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

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 

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? 

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 

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  

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 

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