Event information
Agenda
8.15am – 9.00am Registration
9.00am – 9.10am Opening remarks
- Nick Tomlinson, Gibson Dunn
9.10am – 10.00am Creating and delivering a programmatic M&A strategy/buy and build programme
“Programmatic” M&A creates return at relatively low risk compared to one-off “big bang” transactions (McKinsey 2021). How can you plan and deliver an effective M&A programme?
- Iain Jamieson, board investor/advisor, Pep Talks
- Jenny Robertson, partner corporate M&A, Stevens & Bolton
- Gemma Legg, partner, RSM UK Corporate Finance LLP
- Emma Leahey, senior group legal counsel, The Ardonagh Group
10.00am – 10.50am Due Diligence in the Digital Age: Challenges, Trends, and Opportunities
Due diligence is a necessary but time-consuming process, fraught with risk, in every deal. And while there was once a charge to complete it as quickly as possible, since 2021 due diligence times have been on the rise. How are dealmakers using technology to help them in this process? And what does this mean for the future of due diligence in M&A?
- Babur Mirza, VP of Sales, Datasite
- Tom Rose, partner, Macfarlanes
- Ashley Boonin, financial director, GoHenry
- Jenny Luckham, legal director, group commercial, corporate and M&A, Ascential
- Edward Waldron, head of private equity, partner, Taylor Wessing
10.50am – 11.10am Coffee Break
11.10am – 12.00pm Deal Structuring and Valuation (Valuation and Negotiation)
- Richard Smith, senior partner, Slaughter and May
- Greg Neilson, M&A director, Aviva
- Claire Jackson, corporate partner, Slaughter and May
- Ameya Velhankar, executive director, EMEA consumer & retail, J.P. Morgan
12.00pm – 12.50pm Joint Ventures and minority investments – opportunities and traps to avoid
- Federico Fruhbeck Jr., partner, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher
- Alice Brogi, partner, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher
12.50pm – 1.50pm Lunch
1.50pm – 2.40pm Navigating Regulatory Challenges in M&A: Strategies for Compliance and Complexity Management
We will be looking to discuss the surge in regulatory challenges facing M&A transactions, both due to the increased level of intervention from merger control authorities and the rise of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) regimes in the UK and beyond. We will look to share experiences from handling significant competition and FDI cases in the UK and internationally. We will address emerging complexities, such as new FDI regimes in Ireland, Belgium and the Netherlands, and offer strategies for identifying and managing regulatory requirements effectively. This discussion aims to equip participants with insights and practical approaches to navigate the evolving regulatory landscape, ensuring compliance and minimizing complexities in M&A transactions.
- Jason Beer, partner, Jones Day
- Calum Warren, partner, Matheson
- Philippe Laconte, of counsel, Jones Day
2.40pm – 3.30pm Closing the deal: Managing complex payment mechanics and funds flows
This panel session focuses on the closure of a deal, looking at how to navigate complex deal terms and the fund flow for transactions. The conversation will touch on areas such as how to manage terms such as earn outs and escrows, as well as payment complications like regulatory compliance and due diligence, managing large numbers of shareholders, and cross-border, international deals.
- Chris Lyes, CCO, Shieldpay
- Nick Atkins, partner, Stevens & Bolton
- Karri Vuori, managing partner, IMAP
- Giles Chesher, partner, Squire Patton Boggs
3.30pm – 3.50pm Coffee Break
3.50pm – 4.20pm Spotlighting Culture & People in Integrations
Join us for a dynamic fireside chat on a critical component of M&A integrations: culture. Culture is one of the most important factors to get right to maximise value from deals, yet it is bizarrely often overlooked or mismanaged. Did you know, 50-75% of post-merger integrations fail to achieve optimal results due to culture clashes? Don’t miss the opportunity to uncover how neglecting cultural alignment can lead to employee resistance, a reduction in productivity and ultimately loss of value. We will delve into the core cultural challenges organisations face throughout the deal lifecycle and explore some actionable solutions to maximise integration success.
- Jon Breger, partner, Gate One
- Henryk Feszczur, former GSK MA&D deal lead
4.20pm – 4.55pm The recruitment challenge: How to develop a culture that attracts and retains talent
Covering topics such as:
- How we define our culture and what we aim to achieve
- Challenges that come with different working arrangements
- How we attract and retain new talent
- Our employee value proposition
- Hannah Williams-Skinner, working life manager, MoneyPenny
- Nisha Morjaria, director & head of business innovation, Talbots Law
4.55pm – 5.00pm Closing remarks
5.00pm – 6.00pm Drinks and canapes
Speakers
Hannah Williams-Skinner, working life manager, MoneyPenny
Hannah hit the ground running when she joined Moneypenny during the pandemic as Working Life Manager – and she hasn’t slowed down yet! With 10 years’ experience working within the hospitality and retail sectors in London as a People & Training Manager, she is a true and well-established people person.
Her role sees Hannah working with her own team, as well as other departments in the business, to provide HR support and advice for everyone who works for us at Moneypenny, covering all elements of the employee lifecycle. By liaising with key stakeholders and taking the time and care to build strong relationships with them, Hannah finds effective solutions to the team’s concerns and ensures every person and situation is treated with empathy and dignity.
As a well known, friendly face around the office, Hannah is the go-to person for all of our people, continuously championing the wellbeing of our teams and encouraging open conversations on mental health to help break the stigma.
Nisha Morjaria, director & head of business innovation, Talbots Law
With 23 years’ experience in Legal Service, Nisha has an ambition of delivering digital transformative change to enhance process and drive exceptional client services. Working with the Board of Director of a multi service law firm to develop innovation strategy roadmap to enable growth throughout the business. Dedicated to transforming the legal industry through innovative solutions and driving organisation success in a rapid evolving landscape. Nisha also heads up and oversees merges & acquisitions programme for the business.
Nick Atkins, partner, Stevens & Bolton
Nick is a highly experienced corporate partner who specialises in M&A, growth capital and corporate advisory work. He advises on mergers and acquisitions, private equity and growth capital work. Nick works across a number of sectors, with particular experience in technology, media, leisure and logistics businesses and cross-border transactions. He is a member of the firm’s international practice group, and is closely involved with many of the firm’s close international relationships, including in Iberia, Germany, US, Belgium and Singapore.
Iain Jamieson, board investor/advisor, Pep Talks
Iain has been working in private equity for over 20 years. Initially working for Inflexion as a Portfolio Director, Iain has subsequently held four CFO/COO roles of private equity backed businesses across a number of sectors backed by Bridgepoint, Towerbrook with the last two backed by Synova. Iain has had significant M&A and integration experience with his last two roles buy and build strategies that involved initially refinancing the respective businesses to provide the firepower to acquire 35 companies followed by their integration and collation for successful exit events.
Jenny Robertson, partner corporate M&A, Stevens & Bolton
Jenny is a highly experienced corporate lawyer who helps clients with a range of M&A, corporate advisory, equity investment and partnership projects. She has experience of advising on a range of corporate matters including sales and acquisitions, equity investments, MBOs, joint ventures, reorganisations and share incentives. She also specialises in partnership and LLP matters, including professional partnerships and investment structures. Jenny’s clients range from SMEs and high-growth businesses to investors and large corporate groups. She is the firm’s Diversity and Inclusion partner, leading internal projects to enhance and improve the firm’s performance and culture and sharing best practice internally and externally.
Gemma Legg, partner, RSM UK Corporate Finance LLP
Gemma heads-up the RSM UK’s mergers and acquisitions (M&A) team across the Thames Valley and South Coast, working predominately with privately-owned businesses and interacting with lenders, private equity and international trade buyers to secure local deals.
She helps businesses of all shapes, sizes and sectors think about their future, shareholder aspirations and management ambitions. This typically involves raising money for growth (debt & equity), securing private equity investment, or finding a new home for the business.
Gemma also spearheads RSM UK’s national consumer M&A offering, supporting the origination and execution of deals in the industry across the country.
Jon Breger, partner, Gate One
Jon is a Partner at Gate One and M&A Lead. He has advised on, led and successfully delivered multiple complex M&A and transformation programmes. Jon’s M&A advisory expertise spans a range of areas from people aspects (culture, employee experience and change management) to operating model design and delivery to supporting global cross-functional integrations.
Henryk Feszczur, former GSK MA&D deal lead
Henryk is a seasoned M&A Implementation Leader with hands-on experience in over 50 transactions, ranging from £30 billion to £3 million, with global coverage. His M&A experience encompasses divestments, acquisitions, joint ventures and spin outs, spanning commercial, research and supply chain sectors
Babur Mirza, VP of Sales, Datasite
Babur Mirza is Senior VP of Sales for the UK at Datasite. A sales professional with over 20 years of experience in financial services and software sales, he has been successfully driving sales growth for Datasite since 2008. Based in London, he oversees the company’s UK Legal and Corporate Team. He works closely with Datasite’s product development team and clients to assess and deliver future technology requirements. He also serves as a mentor to junior team members and frequently speaks on the future of technology in M&A and diversity and inclusion issues in the sales and technology industries.
Tom Rose, partner, Macfarlanes
His practice encompasses public and private acquisitions and disposals, carve-outs, private capital, ECM situations and advisory mandates. Tom is recognised in Chambers & Partners and in The Legal 500 for UK premium public and private M&A.
Ashley Boonin, financial director, GoHenry
Ashley is the Finance Director for GoHenry. He started his career working for Ernst & Young before working in the investment world, latterly executing deals in the Fintech space. He has always been passionate about personal finance, running two personal finance blogs during his days at University, selling advertising space to fund nights out. When the opportunity came to join GoHenry, a company whose mission is to “make every kid smart with money” – the two were clearly a match made in heaven…and the rest is history.
Edward Waldron, head of private equity, partner, Taylor Wessing
Ed leads our Private Equity team. He acts for sponsors and their portfolio companies. Sponsor clients include August Equity, Graphite Capital, Rutland Partners and Caledonia Investments; portfolio companies he looks after include those owned by Silver Lake and Insight Partners.
Ed also acts for founders and management teams, in particular those selling minority or majority stakes to institutional investors.
Ed’s practice is predominantly cross border, and while Ed transacts across most sectors his practice leverages our sector focus including tech and life sciences. His recent deals include acting for Graphite Capital on their investment into a medical devices buy and build platform and supplier to the NHS, and acting for AMCS, an Irish based portfolio company of Insight Partners, on their acquisition of pan European software platform Quentic gmbh.
Ed is described by clients in Legal 500 as “seeing the broader picture, pragmatic yet considered”.
Ed co-chairs our “Balance in Business” committee, which promotes better female gender balance particularly in partnership and leadership roles.
Chris Lyes, CCO, Shieldpay
Chris is Chief Commercial Officer at Shieldpay the FCA regulated payments and escrow specialists that focus exclusively on the Legal Services sector providing the complete offering of KYC/KYB, safeguarding and disbursement domestically and across borders. Chris has over 25 years’ experience in financial services working in banking, investment management and payment services.
Karri Vuori, managing partner, IMAP
Karri is Managing Partner of IMAP UK and has around twenty years’ experience of advising mid-market UK companies and PE on M&A and IPOs. Karri has a significant focus on ESG and his approach to corporate finance is driven by a principle of always doing the right thing by clients, staff and society. He is involved with a number of charitable initiatives particularly focused on education and inclusivity. Prior to IMAP UK, Karri was a Partner at Cavendish Corporate Finance as well as Head of M&A at Liberum Capital and Panmure Gordon. He is a KPMG qualified Chartered Accountant and has a MA in Politics and BA in Economics from Durham University.
Giles Chesher, partner, Squire Patton Boggs
Giles’ particular expertise covers mergers and acquisitions, IPOs and private equity. He has worked on a number of high-profile private equity and M&A transactions in the local, national and international markets, acting for a wide variety of corporate and institutional clients. Giles also acts as a trusted business adviser to corporate clients on structural, organisational and strategic legal matters, assisting with dynamic growth strategies, defensive cost cutting measures and everything in between.
Emma Leahey, senior group legal counsel, The Ardonagh Group
Emma works in The Ardonagh Group’s M&A legal team based in London, leading on acquisitions and joint ventures across its insurance advisory and broking platforms with particular focus on those in Europe and Oceania. She works alongside Ardonagh’s in-house corporate finance advisors and M&A team to execute strategic transactions which both complement Ardonagh’s existing portfolio and expand its global footprint. As part of this process she regularly deals with a variety of sellers ranging from management through to large private equity houses.
Federico Fruhbeck Jr., partner, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher
Federico Fruhbeck is a partner in the London office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. Federico is co-chair of the Projects and Infrastructure Practice Group, co-head of Private Equity in Europe, and a member of the Mergers and Acquisitions and Capital Markets Practice Groups.
Federico’s practice focuses on cross-border M&A transactions across Europe and Latin America for private equity clients and large family-owned conglomerates, with a particular focus in the infrastructure, ESG and real assets sector. He also advises both issuers and underwriters on capital markets transactions, particularly in high-yield issuances (including green bond issuances) and initial public offerings. He has extensive experience across multiple jurisdictions, with a particular focus on Spain, Italy, Germany, France and the Nordic region.
Alice Brogi, partner, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher
Alice Brogi is a partner in the London office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. Alice is a member of the Private Equity, Mergers and Acquisitions and Capital Markets practice groups.
Alice practices private equity M&A, representing sponsors in cross-border transactions across a number of sectors with a focus on infrastructure and hard assets. She has advised clients on domestic and cross-border acquisitions, disposals, preferred equity and debt investments, joint ventures, loan-to-own restructurings, and portfolio acquisitions in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Austria and the Nordics.
Alice has also advised private equity firms on investments across a number of sectors, including telecom, construction, financial services and technology sectors. She has previously completed secondments both at Hudson Advisors UK and also to the merchant banking division of Goldman Sachs.
Richard Smith, senior partner, Slaughter and May
Richard is the co-head of Corporate and M&A at Slaughter and May and has a broad multi-sectoral practice focusing on public and private M&A and capital markets work. His clients include Disney, Marsh & McLennan, Aviva, Reckitt, Landsec, United Utilities and Watches of Switzerland.
Jenny Luckham, legal director, group commercial, corporate and M&A, Ascential
Jenny is Legal Director, Commercial, Corporate and M&A at Ascential plc, a FTSE250 events-led business. She and her team are responsible for the smooth operation of the ever changing Ascential group, leading on significant M&A and investment activity and large-scale technology transformations. She has extensive experience in the Media & Technology space, working with multinationals, SME’s and creative individuals both in-house (Global, NBCUniversal, Love Productions) and in private practice at boutique and national firms.
Jason Beer, of counsel, Jones Day
Calum Warren, partner, Matheson
Greg Nielson, M&A director, Aviva
Claire Jackson, corporate partner, Slaughter and May
Claire Jackson is a corporate partner at Slaughter and May with an extensive practice focused on private and public M&A, corporate governance and equity capital markets work. Her clients include GSK, Aviva, ASOS and Next.
Ameya Velhankar, executive director, EMEA consumer & retail, J.P. Morgan
Ameya Velhankar is an Executive Director in J.P. Morgan’s investment banking team responsible for marketing and execution of M&A and financing advisory services for clients in consumer & retail space in EMEA. Ameya joined J.P. Morgan in 2013. He is a qualified Chartered Accountant (ICAI), CFA (CFA Institute), CPA (AICPA) and holds a Bachelor’s degree from Mumbai University.
Philippe Laconte, of counsel, Jones Day
Philippe Laconte is an Of Counsel in the Antitrust & Competition Law practice group at Jones Day in Brussels. Philippe has in-depth experience representing major entities in antitrust and competition law as well as regulatory matters at the EU and national levels. He advises clients in a variety of industries, with a particular focus on the energy sector. Philippe represents clients in cross-border mergers, abuse of dominant position, and State aid cases before the European Commission, European courts, and national authorities.
Nick Tomlinson, partner, Gibson Dunn
Nick Tomlinson is an English and New York qualified corporate partner based in Gibson Dunn’s London office, which he joined in 2001. During that time he has helped establish our Dubai office and practised out of the firm’s New York office for two years.
Nick advises and leads deal teams on a wide range of UK and cross-border M&A, Private Equity, Growth Capital and Joint Venture transactions. He also advises on management equity incentivisation plans, restructurings and investment banking advisory arrangements.
He regularly acts across a number of sectors, which include: sports, media & entertainment, healthcare, education, IT & digital infrastructure, video games studios, digital communications & marketing, asset management, retail & apparel, hotels & leisure, manufacturing & distribution and energy.
Nick is recognised by The Legal 500 UK 2023 in the field of Private Equity transactions and M&A: upper mid-market and premium deals. Nick is also ranked as highly regarded in IFLR1000 2023 for M&A and Private Equity. He authored the Thomson Reuters Practical Law publication “Private Equity in the UK (England and Wales): Overview”, published in November 2023.
He has been a member of The Law Society of England and Wales (since 1999), and the New York State Bar (since 2005).
In association with...
Gibson Dunn is a leading global law firm, advising clients on significant transactions and disputes. Our exceptional teams craft and deploy creative legal strategies that are meticulously tailored to every matter, however complex or high-stakes. Consistently ranking among the world’s top law firms in industry surveys and major publications, Gibson Dunn is distinctively positioned in today’s global marketplace, with more than 1,900 lawyers across 21 offices.
Datasite is where deals are made. We provide a complete M&A platform, driving transactions in 180 countries for investment banks, corporates, private equity, and law firms. Projects become seamless through our unique combination of technology and always-on assistance, built around the world’s most trusted data room.
Gate One is a leading digital and business transformation consultancy. We are M&A implementation specialists working with C-suite execs and leadership from private equity funds to large corporates. Across mergers, acquisitions and divestments – we know how to create the conditions to drive success, deliver value and help meet our clients most challenging M&A goals.
Hundreds of law firms, including many of the Top 200, rely on Moneypenny’s call and live chat solutions to enhance client experience and capture every enquiry. We do this by giving you dedicated legal receptionists and proprietary technology to manage calls and chats on an overflow or fully outsourced basis.
Shieldpay provides payment solutions to the legal, financial and professional services industries. Leveraging Shieldpay’s Verify, Hold and Disburse capabilities, top tier law firms, lenders and consultancies have processed more than £7bn of funds through the digital platform.
Stevens & Bolton LLP is a leading independent UK law firm that works across the UK and internationally to support an extensive client base ranging from major international organisations and UK FTSE companies through to owner-managed businesses, entrepreneurs and individuals.
Slaughter and May is the leading independent law firm in the UK with a strong reputation for excellence. The firm’s band 1-ranked corporate practice advises public and private companies and financial sponsors on M&A transactions of all sizes with top tier specialist support in all relevant practice areas.