November 18 & 19, 2020

This prestigious annual conference assembles corporate development leaders, in-house M&A counsel, board members, and private equity investors to discuss current challenges impacting complex transactions and learn about innovative methods to improve deal performance.

The cross-disciplinary agenda draws on experienced M&A professionals from various industries and regions to share first-hand experiences, best practices, and recommendations for navigating deals through both internal and external challenges.

This conference will be streamed live online in 2020.

See select past speakers

See pictures from last year

DAY ONE AGENDA: WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 18, 2020

8:55am - 9:00am
Opening remarks: William Jefferson Black, Managing Director, Finance Information Group & Publisher, Transaction Advisors

9:00am - 9:50am
M&A strategy: innovation-driven acquisitions The opening keynote discussion will look at the unique challenges associated with acquisitions where the target value is largely in future growth, new technology, intangible assets, and human capital.

10:00am - 10:50am
SPAC transactions: This timely session will provide perspective on the process and deal structuring considerations associated with mergers involving special purpose acquisition companies.

11:00am - 11:50am
Diligence methods: Intellectual property This session will look at the challenging diligence obligations associated with source code audits, cyber security reviews, and intellectual property rights verification. The participants will discuss the negotiation of specific deal terms that may be employed to address a range of diligence discoveries related to a target's value drivers.

12:00pm - 12:50pm
Human capital diligence: Cultural risks This session will provide a detailed look at how effective dealmakers approach HR due diligence to identify people-related cultural challenges and look at specific deal terms that may be employed to impact the future state operating model. 

1:00pm - 1:50pm
Cross border joint ventures: Exit and buyout provisions This session will look at the structure of various exit and buyout mechanisms.

2:00pm - 2:50pm
Negotiating risk allocation: Transactional insurance for technology and IP-related reps This session will look at the increasing use of transaction insurance to address representations related to digital assets and other elements of IP-heavy acquisitions. The participants will discuss knowledge qualifiers and anti-sandbagging constructs, distinguish between standard risks borne by acquirors and issues that should be addressed in the purchase agreement, consider IP sufficiency for in-process development, and look at the way cyber breach and data privacy reps are now being addressed in transactions.

3:00pm - 3:50pm
Ask the M&A Leadership Council This interactive session will provide an opportunity for conference participants to ask members of the prestigious M&A Leadership Council questions on a range of deal-related topics.

DAY TWO AGENDA: THURSDAY NOVEMBER 19, 2020

8:55am - 9:00am
Opening remarks: William Jefferson Black, Managing Director, Finance Information Group & Publisher, Transaction Advisors
Recognition of the M&A Leadership Council

9:00am - 9:50am​
Global merger control and antitrust challenges: Sensitive data and limited R&D risk This session will provide guidance on the shifting environment for competition reviews in the United States, Europe, and other jurisdictions. The participants will comment on specific deal terms that anticipate protectionist views and antitrust challenges associated with sensitive data and limited R&D risk and the merits of negotiating prospective remedies or remaining silent.

10:00am - 10:50am
Developments in deal structuring: Dispute mitigation and remedies This discussion will examine current negotiation points and deal terms that may be employed to allocate risk and bridge gaps between buyers and sellers.

11:00am - 11:50am
Carveout transactions: Acquiring a carveout This session will look at the strategic and operational considerations associated with acquiring a carveout including transition services agreements and the sufficiency of asset and financial statements representations.  In addition, the merits of long-term shared services, supply chains, and other operational entanglements will be considered.

12:00pm - 12:50pm
Keynote Interview

1:00pm - 1:50pm
Navigating regulatory hurdles: CFIUS & FIRRMA This discussion will look at non-controlling and controlling investments in targets involving sensitive personal data, infrastructure, critical technology, or other assets that may be considered 'covered transactions' under the expanding remit of CFIUS and the recent Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act (FIRRMA). 

2:00pm - 2:50pm
Integration and change management: Cultural assimilation This session will look at techniques for managing human capital after closing and considered methods for repeatable post-merger performance improvement and integration.

3:00pm - 3:50pm
Acquisition metrics and transaction communications Techniques for navigating activist campaigns, contested M&A, and deal leaks will be addressed during this session.