Conference programme

1 Going public, staying private or selling
2 Selling technology deals to investors and shareholders
3 Mistakes founders make selling their companies: special issues in start-up acquisitions
4 Differences between venture capital and strategic partners: what they look for in a deal
5 Incentivising employees: retaining people in the deal
6 Data ownership
7 Data as an asset in M&A transactions
8 Cryptocurrencies and how blockchain has changed our world
9 Data privacy: lessons learned and future outlook
10 Beacons, honeypots and sinkholes: the latest trends in cybersecurity
11 Challenges in acquisitions of dual use companies
12 Sellers’ liability in M&A transactions: recent trends
13 Challenges in managing interim periods in start-up acquisitions
14 Representation and warranty insurance in technology M&A deals
15 Effective approaches to due diligence in technology M&A deals
 

In a casual interview style, the panel will examine the emerging technologies with the most potential to disrupt industries and transform business models. Moreover, in an industry where innovation is both an opportunity and a threat, technology companies must plan for the long-term and be ready to ‘turn on a dime’; but how? The panellists will demonstrate how their companies have built strategic plans that address the industry’s challenges and how they prepare to achieve this.

This panel will discuss the main specific features in M&A transactions involving tech acquirers. A selected group of panellists with deep experience and expertise in acquiring tech companies will discuss key transaction issues and their treatment and main effects.

This panel will explore the geographic differences in the approaches of sellers, buyers and legal counsel and other advisers to technology M&A, and other transactions. Panellists will discuss whether these differences, if any, stem from geographical legal rules, norms, cultures, or other reasons. Panellists, representing approaches from Asia, Australia, Europe, and the United States will discuss perceptions and misperceptions, their own experiences and their views on effectively navigating differences in those approaches.

How has the rise of protectionism around the world affected M&A in the technology sector? This interactive panel will address that question and discuss the impact of trade wars, regulatory
uncertainty and the political environment on cross-border dealmaking. The panellists will also provide practical advice on risk allocation and conditionality in M&A contracts.

1 Going public, staying private or selling
2 Selling technology deals to investors and shareholders
3 Mistakes founders make selling their companies: special issues in start-up acquisitions
4 Differences between venture capital and strategic partners: what they look for in a deal
5 Incentivising employees: retaining people in the deal
6 Data ownership
7 Platform regulation
8 Cryptocurrencies and how blockchain has changed our world
9 Data privacy: lessons learned and future outlook
10 Beacons, honeypots and sinkholes: the latest trends in cybersecurity
11 Challenges in acquisitions of dual use companies
12 Sellers’ liability in M&A transactions: recent trends
13 Challenges in managing interim periods in start-up acquisitions
14 Representation and warranty insurance in technology M&A deals
15 Effective approaches to due diligence in technology M&A deals
16 Barcelona Tech City deals

Software has fuelled many developments in health care – but what changes does AI bring? Can robots perform surgery? Can AI replace the diagnosis traditionally made by a doctor? Who is accountable for mistakes? How can patient data be used most safely? What must patients be informed about? How should AI be regulated? What are the latest legislative developments?
What are the ethical boundaries? This panel will present applications of AI and robotics that already work in practice and explore the issues encountered.

Cybersecurity is one of the top risks for businesses. It has also gained relevance in M&A transactions since legacy issues in acquired targets or assets have caused huge damage and resulted in heavy sanctions for the acquirers. In this session, the panellists will discuss what cybersecurity due diligence is about, what technical tools may be used to support during due diligence, what contractual safeguards should be taken in a share or asset purchase agreement, how to foster the cyber resilience of a target and how to deal with targets hit by a cyber-incident. The ways
these issues are dealt with in both Europe and the US will be discussed, through a lively and interactive session with high-profile experts from both sides of the Atlantic.
 

A panel of leading general counsel will discuss the various current and cutting-edge issues faced by them. The counsel will discuss hot topic buttons on M&A deal management and technology law, their views and expectations of the changing regulatory landscape around the world and their experiences on dealing with external counsel around the world.

Panellists to be confirmed.