TLDR:
A road show is a series of presentations by a company’s management to potential investors, typically conducted before an IPO, major debt offering, or significant fundraising round, to generate interest and gauge demand.
Roadshow Strategy and Execution
An effective roadshow requires meticulous preparation and choreography. Management teams typically spend 2-3 weeks meeting with 50-100+ institutional investors, traveling through financial centers like New York, Boston, San Francisco, London, and Hong Kong. The investor presentation (typically 20-30 slides) must be rehearsed to the point where management can deliver it flawlessly while fielding tough questions. Banker bookrunners manage the logistics, schedule meetings, and track investor interest (‘building the book’) throughout the roadshow period.