An acquisition can be completed with the signing of an agreement. Creating value takes longer: better decisions, stronger management teams, effective capital allocation and businesses capable of resilient growth.
For fund managers, the period between the initial investment and the eventual exit is the fundamental test. When financing becomes more demanding and investments remain in portfolios for longer, the quality of a company’s day-to-day operations carries greater weight in determining returns.
Steven Dunne, Senior Partner at Frog Capital Limited, UK, will bring this practical perspective to the 12th International Funds Summit, taking place on 16 November 2026 at Parklane, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Limassol. The event will examine the alternative funds landscape and the new capital economy.
Dunne has more than 30 years of private markets experience, having worked both within investment firms and inside the businesses they finance. His career spans venture capital and private equity, operational CFO and COO roles, investment banking M&A and corporate development for FTSE 250 companies.
That experience underpins the role he assumed at Frog Capital in 2015, joining as Senior Partner responsible for Portfolio Value Creation. He led the establishment of the Operating Partner Programme, while also acting as operating partner for finance and leading Responsible Investment.
This approach places business support at the centre of the investment process. Growth requires financial planning, an appropriate organisational structure and management teams capable of translating strategy into measurable results.
Dunne has represented Frog on the boards of portfolio companies exited by the firm, including Mediatonic, EDITED and Azimo. His current board positions include Winningtemp, a Swedish employee engagement software company; Genasys, a London-based insurtech business; and Oxford Medical Simulations, a UK virtual reality training platform for healthcare.
Before joining Frog, he spent eight years as an operational CFO and COO, most recently at Syscap, a private equity-backed, technology-enabled provider of alternative funding to SMEs, successfully exited in 2014. He previously served as Portfolio Director at Livingbridge.
At the Summit, his experience will inform the discussion on value creation in an environment of lower leverage and longer holding periods. The central question is how managers can strengthen businesses during ownership while preparing the conditions for a successful exit.
The session will examine the relationship between Internal Rate of Return (IRR) and Distributions to Paid-In Capital (DPI), alongside the decision to retain or sell an investment. The prospect of further growth must be assessed against available valuations, time and investors’ need for capital distributions.
Different exit routes, co-investments and Net Asset Value financing also feature on the agenda. A common consideration is how managers handle liquidity and align their interests with investors while assessing opportunities in technology, healthcare, the energy transition and infrastructure.
For fund managers, institutional investors, business executives and advisers, Dunne’s participation offers a perspective from inside portfolio companies. It connects the investment decision with the management and operational changes needed to deliver results.
The 12th International Funds Summit provides a forum for exchanging this experience and developing professional relationships. Dunne’s contribution directs attention to where every investment thesis is tested: a company’s ability to operate more effectively, grow and create value that can ultimately be realised.
For more information, please click here.
CONFERENCE INFORMATION
Organisers: Cyprus Investment Funds Association (CIFA) and Invest Cyprus
Coordinator: IMH
Gold Sponsors: Athlos Capital, Bank of Cyprus, Eurobank Cyprus, KPMG Cyprus, PwC Cyprus
Silver Sponsors: Alter Domus, Alpha Bank
Sponsor: IMR
Supporters: Association of Cyprus Banks (ACB), Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE), Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), Cyprus Bar Association, CFA Society Cyprus, Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI), Cyprus Fiduciary Association (CYFA), The Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Cyprus (ICPAC), The Institute of Internal Auditors Cyprus
Media Sponsors: IN Business magazine, CBN portal, GOLD magazine
For more information contact ΙΜΗ:
Tel: 77777741
Email: events@imhbusiness.com
Website: www.cyprusfundssummit.com
