Saudi Arabia has evolved from having 4 IPOs per year 10 years ago, to 40 IPOs per year over the last few years. Nayef Al Athel has been in the middle of this evolution, as he headed the listings activity at the Saudi Exchange between 2018 and 2023.

With Nayef, we discuss the policy decisions and incentives that have made Saudi Arabia one of the most active IPO markets globally, how going public has affected the strategy of the Tadawul group, the internationalization of the exchange, and the road ahead for the Saudi capital markets.

If you have feedback, or there are any topics you would like us to cover on the show, please reach out at contact@ipostories.com

Disclaimer: this discussion is not financial advice, nor an investment recommendation, nor a solicitation to buy or sell any financial instruments, or an offer for financial services or any other transaction. The information contained in the recording have no contractual value and are destined for an informational purpose only. Amundsen Investment Management and the participants on this podcast may have holdings in the companies being discussed.

Not all IPO processes end up with an IPO. The path is filled with twists and turns, in some cases cancellations, postponements, or even a strategic sale before reaching the stock market. In this episode, we sit down with Maria Hedengren, who led the IPO processes of both iZettle (bought out by Paypal in the final stages) and Readly (listed in Stockholm in 2020).

Through Maria's lens, we explore the critical moments, strategic decisions, and leadership challenges encountered when steering a company towards an IPO. From the decision of listing location to the intricacies of board composition and investor relations, Maria sheds light on the essentials of IPO readiness, the importance of strategic exits, and the impact of these decisions on a company's trajectory

If you have feedback, or there are any topics you would like us to cover on the show, please reach out at contact@ipostories.com

Disclaimer: this discussion is not financial advice, nor an investment recommendation, nor a solicitation to buy or sell any financial instruments, or an offer for financial services or any other transaction. The information contained in the recording have no contractual value and are destined for an informational purpose only. Amundsen Investment Management and the participants on this podcast may have holdings in the companies being discussed.

In 2018, Spotify was the first company to do a direct listing instead of a regular IPO process – foregoing the usual bookbuilding process in favor of opening the shares directly on the market in an auction. Dakin Campbell is the author of the book Going Public, where he recounts the history and the inside stories of some of the major IPOs in recent memory, starting with the 1956 IPO of Ford, and focusing on the innovations that have occurred through time.

With Dakin, we discuss what led Spotify and others to prefer a direct listing transaction, and some of the pros and cons of a direct listing vs. a traditional IPO.

Disclaimer: this discussion is not financial advice, nor an investment recommendation, nor a solicitation to buy or sell any financial instruments, or an offer for financial services or any other transaction. The information contained in the recording have no contractual value and are destined for an informational purpose only. Amundsen Investment Management and the participants on this podcast may have holdings in the companies being discussed.