Greater than an IPO: B3 launches a program to convey firms nearer to the capital market

With the Conexões de Valor program, the institution brings together public and private companies in periodic forums to exchange experiences

THE B3 launched a new program to get closer to Brazilian companies, with an eye on offering learning about the capital market, Conexões de Valor. With the proposal to attract both publicly traded and privately held companies, the idea is to bring them together in periodic forums to offer lessons from the daily lives of each of these companies through the exchange of experiences. Less expensive for school and more networking opportunity, so to speak.

In times of reduction in the volume of IPOs, the program aims to offer an opportunity for unlisted companies (and that are interested in doing so) to train themselves for this, according to Rafaela Vesterman Araújo, relationship manager with companies at B3. “We talk a lot about our role of educating the individual investor, but we also see this potential with companies. It is better for them to arrive better prepared when they want to be listed. It makes life easier for them, for the investor, for B3, for everyone. The program is a way to support them and offer them the tools they need to do so”, she says, EXAM IN.

At the same time, for the companies already listed, the focus is to show that B3 offers more than stock offerings, offering more knowledge about debentures and other forms of credit. “If the market does not have an appetite for stocks, for other products it is as hot or more heated than last year. The focus is to show what B3 offers and explain the options in the capital market product portfolio,” says Leonardo Resende, B3’s corporate relationship superintendent and offer structurers.

Periodic meetings should look at five main topics: how to explore funding sources, corporate governance, how to master the day-to-day life of a publicly traded company, how to leverage market value and best practices in topics such as cybersecurity and ESG. The idea is that registered companies only attend those that have to do with the moment each deal goes through – it may not make sense for a closed company to go to a liquidity forum, for example – in order to make the most of practical knowledge. of encounters. Therefore, the audience for each forum varies: in the case of those that can attract a large number of companies, the limit should be around 200 companies invited to attend. As for the super niche forums, the audience can be as selected as 20 companies.

In addition to offering exchanges of experiences between companies, the meetings also bring speakers for each of the themes, with an eye on improving the use of the forums and ensuring relationships between companies and agents with whom they might have difficulty meeting in a different environment. For example, due to the CVM’s regulatory changes, B3 invited the CVM director who acted in the change of the rule to explain it to the companies that participate in the forums.

Meetings are completely free. The focus is to show that everything is curated by B3 – and that the topics are listed in order of importance and not due to sponsorship interference. The program was structured from the conversations that the institution has with companies, with an eye on solving doubts in a practical and simple way.

The idea is that the scheduled forums will take place over a year – but they will be renewed periodically, according to new issues that companies point out. “It depends a lot on the company’s timing. For example, a company that this year participated in a governance forum and next year wants to talk about more in-depth topics, wants to structure IR and communication with the press, may dedicate itself more to these matters next year. It’s not a program with a cycle that has to be completed in 12 months”, says Vesterman.

Registration to participate in the meetings is completely free of charge and is available on the B3 website. Interested companies that cannot follow the forums in person will have access to the videos available on the site.

Source: Exam