Exclusively for Corporate M&A Professionals
M&A Conference London
16 JULY, 2026 | BOOTH SCHOOL OF BUSINESS, LONDON CAMPUS
£1,150 | £0 for Members Become an All Access Member
This prestigious annual M&A conference brings together corporate M&A teams to discuss current challenges impacting complex transactions and consider innovative methods for improving the deal process and transaction performance.
- Benchmark internal processes against global best practices
- Navigate the evolving regulatory and capital market landscape
- Span the gaps between deal parties to create transaction value
- Elevate deal team capabilities through shared line of sight
THURSDAY 16 JULY | 8:15 - 9:00
Welcome Reception & Opening Remarks
William Jefferson Black, Executive Director, Transaction Advisors Institute
THURSDAY 16 JULY | 9:00 - 9:50
Crafting the M&A Strategy for a Volatile World
- How are leading acquirors designing an M&A strategy that works in volatile market conditions?
- What should M&A teams consider as they navigate pressure for scale and corporate clarity?
- What unique approaches are being used to drive internal alignment and accelerate dealmaking?
Giovanni Ghisetti
Head of Global Business Development
Diageo
Alexis De Meaux
M&A Partner & Session Chair
Bain & Company
THURSDAY 16 JULY | 10:05 - 10:55
Navigating the Regulatory Landscape
- How is the CMA’s new merger control guidance and more narrower jurisdictional view changing the scope of the M&A pipeline?
- What recent procedural changes are accelerating reviews and how should deal teams prepare for early engagement?
- Are there effective methods and techniques for structuring deals that are subject to multiple competition authorities?
THURSDAY 16 JULY | 11:10 - 12:00
AI Accelerated Diligence and Integration Planning
- How can diligence be accelerated through an optimal use of AI, external advisors, and sampling?
- What IP diligence practices - such as code reviews and information security scans - should be standard?
- How much integration planning is appropriate ahead of deal approval?
Kevin Walkinshaw
Vice President, Corporate Development and Strategy
Verisk Analytics
Karel Drastich
Head of Corporate Development
Associated British Ports
Rajat Maaker
Managing Director, Accenture Strategy, Practice Lead for M&A/ PE & Session Chair
Accenture
THURSDAY 16 JULY | 12:00 - 13:00
Networking Lunch
THURSDAY 16 JULY | 13:00 - 13:50
Executing at Speed
- How can AI workflows accelerate target reviews and drafting?
- Which negotiation points and process steps can be standardized to remove execution bottlenecks?
- Can pre-authorized decision rights accelerate approvals, while maintaining public-grade governance?
Andrew Binstead
Senior Vice President Corporate Development
IFS
Will Harvey
Senior Counsel
ExxonMobil
THURSDAY 16 JULY | 14:10 - 15:00
Engaging Human Capital Effectively
- Who should be engaged when developing a cultural integration framework?
- How do you determine the pace of change an acquisition target can endure?
- What adjustments can be made in integration planning based on cultural due diligence findings?
Cecilia Ferreira
Vice President, Legal: Strategy & Governance
Anglo American
Henrique Andrews
Director of Corporate Development and Head of M&A
Associated British Foods
Alex Moir
Director HR M&A
Cognizant
Konrad Deiters
Partner, Europe and UK M&A Leader & Session Chair
Mercer
THURSDAY 16 JULY | 15:15 - 16:05
Managing the Sign-to-Close Period
- How are interim operating covenants being structured to flex for slow close transactions?
- What should corporate M&A teams know to avoid gun jumping while actively planning for rapid post-close actions?
- How should dealmakers oversee working capital mechanisms and other closing adjustments to prevent gaming?
Edward Otto
General Manager, Group Business Development, M&A and Ventures
Rio Tinto
THURSDAY 16 JULY | 16:20 - 17:10
Delivering the Deal Thesis
- When should the integration thesis and playbook be designed and confirmed?
- What early cost synergy-capture opportunities should be prioritized to deliver quick wins?
- How can go-to-market teams effectuate and accelerate tough revenue synergies?
Jessica Taylor
Senior Vice President & Director Corporate Development
Hyve Group
Emma Barton
Senior Director, Alliance and Integration Management
AstraZeneca
THURSDAY 16 JULY | 17:10 -18:30
Closing Reception
Exclusively for Corporate M&A Professionals
The most prestigious annual M&A conference
The cross-disciplinary agenda will be unpacked by a diverse speaking faculty from various industries and roles, who will share first-hand experiences, best practices, and guidance on delivering high performing transactions.
Data-driven M&A Insights
150+ Corporate M&A Leaders
Extensive M&A Research
Exclusively for Corporate M&A Professionals
M&A Conference London
University of Chicago, Booth School of Business
1 Bartholomew Close, London EC1A 7BL
Thursday 16 July, 2026
- Welcome Reception | 8:15 - 8:45
- Opening Remarks | 8:45 - 9:00
- M&A Conference Sessions | 9:00 - 12:00
- Lunch | 12:00 - 13:00
- M&A Conference Sessions | 13:00 - 17:10
- Closing Reception | 17:10 - 18:30
£1,150 | £0 for Members Become an All Access Member
Registration is not open to M&A consultants, advisors, vendors, or members of the media.
Unqualified registrations will be canceled and refunded, less a 100 USD bank processing fee.
Exclusively for Corporate M&A Professionals
M&A Forum London
15 OCTOBER, 2026 | THE SHARD
This highly interactive M&A Forum gathers corporate deal teams to consider challenges impacting complex transactions and explore techniques for refining the M&A process and transaction performance.
