Exit Readiness – Navigating the Technical & Human Side of Exits

About this event

Preparing for an exit starts long before a deal is on the table.

This focused, two‑part session is designed for growth‑stage founders and leadership teams who want to understand what it really means to be “exit‑ready” — from the technical foundations investors scrutinise, to the human realities of scaling, private equity involvement and exiting a business.

Hosted by Barclays Private Bank & Business Bank

This event is proudly hosted by Barclays Private Bank and Barclays Business Bank, bringing together founders, owner‑managed businesses and senior leaders with trusted advisors from across the exit and investment landscape.

Through Barclays’ Private and Business Banking networks, we support ambitious businesses at pivotal moments — from scaling and investment through to liquidity events, succession planning and exit. This session reflects our commitment to helping founders make confident, well‑informed decisions about their future.

• The commercial, legal and financial factors that can strengthen (or derail) an exit
• Common exit‑readiness gaps and how to address them early
• What buyers and investors really focus on in UK SME and SaaS exits
• First‑hand lessons from a founder who has successfully exited a high‑growth SaaS business

Session 1: The Technical Side of Exits – Panel Discussion

A practical panel covering commercial contracts, IP, data, governance, planning and deal readiness.

Panellists

• Surayya Munshi, Senior Associate — CG Professional
• Dayna Currie, Corporate Strategy Director — CG Professional
• Steven Lindsay, Co‑Head of Corporate Finance — Xeinadin

Session 2: Fireside Chat – Lessons from a Successfully Exited Founder

A candid conversation with Derek Steele, founder of Mobysoft, on bootstrapping, PE investment, minority and majority sales, and life after exit.

• Late Seed, Series B and Series C founders
• Owner‑managed businesses considering future exit options
• Senior leadership teams preparing for investment or liquidity events

Senior Associate, Commercial Team — CG Professional

Surayya is a Senior Associate in the Commercial Team at CG, with experience advising clients of all sizes — from FTSE100 companies to start‑ups and family‑run businesses — across a wide range of sectors including Tech, Media & Entertainment, Manufacturing, Energy & Utilities, Retail & Consumer and Sport.

She advises on a broad range of commercial matters including IP, data protection, customer and supplier arrangements, marketing and SaaS. Surayya takes a pragmatic, business‑focused approach, helping clients work towards their goals in an efficient and easy‑to‑understand way while managing and mitigating risk.

She regularly works with PE‑backed businesses preparing for exit, as well as growth businesses going through funding rounds, helping them assess and address gaps in their key commercial arrangements.

Corporate Strategy Director — CG Professional

Dayna has developed her career across Manchester, Leeds and London in a range of investment and advisory roles, including at N.M. Rothschild, The Royal Bank of Scotland, Primary Capital (Private Equity) and in‑house at AO.com.

She has worked with a wide range of businesses on special situations including debt and equity raising, restructuring, growth and operational execution, M&A and integrations. Her core focus is governance, planning and ensuring management teams stay aligned and on track.

Most recently, Dayna spent 7–8 years working within private‑equity backed management teams, including Love Business (LDC investment) and environmental consultancy Cura Terrae (Palatine investment). She joined CG Professional in early 2026 as Corporate Strategy Director, supporting growth planning and strategic project delivery for CG and a select number of clients.

Co‑Head of Corporate Finance — Xeinadin

Steven Lindsay is a highly experienced Corporate Finance Adviser at Xeinadin, based in Manchester, where he advises owner‑managed businesses on exits, management buy‑outs (MBOs), acquisitions and growth funding.

With a career spanning over three decades, Steven is known for his pragmatic, straight‑talking approach and his ability to help business owners navigate complex transactions with clarity and confidence.

As Co‑Head of Xeinadin Corporate Finance, Steven has played a key role in building a national advisory capability following Xeinadin’s private equity backing, leading mandates across a wide range of sectors within the UK SME market.

An ICAS‑qualified Chartered Accountant and University of Glasgow graduate, Steven combines technical rigour with a strong understanding of shareholder priorities at pivotal moments, particularly around succession, liquidity and strategic change. Alongside his advisory work, he also holds several trustee and non‑executive roles within the cultural and charitable sector, reflecting a long‑standing commitment to governance and the Manchester business community.

Entrepreneur | Founder of Mobysoft | Chair / NXD

Derek Steele built pioneering technology business Mobysoft from scratch to a £10m+ ARR SaaS company.

He bootstrapped the business to £5m ARR before securing a minority investment from private equity firm Livingbridge. Mobysoft then scaled significantly before a majority sale to ECI Partners.

Having successfully exited the business, Derek now acts as Chair and Non‑Executive Director to a number of high‑growth SaaS businesses, supporting founders through scaling, investment and exit journeys.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

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Host or Publisher Barclays Eagle Lab - Manchester