Alexander Pochkun, Managing partner of Baker Tilly Ukraine, participated in the 1st CEE IPO Summit that took place in Warsaw on 25-26 May 2011. The Summit was held under the honorary patronage of Mr. Donald Tusk, Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland.
The purpose of this event was to create a symbolic bridge connecting Central and Eastern European potential issuers with global investors. The CEE IPO Summit was aimed to provide a platform for cooperation between representatives of Central and Eastern European companies intending to go public and investors interested in investing their funds in dynamically developing companies in the region.
Warsaw, together with the Warsaw Stock Exchange, is the largest and most active capital market in the CEE region and it is becoming the region’s financial center. Within only the last three years, a total of 253 companies have listed on the Warsaw bourse. The number and value of IPOs establish the WSE as the unchallenged leader in the region and one of Europe’s most dynamic markets.
The WSE, the National Depository for Securities, the largest investment banks, as well as renowned law firms that have broad experience in executing IPOs are all involved in the CEE IPO Summit. The event is also supported by the Capital City of Warsaw and the Ministry of the State Treasury.
After the event Alexander Pochkun noted: “Ukrainian companies should pay more attention to the presentation of their businesses and more carefully assess the market (in particular, the Polish one). From the standpoint of whether the market is ready to take their company to date. During the event representatives from WSE expressed the view, which can be regarded as that WSE does need foreign companies, but, when speaking about foreign companies they do not have in mind Ukrainian companies. And that is why quality of the proposal will ensure the demand for Ukrainian business on the Warsaw Stock Exchange.”