Providing a rocket boost for the first IPO in space tourism
Virgin Galactic is the first of its kind. A business dedicated to space tourism with a commercial launch in Summer 2020. It needed to educate analysts and win over investors to back its vision and business plan. Bladonmore’s team worked to support the successful delivery of two events – an Analyst Day in New York and an Investor Day at the Spaceport headquarters in New Mexico.
Approach
Bladonmore developed a programme of support for the CEO and senior members of the leadership team. Bankers at Credit Suisse and M. Klein & Company led the transaction and the deck. Bladonmore worked alongside each member of the team with tailored support, culminating in two successful days of presentations.
Our work included:
- Four days on-site in Mojave, California home of Virgin Galactic, to develop and run tailored programmes
- Two days of support in New York at Credit Suisse and the venue of the Capital Markets Day, to run full dress rehearsal preparations
- A blend of messaging support linked to the presentation headlines and content, followed by a presentation practice and Q&A support sessions provided to all participants.
Result
The plan presented by the CEO and the leadership team was well received by analysts and investors. The IPO of Virgin Galactic was one of the most eagerly anticipated transactions of the year. In October 2019, Virgin Galactic shares were successfully listed on the New York Stock Exchange, giving the company a $2.4 billion valuation.
