Please join the Rock Center and SVDX to hear a panel of experts discuss the role of the board of directors in addressing challenges of governance, liquidity, and employee retention in an era of capital abundance. The discussion will cover trends in venture capital investments in private companies, including increased funding levels and the rising number of unicorns, the length of time companies are staying private (which is generally longer now than in the past), and exit strategy and valuation trends in acquisitions versus IPOs. In addition, the panelists will debate the governance implications and the consequences for employees of companies staying private with relatively unlimited access to capital, including:

• Potential management misconduct
• The effects of an immature governance structure combined with rapid growth, global expansion, and increased business complexity on culture and compliance
• Employee morale and retention issues
• Board and investor motivations for liquidity