Helping CEOs and leadership teams communicate with clarity, credibility and impact on the journey to public markets
As part of the programme, Templar Advisors’ Anthony Bernbaum delivered a keynote address on the communication imperatives for companies preparing for an IPO. His session focused on the transition from private ownership to life as a public company, and the communication challenges that management teams need to navigate as they prepare to engage with future public market investors.
For many companies, an IPO process creates a new level of scrutiny. Investors are not only assessing growth, performance and strategy; they are also looking for clarity, consistency, credibility and confidence from the leadership team. Anthony explored how CEOs and management teams can build that confidence by communicating with greater discipline, authenticity and precision.
Drawing on Templar Advisors’ experience supporting companies through IPOs, capital markets events and investor-facing communications, Anthony highlighted three attributes we consistently see across successful IPOs.
A highly effective and differentiated equity story
Companies need to be able to explain not only what they do, but why they are distinctive, why that differentiation is sustainable, and why it matters to public market investors.
Consistency of communication
The equity story needs to be understood and reinforced across the leadership team. Investors should hear a clear, joined-up narrative across presentations, meetings, Q&A and informal interactions.
Impeccable delivery
Strong content is essential, but delivery matters. Management teams need to communicate with clarity, confidence and authenticity, particularly when handling challenging questions or moments of pressure.
Anthony also explored four communication failures that can undermine IPO communication: an inauthentic communication style, entrepreneurial style that over emphasises risk taking for public market investors’ risk appetite, poor Q&A preparation, and insufficient focus on sustainable competitive advantage.
A central message of the keynote was that successful IPO communication is not about over-polishing leaders or creating a scripted performance. It is about helping management teams communicate with authenticity, judgement and impact, while ensuring that the equity story is clear, credible and compelling.
IPOready by Euronext is Europe’s largest pre-IPO educational programme. The six-month programme is designed to support companies as they prepare for a potential future listing, giving leaders access to expert insight, practical tools and a strong network across Europe’s financial ecosystem.
Euronext’s 2026 IPOready cohort included more than 160 companies from 22 countries, making it the programme’s largest cohort to date. Euronext also describes the programme as supported by INSEAD as academic partner, the European Investment Bank as global partner, and more than 80 local partners and sponsors.
We would like to thank Euronext for inviting Templar Advisors to contribute to the IPOready Closing Campus in Lisbon, and to all the participating companies for such an engaged and thoughtful discussion on the journey from private to public markets.
Contact Templar Advisors:
info@templaradvisors.com