Conference programme

Keynote address: State of the European M&A market

Keynote speaker

Marcus Schenck Managing Director, Lazard, Munich

Leading at the edge: technology, AI and the transformation of business - a fireside chat with a global business leader

The pace of technological change is redefining competition, risk and value. In this fireside chat, Capgemini CEO Aiman Ezzat shares how leaders bet on emerging tech, scale innovation and turn breakthroughs into measurable outcomes. They will examine what rapid advances in technology, like the emergence of AI, mean for strategy, operating models, governance, the pressures on boards and institutions, and how the business of law may be transformed. The discussion will focus on how to build durable advantage in a world that refuses to stand still.

Speaker

Aiman Ezzat CEO, Capgemini, Paris

Introduction

Maria Pernas Group General Counsel and Commercial and Contract Management, Capgemini, Paris

Moderators

Bertrand Cardi Darrois Villey Maillot Brochier, Paris; Co-Chair, IBA Corporate and M&A Law Committee

Gabriella Covino Gianni & Origoni, Rome; Vice Chair, IBA Corporate and M&A Law Committee

Emanuel P Strehle Hengeler Mueller, Munich

Preeminent practitioners will present the latest legal and market developments shaping private M&A transactions in Europe. In addition to broader trends, the panel will make a deep dive into two case studies:

• the evolving use of W&I insurance - including common triggers and emerging use cases; and
• strategies for salvaging do-or-die transactions despite the emergence of significant last-minute issues (such as a material due diligence problem or changes in the external context)

Infrastructure has become one of the most dynamic segments of private equity, expanding beyond traditional categories into areas such as energy transition and digital infrastructure. This panel will explore what differentiates infrastructure from other categories, how LP expectations are evolving, and how competitive pressures shape deal structures and exits. Speakers will discuss the latest developments in the sector, including how investors and advisers are approaching risk allocation, financing structures, and cross-border regulatory hurdles. With case studies drawn from recent transactions, the panel will also highlight practical lessons relating to valuations, consortium and management agreements and diligence and W&I.

The United States continues to stand out as a large, complex and highly competitive market. In many respects, given the consumer strength and velocity of trade, it is the place where any global business has to be. But it has changed dramatically in the last ten years, making it more challenging for foreign businesses to succeed as the future becomes less clear. This panel of experts – who regularly undertake deals in the US, as well as other parts of the world – will discuss what makes the country distinctive, how it has changed and where it is going. Subjects will include the advantages of being in the US, the evolving legal and regulatory landscape, and the unique tactics that make it so fun. The panel will also address practical considerations for cross-border deals, and how lawyers can be on top of the issues that clients will care about.

This masterclass will provide practical advice on navigating some of the toughest negotiation challenges. Drawing on practical experience and proven techniques, panellists will share actionable tips to keep negotiations productive even when under intense pressure. This includes managing difficult counterparties – whether lawyers or deal principals – and how to handle manipulative tactics or emotionally charged behaviours. The panel will also consider how cultural differences can shape negotiation styles and expectations.

Under pressure, corporate lawyers need to ensure not only that deals get signed but also that their contracts stand up under scrutiny if (or when) relationships sour. This panel will highlight how seemingly standard SPA provisions (from boilerplate to interim covenants to indemnification provisions) are interpreted – or weaponised –in disputes by opportunistic litigators. Panellists will focus on the drafting lessons that deal lawyers can take from a litigator’s perspective, providing practical guidance on how to draft with an eye toward enforceability and clarity.

Europe’s ESG framework is at a turning point, with regulators seeking to balance robust disclosure and an appropriate transition with calls for simplification and maintaining competitiveness in an evolving global landscape. Comprised principally of general counsels, the panel will offer a practical update on where the rules stand, what changes may lie ahead, and how our clients are adapting. The discussion will be informed throughout by what boards and clients expect—and need—from their lawyers: clear, pragmatic advice that manages compliance without losing sight of commercial priorities.