Middle Market Growth Conversations

Those who remember the dark tone of the numbers from the second quarter may be happy to hear that there are signs that the M&A market is starting to revive as we closed the third quarter. Bob Dunn, the managing director of GF Data, an ACG company, joins Middle Market Growth Conversation podcast for the third installment in an ongoing series where we review timely data on mid-market, private equity-backed M&A. *** The Middle Market Growth Conversations podcast is produced by the Association for Corporate Growth. To hear more interviews with middle-market influencers, subscribe to the Middle Market Growth Conversations podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Soundcloud.

Cell and gene therapy technologies are ascendent, boosted by new developments in treatments for diseases like ovarian cancer and Parkinson’s disease, and by predictions of a meteoric rise in total market value in the next five years. Fabian Gerlinghaus, the co-founder and CEO of Cellares, a company that has developed a so-called “factory-in-a-box” for cell and gene therapy manufacturing, joins the podcast to share Cellares’ unique approach to developing successful cell therapies, the regulatory landscape and why investors should be watching this sector. *** The Middle Market Growth Conversations podcast is produced by the Association for Corporate Growth. To learn more about the organization and how to become a member, visit www.acg.org.

Betsy Booth, a partner at Twin Brook Capital Partners, discusses the state of mid-market M&A. She talks about Twin Brook's partnership-focused approach, assessing opportunities in face of rising rates and inflation, the role of covenants in credit agreements, and her outlook for the mid-market.

At the close of the second quarter of 2023, the numbers from private equity-sponsored middle market transactions showed that deal volume has cratered, and debt pricing has risen even higher despite renewed hopes for a soft landing economically. This is the second installment in an ongoing series where we review timely data with Bob Dunn, the managing director of GF Data, an ACG company. *** The Middle Market Growth Conversations podcast is produced by the Association for Corporate Growth. To learn more about the organization and how to become a member, visit www.acg.org.

A Conversation With Revive's Michael Alladawi by Middle Market Growth Magazine

In a complex and hard-to read economic environment, data can help us understand the dealmaking moment. In the first installment in an ongoing series, Bob Dunn of GF Data joins the podcast to share what the numbers say about middle-market M&A in the first quarter of 2023, including the decline in deal volume and the rising cost of capital.

Macroeconomic challenges and a choppy lending market have weighed on middle market M&A activity and impacted financing structures across industries in 2023, and healthcare is no exception. In this episode, Tim Wentink – a partner at Twin Brook Capital Partners – offers a lender's perspective on the state of the healthcare sector and how dealmaking is evolving in the current market environment. Wentink, who works on healthcare lending opportunities with private equity sponsors, discusses how PE firms and their portfolio companies are financing deals, the volume and types of transactions observed thus far in 2023, and his outlook for the rest of the year. He also talks about how inflation and other macro factors are affecting investment decisions within healthcare, which subsectors are experiencing an uptick in interest among buyers, and where noticeable shifts are occurring within this space. *** This episode is brought to you by Twin Brook Capital Partners, a leading direct lending finance company focused on providing cash-flow based financing solutions for the middle market private equity community. To learn more about Twin Brook, visit www.twincp.com. The Middle Market Growth Conversations podcast is produced by the Association for Corporate Growth. To learn more about the organization and how to become a member, visit www.acg.org.

***In the age of business websites, social media accounts and email marketing, almost every business publishes content, and with that content come media liability risks. Something as simple as having background music in a TikTok video or using a photo from the internet on their website could open a business to legal liability. QBE North America's Andrea Taylor, vice president of underwriting for media liability, and Evynne Grover, vice president and claims practice leader for media liability, discuss the new and complex risks of today's media landscape. From influencer marketing to generative artificial intelligence, a better understanding of today's risks can help companies prepare. For some, that could mean taking out a media liability insurance policy, which gives businesses access to specialized legal representation and expert knowledge of best practices for mitigating risks. To learn more about QBE North America, visit www.qbe.com/us/acg-members. The Middle Market Growth Conversations podcast is produced by the Association for Corporate Growth. To learn more about the organization and how to become a member, visit www.acg.org.

This episode is brought to you by QBE North America, a global insurance leader focused on helping customers solve unique risks to enable a more resilient future. ***As healthcare costs rise, how can employers gain better control of their health plan expenses? QBE North America Vice President, Accident & Health Specialty Markets Matthew Drakeley explains the opportunity for companies to self-fund their health insurance plan and support it with medical stop loss coverage in a captive insurance company. QBE’s 2022 Mid-Sized Company Risk Report found that out of almost 100 risks measured, company executives ranked medical cost inflation and increasing employee benefit costs as among the most concerning. In recent years, the cost of hospital labor, drugs and medical supplies has risen significantly, and hospitals are likely to pass those costs on to health insurers—who will, in turn, pass the bill to employers. Drakeley has effective strategies to gain better visibility, flexibility and control over these rising costs. First, companies can self-fund their health insurance plans and use medical stop loss coverage to guard against an unexpected spike in expenses. Second, companies can place their medical stop loss insurance in a captive to gain even more control over costs. Companies can form their own captive or join one owned by multiple companies, called a group captive, to achieve critical mass for operating efficiency and negotiating power with providers. To learn more about QBE North America, visit www.qbe.com/us/acg-members.*** The Middle Market Growth Conversations podcast is produced by the Association for Corporate Growth. To learn more about the organization and how to become a member, visit www.acg.org.

This episode is brought to you by QBE North America, a global insurance leader focused on helping customers solve unique risks to enable a more resilient future. *** Insurance coverage is the most basic form of risk transfer and protects businesses from risks under their direct management and control. However, a business can gain additional layers of protection through contractual risk transfer, in which the business shifts liability for loss to another party. QBE North America’s Tom Lysaught, senior vice president, head of property and casualty claims, and Bobby Steinsdoerfer, senior vice president, retail property and casualty underwriting, join the podcast to discuss the benefits of an effective contractual risk transfer strategy. They detail the varying levels of contractual risk transfer and how to implement an effective contractual risk transfer program. From poorly written contracts to inadequate contract management or handshake agreements, Lysaught and Steinsdoerfer share examples and detail common mistakes that can prevent a business from transferring risk appropriately—potentially resulting in lawsuits, reputational damage, rising insurance premiums and other financial repercussions. They also discuss the importance of securing qualified legal counsel and utilizing resources available through an insurance carrier. To learn more about QBE North America, visit www.qbe.com/us/acg-members. *** The Middle Market Growth Conversations podcast is produced by the Association for Corporate Growth. To learn more about the organization and how to become a member, visit www.acg.org.