we learned of their challenges in raising working capital to support their cash flow and business expansion needs. Celtrino has integrated its e-invoicing platform with PayMe to provide customers with non-recourse early payment services on an exceptionally low cost funding basis without the hassle of long term contracts. PayMe will be of interest to SMEs. PayMe™ is a reliable, cost-effective, and easy-to-use solution offering suppliers early payment for electronic invoices generated by the Celtrino e-invoice platform. PayMe™ enables suppliers to sell their electronic invoices and receive working capital upfront rather than waiting months for customer payment; it is quick, affordable and does not require a credit check or contract.

Contact: John Behan - Sales Director Colm Devine – SVP Business Developer [email protected] [email protected] 087 230 6742 / 01 8739907 01 9075290

Close Brothers Commercial Finance specialises in injecting cash into companies throughout Ireland. We are a leading, independent provider of invoice and asset finance and asset based lending (ABL) to both SMEs and large businesses. We can provide funding for new and used assets such as commercial vehicles, construction plant and a wide range of machinery. Our products can also release cash from your outstanding invoices to help you achieve strategic objectives such as business growth or acquisitions and mergers, in addition to supporting your cash flow needs. We have extensive coverage throughout Ireland, with offices in Belfast, Cork, Dublin and Galway and our local teams offer specialist knowledge, fast decisions and a commitment to delivering service excellence.

Contact: Paul Stephens - Head of Sales Ireland (Banking Division) [email protected] 01 8711060 / 086 8126463

Credebt Exchange Ltd / Convertibill

The Credebt Exchange working capital finance product is called Convertibill. Convertibill is the solution to two of the biggest cash flow issues for most companies, namely: paying suppliers and getting paid by customers. Originators in business use Convertibill because they; Get a flexible solution that is customised to meet their needs - Can pay their suppliers on demand (and get a discount for doing so) - Can selectively Fund specific debtors/customers' invoices on a recurring basis - Aren't locked into long-term contracts, or required to give liens or personal guarantees - Get limits on each individual customer, rather than the Originator, and can grow their business with ease. Convertibill is a comprehensive working capital solution which, when used to maximum benefit, drives growth and keeps the cost of funding to levels lower than traditional lending.

Contact: Conor Vallely - Finance Specialist [email protected] 01 685-3667

Finance Ireland Leasing provide asset backed finance to small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) through vehicle leasing, contract hire and office equipment leasing. We are a specialist provider of vendor finance, vehicle leasing, contract hire, SME leasing and marine finance. Contact: Karl Berni – Regional Sales Director [email protected] 086 8285644

At GRENKE our goal is to support our partners throughout Ireland. We provide financial leasing services tailored to the specific requirements and opportunities of all sectors. We take pride in offering our customers a reliable and dependable partnership for their leasing needs. GRENKE enables small and mid-sized companies to lease the equipment they need, instead of purchasing them and tying up their valuable capital resources. We offer personal advice and assistance in delivering the leasing solutions that reflect your current and future business requirements. We are vendor and bank independent offering lease finance terms that give you maximum flexibility. GRENKE Invoice Finance puts you in charge of your cash flow. GRENKE Invoice Finance are a specialist company in the purchase and direct settlement of your receivables from customers. We help your cash to flow by financing your invoices with your debtors.

Contact: +353 1 29234-00 [email protected] www.grenke.ie

GRID Finance is The Small Business Capital Platform in Ireland that provides small business owners with access to a smart capital mix to grow and expand their businesses. Private individuals, family offices and funds can place liquidity on 'the GRID' and lend directly to established and low risk Irish businesses. Investors are earning an average return of between 7%-9% on the GRID. Contact: Gary Grimes - Experience Manager [email protected] +353 87 741 0799 / +353 1 5241615

InvoiceFair is an online marketplace that connects companies looking to raise working capital finance with investors who seek a good return. Our marketplace facilitates the sale of SMEs’ good quality single invoices to approved investors. We are alternative in every way. Our goal is to empower businesses to take control of their finances and business futures. Easy to understand and use, we give you the peace of mind to focus on running your business. InvoiceFair is a fair, real & modern alternative to the slow, uninformed and bureaucratic mechanisms of traditional bank funding. We are alternative in mindset – we know how business works and the role of funding as a business growth accelerator.

Contact: Philip Hickey - Joint CEO Helen Cahill - Joint CEO [email protected] [email protected] 087 2603435 087 2794556

Linked Finance is Ireland's leading P2P lending platform. We offer Irish SMEs a better way to borrow. We connect great local businesses who need loans with a community of more than 12,000 individual lenders. This is about using technology to bring business lending back to basics; real people with savings lending to great local businesses at attractive interest rates. The banks get bypassed, the wheels keep turning and everyone wins! If you need a loan to grow your business, talk to Linked Finance - You get a same-day credit decision. - You can borrow up to €100K. - No early repayment penalties. - A friendly, no-hassle approach. - Promote your business. - Win new customers as part of the process. You can apply for business loans of between €5,000 and €100,000 online at www.linkedfinance.com. It only takes 2 minutes and you can have a credit decision within 8 hours. Contact: Alan Fagan [email protected]

Liquid Finance offers unsecured cash advances to small and medium sized businesses based on their average monthly card takings. A one-off fee is applied to determine payback amount which is paid off via a daily percentage of card takings. Each deal is tailored specifically to the applicant. There are no hidden fees or late fees and all costs are up front and agreed upon prior to signing a contract. As repayment is based on a daily percentage of card takings, there is no deadline. You pay only as you make sales via your card terminal. The process is quick, with the applicant generally receiving funds within two weeks. As part of the Merchant Cash Advance industry, Liquid Finance is the first of its kind operating in the Irish market. This is an industry that has seen significant growth and popularity in the UK and the US in the past decade. Our target market is small and medium businesses based anywhere in Ireland who have been operating and accepting card payments for at least one year. Contact: Tadhg Shinkwin - Sales Executive [email protected] (01) 906 6167

Established in 1999 Merrion Fleet Management has grown to become Ireland’s largest independent fleet management company with a team of almost 60 dedicated staff throughout all departments. Located at a new purpose built facility in Sandyford, Merrion Fleet is currently managing in excess of 6,200 vehicles, with fleet sizes ranging from 1 to 750 vehicles. We are a private Irish company that is owned by the directors and managers who work in the business on a full-time basis. We are not owned by or affiliated to a particular bank or car manufacturer, which allows us to act independently and in our clients’ best interests at all times. It also enables us to concentrate on our core business, Fleet Management and Vehicle Leasing.

Contact: Hilary Moroney - Business Development Executive [email protected] +353 1 213 9736 / +353 86 824 1987 www.merrionfleet.ie

SME Finance & Leasing solutions Ltd. satisfies clearly identified market need in a defined segment of the leasing market in Ireland: providing leasing for smaller ticket assets (€1,000 - €15,000), thus facilitating the capital expenditure requirements of Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) SME Finance provide our services to suppliers of capital goods (vendors) and offer a streamlined and highly automated application process that will significantly reduce their cost of achieving sales whilst maintaining a sound credit risk assessment process. We primarily provide finance through a nationwide network of independent equipment vendors, sales organisations and other dealer-based origination networks Contact: Eugene O’Donovan - CEO [email protected] 056 7706 551 / 086 2569 275

Traction are the only contract hire company that can directly fund and manage vehicles in both the north and/or south of Ireland. At Traction we can handle all aspects of the contract – taking away the hassle of dealing with third parties and making sure that we fulfil our mantra of keeping our customers up and running. This unique capability has resulted in many new customers in recent months and reflects a growing need for organisations to simplify their all Ireland transport strategy. Traction have access to non-High Street Finance Providers who provide Funding. Contact: Robert Noone – Sales Manager [email protected] 0870541040 / 016012000 www.tractionfinance.com

GOVERNMENT SUPPORTS

Credit Review Office / Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland / Supporting SME’s

The Credit Review Offices (CRO) provides an independent, impartial credit appeals process for small and medium sized businesses (SMEs), including sole traders and farmers. Contact: Catherine Collins [email protected]

The Supporting SMEs Online Tool is a new cross-governmental guide to help small and medium businesses know which of the over 80 Government supports could possibly fit their business. Contact: Patrick Darcy – Enterprise Agencies & Programmes, DJEI [email protected] 01 631 2238

SBCI’s key objective is to reinforce Ireland’s economic recovery by improving funding and access to finance mechanisms for the economy. Contact: John Madigan [email protected] www.sbci.gov.ie

Enterprise Ireland is the government organisation responsible for the development and growth of Irish enterprises in world markets. They work in partnership with Irish enterprises to help them start, grow, innovate and win export sales in global markets. In this way, they support sustainable economic growth, regional development and secure employment. Contact: 01 7272000 www.enterprise-ireland.com

SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES

Tom Early – Senior Investment Adviser, Banking Relationships, EI Tom works as a strategic and financial adviser to EI client companies. He has a strong track record in assisting clients from a wide variety of sectors at various stages in their lifecycle, in the development and implementation of their growth strategy, helping them to identify and secure the most appropriate form of finance necessary to achieve scale. Prior to joining Enterprise Ireland, Tom worked for over 9 years across multiple industries including telecoms, banking and consulting. Tom is a qualified CIMA Accountant, holds Masters of business from the IMI and a degree in Business studies (specialising in Economics & Finance) from Waterford Institute of Technology. In addition Tom has completed executive training courses in IMD (Switzerland) and EVCA.

Walter Hobbs, Executive Director Investment & Finance at Enterprise Ireland Prior to his appointment as Executive Director, Walter was involved in the venture capital and private equity industries for over 20 years. He was a general partner at ACT Venture Capital for 15 years and in more recent years operated his own investment and financial advisory firm Virgo Financial. In his earlier career, Walter qualified as a Chartered Accountant at KPMG advancing to Director level before moving to become Director at AIB Corporate Finance. At AIB, he was in involved in some of largest takeovers, mergers, disposals and initial public offerings in Ireland during the late 1980’s and early 1990s. Walter has wide experience in intensive engagement at board level with early stage and growing companies working through strategic, operational and funding challenges. He has a B.Comm. (Hons.) from University College Dublin and a Diploma in Business Strategy (First Place) from the Irish Management Institute.

Elaine Russell, The Strategic Growth Leaders (SGL). Elaine Russell is as a strategy & leadership consultant and facilitator. Her passion is building great teams who play to their strengths and deliver exceptional results in an organisation. Elaine joined Strategic Growth Leaders to support scaling business to deliver beyond their expectations. In her previous role as MD of Tesco Mobile, she led the team to achieve significant growth. Elaine’s trained as a Chartered Accountant at KPMG. Following which she held various Leadership Roles in Financial Services & Telecoms businesses across finance, marketing and operations disciplines. Elaine is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and a member of the Institute of Directors.

Alan Fahey Director ROCG Europe Alan Fahey’s extensive career incorporates over sixteen years of providing professional advisory services to privately owned growth enterprises and eight years as a designated senior external investment appraiser for Enterprise Ireland. He is a Chartered Accountant and Chartered Tax Advisor who works as a finance, tax and management consultant. His time over the past decade has been exclusively focused on the provision of value-added services to the business community. He has a deep practical experience and cross functional capability in transactional deal making – typically in the areas of business transition and business restructuring.

Brian Hyland, Partner RSM (Formerly Baker Tilly Ryan Glennon) Brian is a Consulting Partner within RSM specialising in corporate finance, corporate consultancy, investigation and restructuring. He has significant experience in advising clients in relation to mergers and acquisitions and value maximization strategies, specifically working on due diligence projects, business reviews, sector acquisitions, expert witness and forensic accounting. Brian has over 20 years practice experience, 12 years as a partner. Brian is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland and has served on the Auditing Standards Committee of that body. He has also acted as the Chair of the Audit Committee of the State Laboratory. He currently acts as company secretary to 3D4Medical.

John Phelan, HBAN National Manager John has extensive experience in growing businesses. He has run companies, including his own, in Ireland, the UK and in the USA. His domain knowledge is in the Software, ICT, MediaTech, Digital Media, Games & Animation sectors. John is involved with all stages of funding (Equity, Debt, Grant, R&D) and stages of development from M&A exit transactions, Series A, Seed and R&D. John is the National Manager of HBAN and also the Independent Chair of Animation Ireland.

Michael Neary – Partner, Corporate finance Michael joined Grant Thornton in 2001 and has advised on some of the firm’s largest transactions to date. He specialises in advising on buying and selling companies, raising finance, and company valuations. He has also led a wide variety of due diligence assignments for Financial Institutions, Private Equity and corporate clients. He advises on the development and implementation of strategies to enhance and realise shareholder value, including situations where the company is experiencing financial stress. With over twenty years corporate finance and private equity experience Michael has led a wide range of transaction types and sizes in a broad variety of industries providing creative solutions for the clients. Michael is a fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland (CAI). He also has a Bachelor of Commerce (BComm) from the National University of Ireland, Galway (NUIG).

Catherine Collins - Deputy Credit Reviewer at the Credit Review Office The Credit Review Office helps SME’s access credit from banks, providing an independent review of individual credit refusals when requested by borrowers, and monitoring the level of credit sanctioned by the pillar banks which is reported to the Minister for Finance. Catherine has worked in the Office since its inception. She previously worked in the areas of finance, business development and investment, in both the private and public sectors. She is a qualified CIMA accountant with an MBA and engineering degree from TCD.

John Power – Chair of the Independent Financial Providers (IFP) of Ireland John has spent the last 17 years within the financial services and lending environment having worked at management level with large domestic and multinational institutions. In recent years he has established has own advisory consultancy and in 2014, he was instrumental in setting up a new business finance company in Ireland. Recognising the need for a coordinated approach to the promotion of the non-bank finance industry in Ireland, John aided in the establishment of IFP Ireland, the umbrella body for non-bank finance and is the current Chairperson. John has a deep understanding of the alternative finance sector. John is a business graduate, Qualified Financial Advisor and holds an MSc in investment, Treasury and Banking from DCU

Nick Ashmore - Chief Executive of the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI) Prior to taking up this role he served as Project Director during the setup of the SBCI. He joined the NTMA as part of the team managing the National Pensions Reserve Fund (NPRF) in 2006, where he served as Head of Private Equity and Infrastructure before becoming Deputy Director in 2011. Before joining the NTMA Nick was an Investment Manager with Greenaap Consultants Limited, a private family office. He trained as a Chartered Accountant with Grant Thornton in Glasgow and Edinburgh and is a graduate of the University of Aberdeen in Accountancy and a member of the Scottish Institute of Chartered Accountants

Declan O’Neill, CEO Obelisk Obelisk provides infrastructure solutions for the telecommunications and power industries in Ireland, UK and South Africa, with turnover of €25m and 200+ staff. Declan moved from Finance Director to CEO in 2015 and set a course to double the size of the business by 2020. The capital raising exercise was part of this strategy. Declan is one of three executive shareholders that owns Obelisk. Prior to this startup, he worked for Old Mutual plc and PWC in the UK, Australia and South Africa where he held a number of Corporate Finance and Senior Management roles. He is an Engineer and Accountant.

Barry Doyle, Outsourced CFO of Benetel and Micksgarage Barry provides strategic financial advice and outsourced CFO services to ambitious companies looking to expand rapidly. Barry has developed the knowledge and experience to help business owners devise and implement plans to ensure that their businesses prosper. He has worked across multiple industries including manufacturing, professional services, technology, wholesale and retail organisations. Currently Barry works as CFO for Benetel -Telecom engineering business, designing and developing 4G/LTE products and solutions for global telecom customers, particularly in small cell base-station platforms. His more recent engagement was with Micksgarage - eCommerce Car Parts Experts, helping them to target profitable business, control margins and cash flow and make strategic decisions based on a thorough understanding of their business

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