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In our Forecast 2021 podcast series, we’re focused on offering insights to help you better understand and manage some of the opportunities and challenges that your company might face—think policy, technology, and other big picture topics. 

In this week’s episode, we are talking about the deals landscape with a focus on the operational challenges of going public. Host Heather Horn sits down with Ed Jasaitis, a specialist in operational readiness, to discuss considerations for finance teams—from the offering stage (going public) to operating in a public company environment (being public).

Topics include:

• 1:36 - Current transaction landscape. Ed sets the stage by discussing the differences between the various transactions happening in the deals market aside from the traditional IPO, including SPACs, spins, and direct listings. 
• 10:30 - Readiness. According to Ed, a company has to balance both the pre- and post-IPO (or acquisition close) stages. The finance team needs to be ready to close the transaction and operate as a public company on day one post-close. 
• 13:50 - Resource skill and bandwidth gaps. Ed discusses the most  important success factor—identifying resource requirements, including where gaps exist in skill sets and bandwidth. He encourages management to take stock of the finance function, internal audit function, control environment, and investor relations. Ed also suggests companies consider outsourcing resource needs when timing is very compressed. 
• 19:10 - Project management best practices. Having a key finance leader dedicated to the overall vision of going public and being public is another key success factor. It allows the company to be ready for the immediate reporting requirements and plan for a path to compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
• 23:38 - Technology for finance. Ed takes us through the digitization trend he has seen in practice and what it means to have a solid technology platform and integration process in place to gain efficiencies through automation. 
• 27:00 - Anticipating a transaction. Ed says it’s helpful to anticipate a transaction to ensure market and operational readiness. He encourages listeners to consider the needs of all stakeholders in the organization and ensure the finance function supports those needs.
• 27:30 - Crystal ball. Ed shares his view of what we’ll be talking about in the future.

Want to learn more? Listen to our podcast Forecast 2021: From ESG to SPACs, the new deals landscape, check out our Deals page, and read our In the loop: The SPAC spree: Current state.

Ed Jasaitis is a partner in PwC’s advisory practice focusing on deals. He guides clients through significant business changes, including mergers and acquisitions, carve outs, cost reductions, finance transformation, and operational improvements. 

Transcripts available upon request for individuals who may need a disability-related accommodation. Please send requests to [email protected].