The M&A Forum
UNLOCK DEAL VALUE

Tuesday, November 7, 2023

Clifford Chance offices: New York

Unlock deal value and navigate M&A approval


The Corporate Secretary & IR Magazine M&A Forum is a multi-stakeholder conference that helps companies build shareholder support, guarantee certainty of close and deliver on the strategic aims of M&A deals. At a time when the M&A market is warming up we discuss how best to prepare for a wave of M&A activity while navigating the increasingly difficult approval process.

We are joined by 100+ corporate governance, corporate development and investor relations professionals in New York on November 7 to stay up-to-date on the outlook for M&A and learn how to drive shareholder value in 2023 and beyond.

 

NIRI IRC® CREDENTIAL

Holders of the NIRI IRC® credential can earn up to 4 professional development units (PDUs) per day. IRC-credentialed speakers may also earn PDUs. More information is available at www.niri.org/certification.

Agenda 2023

 

View the 2023 PDF agenda here

Timings on the agenda are shown as Eastern Time (ET)

  • 08:00 AM
    Registration opens

  • 08:55 AM
    Welcome to the M&A Forum 2023

  • 09:00 AM
    M&A outlook: Anticipating a boom in deal making

    Tight credit conditions and high interest rates persist, but after a slump in deal making interest is gathering. How much activity has been happening behind the scenes, and when are we likely to see this interest materialize? How can companies position themselves to make the most of this expected rise in M&A once the market is fully active?

    • An overview of expected M&A activity in 2024 and how can companies position themselves for success
    • Learn which types of deals are expected to drive the most shareholder value in the current market
    • Discuss the key macroeconomic and geopolitical hurdles to deal making, and how deal teams, boards and management should address them
  • 09:45 AM
    Navigating regulatory change: Respond to increased anti-trust requirements

    Despite growing interest, the regulatory landscape remains a significant challenge for deal teams. We’re seeing tougher merger guidelines proposed by the DoJ and FTC, with new HSR filing requirements expected at some point next year. In this panel our experts will discuss how the regulatory landscape is evolving around M&A and how best to prepare. 

    • M&A best practices in the context of enhanced regulatory scrutiny 
    • Discuss what the new DoJ and FTC guidelines mean for public companies, and how to prepare 
    • Learn how the international regulatory landscape is evolving and its impact on cross-border M&A 
  • 10:30 AM
    Morning networking break

  • 11:00 AM
    Communicating deal value: Ensuring companies and shareholders are in sync

    Just because a deal seems intuitive internally doesn’t mean it will be intuitive to your shareholders. In this session we’ll discuss the red and green flags investors face around M&A and share advice on communicating deal value in a transparent, meaningful way.  

    • Best practices on how to improve your messaging process around M&A 
    • Understanding investor risk appetite in the current environment 
    • Stress testing deals: How will external stakeholders react to the announcement? 
  • 11:45 AM
    Preparing for a rise in M&A related activism

    Almost half of all activist campaigns include M&A demands. With activism back to pre-pandemic levels, and Universal Proxy rules making it easier to run campaigns, companies should have a clear response plan in place to deal with hostile demands around acquisitions, divestitures and term changes to announced deals. 

    • Understand the evolving landscape of M&A related activism  
    • Discuss proactive strategies to reduce the risk of M&A related activism 
    • Respond effectively to deal activism if and when the threat emerges 
  • 12:30 PM
    Lunch

  • 13:30 PM
    M&A tech trends: Managing cyber-risks and leveraging opportunities in AI

    On July 26, the SEC adopted amendments intended to enhance and standardize disclosures related to cybersecurity. Meanwhile, companies are grappling with a host of new risks and opportunities presented by the steady adoption of AI. In this panel, we discuss the impact of these trends on deal teams and share advice on leveraging new technologies to drive efficiency in M&A.  

    • Discuss the impact of the new cybersecurity rules on the due diligence process 
    • Share specific use cases of AI throughout the deal cycle to improve deal insight and efficiency 
    • Discover which tools and technology the M&A ecosystem are using to drive efficiency in M&A  
  • 14:15 PM
    Analysing M&A risks and opportunities through an ESG lens

    Companies are increasingly integrating ESG considerations into their M&A strategies, with studies showing that investors are willing to pay a premium for targets that demonstrate high ESG maturity. Furthermore, ESG red flags can have significant impact on deals, resulting in additional closing conditions, valuation reduction and even deal cancellations.  

    • Best practices around integrating ESG into your M&A strategy 
    • Discuss key ESG pitfalls in the due diligence process 
    • Consider the impact of M&A on your sustainability disclosures process 
  • 15:00 PM
    Afternoon networking break

  • 15:15 PM
    Champagne roundtables

    Help yourself to a glass of bubbly and discuss the topic with your peers in a highly interactive roundtable discussion. 

    Roundtable topics 

    • Ensuring a successful post-merger integration 
    • Increasing efficiency in due-diligence 
    • M&A in an era of growing geopolitical risks 
    • Improving board oversight on M&A activity 
  • 16:00 PM
    End of conference and networking drinks

Speakers

To inquire about speaking at a future forum, please contact [email protected] or call +44 20 8004 4818


What our attendees say

"Very interesting and on trend topics, with an all star line up of very engaged and dynamic speakers."

Sprouts Farmers Market

"The agenda was informative and fast-paced; the presenters were knowledgeable and engaging."

ExxonMobil

"Very strong speakers with evident leading knowledge."

Anonymous

"Highly relevant topics, knowledgeable panellists and highly informative."

Anonymous

"I felt the virtual format was faced paced and moved quickly. The size of the panels was good for different points of views and perspectives."

Murphy Oil Corporation

"Knowledgable panels. Productive discussion. Easy participation. Visibility and upvoting of questions. "

GCs Counsel

"Great selection of panelists. I thought the platform was very user friendly. "

Murphy USA

"I have been to a lot of these events and I have found the conversations to be richer and more insightful than many of the bigger panels - probably due to good moderation and good panelists. I was also impressed by how seamless the virtual format was. "

Anonymous

Who attends our events

Our attendees are leading governance, IR and corporate development professionals with a strategic role within their company.

Below is a sample of attendees who have joined our event in the past:

Job title Company Job title Company
Chief corporate governance officer Huntington National Bank SVP, corporate development Paramount
Chief legal officer AtriCure SVP, financial planning & analysis Interpublic Group
Director of corporate development Progress SVP, market leader Datamaran
Director, M&A integration & operations Jamf Vice president SMBC Nikko Securities America
Director, strategy Gartner Vice president Zimmer Biomet
EVP Edelman Smithfield Vice president Autonomous Research
EVP and general counsel Selective Insurance Group VP, legal services & chief privacy officer The Cheesecake Factory
EVP, corporate development Barnes & Noble Education VP,corporate development Booking Holdings
EVP, chief legal officer Shore United Bank Vice president of investor relations PBF Energy
EVP and general counsel Matthews International VP, corporate counsel Zebra Technologies
Head of corporate development Equitable VP, deputy general counsel Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Head of enterprise M&A The Hartford Vice president, M&A and ventures Xerox
Head of ESG North America Aon VP Edelman Smithfield
Managing director Noble Capital Markets VP corporate development and treasury DistributionNOW
SVP, investor relations fuboTV VP legal Shake Shack
SVP, corporate development Houghton Mifflin Harcourt VP, corporate development Wheel Pros


Request full attendee list

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Become a partner

Why partner with us?

The M&A Forum brings together some of the most influential people from legal, finance and corporate development at public companies. The event offers an effective approach to targeting clients at a time when they need it the most.

Through our unrivaled knowledge of the subject matter and commitment to in-depth agenda research, our events attract a qualified audience.

The unique buzz we create at our events makes them multi-faceted and highly interactive with great engagement in particular from corporate secretaries, M&A managers and heads of investor relations. This allows our partners to have meaningful conversations with corporate stakeholders across legal, governance and corporate development.

By partnering with us on an event, you can generate leads, showcase your thought leadership and position yourselves as the partner of choice to our community.

We’d love to have a chat with you about how you can get in front of a truly engaged and motivated audience – get in touch with Ian Richman or call on +1 (212) 430 6865.

Partners

Part of Governance LIVE 2023

The M&A and Activism Forum is part of Governance LIVE 2023, a series of events celebrating governance professionals and promoting excellence and good governance at public issuers. If you’d like access to all three events, visit our website to get your all-access two-day pass at a discounted rate!
 

The M&A Forum The Corporate Secretary Forum Corporate Governance Awards
November 7, 2023, New York November 8, 2023, New York November 8, 2023, New York

Deals and defense in a volatile market

Modernizing the boardroom

Celebrating excellence in governance

 

Book your two-day Governance LIVE pass

Coalition for the homeless

IR Magazine are long-term supporters of the Coalition for the Homeless. The Coalition is doing all in its power to ensure that homeless New Yorkers get the help and protection they need.

We would be grateful if you are able to bring along any of the items outlined in the list below, to be donated to those in need through the Coalition.

For further information about their work, please visit coalitionforthehomeless.org

 

 

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BOOK YOUR PLACE

Click on the button below to book your ticket.

The early bird rates expire on October 20, 2023. After this date, the corporate price will increase to the standard rate of $195 and the service provider rate will increase to $595.

The corporate rate is reserved for in-house IR or communications professionals, employed directly by a corporation listed on a public stock exchange ONLY.

If you have any questions, please contact Thomas Williams at thomas.williams@irmagazine.com or +44 208 090 2156.

Venue

Clifford Chance US LLP
31 West 52nd Street
4th Floor
New York, NY 10019 6131

Before you visit
The venue has requested that all attendees use these questions and consult the CDC guidance before attending the event.

Have you recently:

  1. experienced any Covid-19 symptoms? (CDC symptom guidance here)
  2. had a positive Covid-19 test?
  3. been in close contact with a confirmed or suspected Covid-19 case? (CDC close contact guidance here)
  4. traveled and are subject to a quarantine requirement, post-travel testing or other requirements? (CDC travel guidance here and NY travel guidance here)

If you answer “yes” to any of the above, you should not attend the event.

Accommodation
IR Magazine and Corporate Secretary have arranged preferential rates for forum attendees at nearby hotels. View the hotels and rates by clicking here.

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