For PE and VC-backed businesses, the difference between a good exit and a great one is almost always decided long before the deal is on the table.

The businesses that command the best valuations aren't just profitable, they're professionally run, internationally scalable, and operationally clean. They've done the hard work of building the right structures, the right leadership, and the right infrastructure to make growth look effortless to a buyer.

Most don't get there by accident.

Virtualnonexecs.com has partnered with global expansion specialists Briars Group for an exclusive breakfast event bringing together the sharpest minds in Manchester's PE, VC, and board advisory community.

'Preparing Portfolio Companies for Global Growth and Exit: The Operational Playbook' will take an honest, board-level look at the full journey, from how businesses grow and professionalise, to how they internationalise effectively and ultimately position themselves for a successful exit.

Across two panel discussions, you'll hear directly from operators, investors, and advisors who have navigated this journey, what works, what doesn't, and what buyers are actually looking for right now.

Topics will include:

-Building the leadership and governance structures that underpin scalable growth

-What international expansion really takes, operationally, legally, and commercially

-How to professionalise a business without losing what made it successful

-Exit readiness: what sophisticated buyers look for and how to get ahead of it

-The role of advisors in the journey, who you need and when

Hosted by award-winning journalist and BusinessCloud founder Chris Maguire, the room will bring together NEDs, Chairs, and C-suite leaders from high-growth and PE-backed businesses, alongside a carefully selected panel of specialist advisors from across the Manchester and Northwest ecosystem.

Spaces are strictly limited.

Register your place now.