450 N. Cityfront Plaza Dr, Chicago, IL 60611
This prestigious conference will provide corporate executives, board members, and private equity investors with practical information and perspective on the latest considerations impacting corporate transaction planning, structuring, and execution.
DAY ONE AGENDA: WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 25, 2019
1:00pm - 1:15pm
Check-in, coffee service & opening remarks: William Jefferson Black, Managing Director, Finance Information Group & Publisher of Transaction Advisors
1:15pm - 2:05pm
Effectively engaging the board in M&A This session will consider approaches for appropriately and proportionately engaging the Board in the organizations' inorganic strategy frameworks. Consideration will be given to optimizing lines of authority between the Board, special committees, and management during an M&A process. In addition, the participants will look at the Board's responsibility to regularly assess ‘fit and focus’ to consider divestitures through tax free spin-offs or the sale of non-core assets.
2:20pm - 3:10pm
Challenges associated with digital acquisitions This discussion will look at acquisitions and investments in innovative companies when the objective is primarily to access enabling capabilities or disruptive business models powered by digital technology and analytics, and where much of the value is embedded in future growth, algorithms, intellectual property including in-process R&D, intangible assets, and human capital including founders and management teams. The session will include a look at corporate venture investment programs, structures for domestic and cross-border joint ventures, and discuss creative methods for monetizing acquired IP and other digital assets.
3:25pm - 4:15pm
Defending against unsolicited offers This session will look at the unique considerations associated with various approaches including both domestic and international corporate governance issues, look at techniques for modeling responses and proxy contest scenarios, and review methods for assessing the strength of various shareholder rights plans.
4:30pm - 5:20pm
Dealing with leaks...leaking deals This session will explore a range of deal challenges when deal negotiations are leaked to the media, investors, customers, and employees. The conversation will cover cultural norms in various regions and countries. During the second half of the discussion, participants will discuss the unique legal and strategic issues associated with the use of intentional leaks to drive specific actions and apply pressure on the target company.
5:20pm - 5:40pm
Private meetings / M&A technology demos / wine reception
6:00pm - 8:00pm
Reception and dinner for all conference delegates
DAY TWO AGENDA: THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2019
8:40am - 9:00am
Private meetings
9:00am - 9:15am
Coffee service & welcome remarks
9:15am - 10:05am
Improving deal term negotiations and protections This session will address the give-and-take between buyers and sellers in negotiating key provisions in both domestic and international transactions. The panelists will consider risk allocation, the form and structure of closing conditions, look at the increasing use of transaction insurance in public company deals and in competitive processes, discuss the strength of various protections and remedies, and review other timely topics that may impact the structure and negotiation of a transaction.
10:20am - 11:10am
Innovations in closing...to avoid disputes This briefing will outline innovative methods for matching contractual language to deal intentions. Consideration will be given to the increasing use of the locked-box pricing mechanism where cash, debt, and working capital are agreed to ensure the benefits of a fixed price deal. The session will also address financial reporting and consider approaches for averting a broad range of post-close disputes.
11:25am - 12:15pm
The shifting landscape for M&A tax planning This session will cover a range of key tax issues in due diligence, explore the tax benefits of various M&A structures, consider key tax provisions in acquisition agreements, and explore recent tax developments and reforms that may impact transaction planning and IRR measures in both domestic and international transactions.
12:15pm - 1:00pm
Luncheon / private meetings / M&A technology demos
1:00pm - 1:50pm
Brand-driven M&A strategies and missteps This session will look at how brands are managed in M&A, consider common integration missteps involving brands and their cultural identity, explore the ways high performing acquirers manage acquired brands / portfolios, review variations in vertical and horizontal M&A strategies and the impact on brand frameworks, and discuss methods for holding acquired brands / defensive value.
2:05pm - 2:55pm
Navigating regulatory and antitrust issues in M&A This discussion will investigate the critical issues associated with regulatory and antitrust reviews in domestic and cross-border deals. Through a study of recent transactions and a conversation on the shifting environment for getting deals approved, this session will provide guidance on working with agencies and incorporating deal terms that anticipate protectionist views and various regulatory outcomes. The participants will also comment on models for incorporating the risk of political and regulatory uncertainty into deal terms.
3:10pm - 4:00pm
Retaining talent and structuring exits This session will review strategies that may be employed to retain an acquired team, including the structure of financial incentives and retention agreements for key executives. The discussion will cover methods for an effective reduction in force as well as earnout and retention frameworks to effectively hedge human capital risks and consider methods for repeatable post-merger performance improvement. Last, the participants will look at the interplay between culture and integration planning / goal setting.
4:15pm - 5:05pm
Setting synergy and integration targets This workshop will explore framework that can be used for developing realistic synergy targets. The discussion will explore new and unconventional strategies for a thoughtful integration process. This session discussion will also consider the interplay between term sheets and post-close operating dynamics, look at occasions for limited post-merger integration, contemplate variations in deals where there is a minority or venture investment, and consider approaches that may make a future divestiture feasible.
5:05pm - 7:00pm
Private meetings / M&A technology demos / wine reception
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
This program is designed for public-company corporate development officers, general counsel, chief financial officers, chief executive officers, board members, private equity investors, and select advisors with responsibility for M&A strategy and execution. This conference is not open to the media.
Conference attendees may be eligible for CLE and CPE
REGISTRATION
Early registration rates are available until August 31, 2019.
Subscribers are eligible for a 50% discount on their registration. If you're a current subscriber, please contact us to retrieve your code.
GROUP PACKAGES
Planning to attend with your M&A team? Please contact us to learn about our Group Registration Discounts for 3 or more.
TERMS
Registration rates are subject to change. Registrations are nonrefundable. If you are not able to attend an event in which you registered, we will make every effort to transfer your registration to a future conference, of similar or lesser value, for a period of one year. You may also transfer your registration to another individual within your organization, upon our approval. We reserve the right to limit or deny access to our events to any person at our sole discretion. We make no representation that the information and experience provided at any of our events or conferences are suitable for any purpose (see Disclaimer of Warranties). By attending this program you grant Finance Information Group LLC permission to capture and publish videos and pictures that may include your image.
