Strategic Investor Relations, pre-IPO Capital Markets & IR | B2C Internet Marketplaces; AI-powered Data & Analytics

Will Lyons is a strategic finance executive that builds and leads high-performing Investor Relations and strategic finance functions for tech companies. He specializes in IPO readiness (6-18 months ahead of debut) including crafting and delivering compelling equity stories through Testing-the-Waters roadshows, Analyst Days & Investor Days. He has led tech companies through equity & debt IPOs, follow-ons & secondary raises, convertible note offerings, spin-offs, and debt refinancings. His capital markets relationships span blue chip investors and sponsors, as well as TMT research analysts, investment banking teams, and capital markets teams. Currently he serves as Head of Investor Relations for Advent International portfolio company, NIQ (NYSE: NIQ), a publicly traded global leader in consumer data intelligence (KKR minority). In the 15 months leading advance of NIQ's $1.1 billion IPO, he architected and executed a comprehensive pre-IPO readiness process, including drafting all investor marketing materials and executive messaging as well as executing full mock earnings call processes. Before NIQ, Will served as Senior Vice President of Investor Relations, Capital Markets, & Corporate Development at Buyers Edge Platform, a sponsor-backed, AI-enabled data intelligence and SaaS company that is digitalizing the foodservice supply chain. At Buyers Edge, Will spearheaded all IPO readiness and capital markets activities through 2022 and drove syndicate formation for a successful $400M Term Loan A financing. Prior to Buyers Edge, Will ledInvestor Relations & Revenue Analytics (FP&A) at Tripadvisor (NASDAQ: TRIP) a global B2B2C travel brand and internet marketplace. He built the IR function from scratch starting at the 2011 spin-off from Expedia, Inc. (NASDAQ: EXPE). Within three years, he grew analyst coverage to 27 and helped TRIP garner a premium valuation multiple and $15B market cap. In 2019, he received "Best IR Professional: Mid-Cap Internet" honors. He expanded his role to include operational responsibilities and helped shape asset allocation decisions by overseeing FP&A revenue forecasting and budgeting for Tripadvisor's flagship $700M click-based advertising product, as well as leading the long-term forecasting and valuation efforts. He also led rating agency and lender education and investor marketing for Tripadvisor's $500M debt IPO in 2020 and its $345M convertible notes offering in 2021.