Panels

The conference will include the following panels. For more information about panels or for the opportunity to participate as an industry professional, please contact VPs of Panels Melvin Hibberd and Blake Kurisu.

The Future of Mergers & Acquisitions

The panel will examine the prospects of the M&A market in the new financial landscape. Speakers will discuss the consequences of the economic crisis on the global M&A scene and will share their outlook for the sector’s future. Is the era of big deals over? How has the relationship between corporations and banks changed as a result of the global economic downturn? What is the potential impact of tightened securities laws on the M&A market? And how much truth is there in the idea that now is the best time for firms to consider consolidation opportunities?

Moderated by Robert Kaplan

Panelists include:

Turnarounds & Restructuring: Finding Opportunities in Distressed Situations

As performance of corporations declined, access to credit became scarce, and companies veered towards the brink of bankruptcy, distressed investors, turnaround managers, and restructuring firms entered unchartered territory. This panel will explore how these players have capitalized on market disruptions and where pockets of opportunity may exist going forward.

Moderated by Dr. Daniel Bergstresser

Panelists include:

Alternative Investments: Risk and Reward in a Changed Environment

Some of the most dramatic alterations in the financial landscape have taken place in the alternative investment space.  This panel will investigate the evolving dynamics of risk and reward in private equity, venture capital and hedge fund investment strategies.  How have shifting markets impacted the alternative investment universe?  Are these trends reversible or has there been a paradigm shift?  How, if at all, have alternative investment firm business models changed?  Have changes in the markets altered the nature of work at hedge funds and private equity and venture capital firms?

Moderated by Nabil El-Hage

Panelists include:

Corporate Finance: Value Creation in Uncertain Times

Emerging from the recent turmoil, how are corporations preparing themselves to drive the economic value generation necessary for an economic recovery?  What are the opportunities in the market? How will this growth be financed? How do companies prioritize between stabilizing financial positions and chasing the potential upside.  This panel will investigate where companies stand today, where they are looking to go and how the lessons learned from the crisis are going to dictate future strategy.

Moderated by Dr. Daniel Bergstresser

Panelists include:

The New Contours of the Capital Markets

The capital markets have undergone a number of macro-changes that have reshaped the corporate landscape.  The significant levels of debt financing that goaded the mortgage meltdown are no longer in play.  With new regulations and reforms, liquidity is slowly returning and companies are taking advantage of market opportunities that exist in an awakening economy.  What type of leverage can the global markets offer to corporations?  Will this growth be sustainable?  How will this change the way institutions have used financial leverage? This panel attempts to outline the landscape of the new capital markets and provide insight from both the private and regulatory perspectives.

Moderated by Dr. Ryan Taliaferro

Panelists include:

Deconstructing the Deal: A Case Study

This workshop will examine deeply into a major transaction of the past year in order to draw out the intricacies of the deal and explore the critical success factors as well as lessons learned in the deal-making process. What were the underlying strategic rationales that made the deal favorable under the industry environment? How was the optimal deal structure determined to enable the best value creation for the long-term? What were the major challenges in the deal-making process and how were these challenges resolved? How did the reviving credit and market environment shape the transaction? What were the key takeaways of the deal and how will these affect future transactions in the industry and the market in general?

Presented by Nick Sakellariadis - Managing Director, Mergers & Acquisitions, Citi

Careers in Finance: Perspectives from the Frontlines

During the past year, firms worldwide have been forced to cut jobs and operate as leaner organizations in the new financial landscape. Now that the period of major market realignment seems to be drawing to a close, we will ask our panelists if and why the MBA value proposition remains of interest to their companies. Will there be opportunities this year, and during the next few years, for those seeking a career in finance? What does it take to land a job at one of the world’s top tier firms and what can MBAs expect from their new job once they get it? Our panelists will talk about passion, commitment and sacrifice and offer a valuable firsthand look into careers in what is (still) one of the most sought-after industries worldwide.

Moderated by Dr. Robert Eccles

Panelists include:

Private Equity Secondaries: A new asset class?

Recent market events may have slowed the majority of the financial world, but they served as the catalyst to launch the secondary PE asset class into the limelight.  Offering sellers liquidity even in the midst of the turmoil, and providing upside to those willing to take the risk, there is little doubt of the value of this market.  This panel will seek to investigate the potential for an increasingly active secondary market, what investment profile it offers to buyers, what value it produces for sellers, and the ramifications for the PE industry.

Panelists include: