City & Financial Global is delighted to announce the return of its highly regarded M&A Summit, taking place on 21 October. The last two post-COVID years have led to a pent-up demand for deal activity which was thwarted by uncertain economic conditions, rising inflation and higher interest rates. But has all that now changed? M&A involving a UK target is 84 per cent higher this year than it was during the same period in 2023, with the UK public to private market particularly active. Interest rates have stabilised, inflation is falling, and less volatile markets make it easier for dealmakers to price deals and plan ahead. PE has become the dominant source of deals, accounting for 42% of all transactions in 2023 by volume and 55% in terms of value. PE houses are keen to get back to business as usual and invest the funds that have built up in recent years.

Against this background, the M&A Summit will provide an invaluable opportunity to understand how you can capitalise on the anticipated surge in M&A activity. The event will have particular relevance to Heads of Acquisitions and Strategy in quoted companies as it features keynote addresses on the latest development in the City Code with James Arculus, Deputy Director General the Takeover Panel, the current and future merger regime with Joel Bamford, Director, Mergers, CMA as well as leading M&A practitioners in financial institutions and other professional advisers. Topics to be covered include:

* The M&A outlook for the next 12 months: key drivers and deal trends, including cross-border activity, the energy transition and the role of private equity

* Developments in the applications of the Takeover Code

* The impact of the National Security and Investment Act

* The potential impact of “carried interest” reform on the sale of portfolio companies by PE firms

* The use of private credit as an alternative, or complementary, financing option

* The objectives of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act in relation to merger control in digital/tech companies