Capital Markets Assessment and IPO Readiness: 2nd LA CorpGov Forum

CorpGov hosted the second LA CorpGov Forum on Sept. 18, 2026, at The Huntington Library in San Marino, California. This event brought together members of the financial community from both LA and beyond in panels focused on the finance of entertainment and media, sports, along with capital markets and shareholder activism.

Panel: Capital Markets Assessment and IPO Readiness

Nicolle Brady, Managing Director, Protiviti
Joseph Fish, CEP, Managing Director, Stock Operations, Infinite Equity
Jeff Meyer, Managing Director, Protiviti
Ramey Layne, Partner, Capital Markets and Mergers & Acquisitions, Vinson & Elkins
Josh Waldron, Interim CFO, Scale AI

Main Topics of Discussion:

IPO markets are highly active and relatively issuer-friendly, with panelists noting that first-half 2026 IPO volume was roughly three times the first half of 2025, excluding SpaceX; investors, however, appear increasingly focused on profitability, risk controls and a credible path to sustainable performance.
IPO readiness requires early preparation. Companies need mature systems, internal controls, financial reporting processes, governance structures and experienced teams well before going public.
AI is reshaping the IPO process, from investor-relations preparation and roadshows to financial close and technical accounting. Panelists said AI can accelerate data analysis and drafting, but human oversight remains essential because AI-generated work can introduce errors and governance risks.
Dual-class share structures are becoming more common, particularly among large, founder-led and high-growth companies. Panelists noted that roughly one-third of larger IPOs discussed had dual-class structures, compared with about 20% several years ago, with sunset provisions sometimes used as a compromise with institutional investors.
Going public involves significant trade-offs. Beyond potentially raising capital and providing liquidity, companies face substantial costs, regulatory obligations, greater board oversight, dilution considerations and pressure to respond to public investors and analysts—making remaining private an important alternative for some companies.

Speakers and Notable Attendees

Paul Haaga, Former Chairman, Capital Research and Management Company; Chair of the Board, The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation; Board Director, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution
Jason Alejandre, President, Founder and Creative Director, Game Mechanic Studios (GMS)
Nicolle Brady, Managing Director, Protiviti
David Carter, Principal, The Sports Business Group
Travis Cloyd, Director of Digital Research Entertainment Arts Media Storytelling, California Institute of the Arts
Thomas Courtney, Jr., President and CEO, The Courtney Group
Dick Drobnick, Former USC Vice Provost for Globalization and IBEAR MBA Program Director, Asia Society Southern California Chairman Emeritus
Daphna Edwards Ziman, Co-Chairman, Project Rise Partners
Jon Feldman, Partner and Business Law Group Head, Goodmans LLP
Joseph Fish, CEP, Managing Director, Stock Operations, Infinite Equity
Baird Fogel, Head of Global Sports Practice, Partner, Eversheds-Sutherland
Noah Francis, Banker, J.P. Morgan Private Bank
Brent Granado, Partner, Sweetwater Private Equity
Sagar Gupta, Portfolio Manager, Anson Funds
Evan Hainey, Partner, Untitled Entertainment
Thomas W. Hulick, CEO, Managing Partner, Strategy Asset Managers
Rafique Jiwani, Head of GTM Value Creation, Operating Advisor, Goldman Sachs Private Equity
ElizBeth Jones, Founder and CEO, Atomic Venus Media
Ryan Keating, Partner, Industry Leader, Venture Services, EisnerAmper
Ramey Layne, Partner, Capital Markets and Mergers & Acquisitions, Vinson & Elkins
Jeff Meyer, Managing Director, Protiviti
Pete Michelsen, Leader, Activism and Shareholder Advisory Practice, Qatalyst
JL Pomeroy, Founder and CEO, BRIDGELINE Media
Josh Waldron, Interim CFO, Scale AI
Jarrett Banks, Editor-at-Large, CorpGov (Moderator)
John Jannarone, Editor-in-Chief, CorpGov (Moderator)