IBA Annual Conference Toronto 2025
2 Nov - 8 Nov 2025
Room 701 A, Level 700, MTCC
Session information
The role of shareholders in M&A transactions
Monday 3 November (1615 - 1730)
Room 701 A, Level 700, MTCC
Committee(s)
Corporate and M&A Law Committee
(Lead)
Description
Shareholder involvement is a critical feature of many M&A transactions, yet in some cases, transactions may proceed with limited or no shareholder engagement.
This panel will examine the legal and strategic considerations surrounding shareholder involvement in both private and public M&A deals. Topics will include managing recalcitrant or dispersed shareholders in private companies, the legal thresholds for shareholder approval, and the influence of shareholder activism in public M&A. The discussion will explore how transaction structures can mitigate or require shareholder involvement, and the implications for deal certainty, timing, and execution.
Session / Workshop Chair(s)
| Harry Coghill | Macfarlanes LLP, London, England; Conference Coordinator Europe, Corporate and M&A Law Committee |
| Gabriella Covino | Gianni & Origoni, Rome, Italy; Vice Chair, Corporate and M&A Law Committee |
Speakers
| Christine Carson | Carson Proxy Advisors, Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Jennifer Grossklaus | Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP, Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Xanthe Ranger | American Securities, New York, New York, USA |
| Rabbe Sittnikow | Hannes Snellman, Helsinki, Finland; Member, Corporate and M&A Law Committee Advisory Board |