Wednesday, December 7 Day 1
Registration & Breakfast
Presentation
State of The Market
- SPAC deal flow in 2021-2022
- An overview of blank-check growth in Europe
- Discussion of the hot sectors for doing deals
Presentation
SPACs: A Look Forward
- The next stage for blank-check companies
- Understanding potential hurdles, regulatory and otherwise
- Finding opportunity across Europe
Networking Break
Panel
Counseling Private Companies Considering a SPAC in Turbulent Times
- What advisors tell private companies considering SPACs in the current environment
- Navigating the challenging issues of the day (and what to watch out for)
- How the markets and other forces are influencing company behavior
Keynote Presentation
What Higher Interest Rates Will Mean for the Primary Markets
- Implications of rapidly rising interest rates on economic policy
- What the end of low-interest rates will mean for new equity issuance worldwide
- Why volatile interest rates will pose not only more risk, but more opportunities
- Will the new interest rate environment be a boon or hindrance to alternative finance strategies
- Using big data to chart leading indicators and make sense of an increasingly complex world
- Negative yields are persisting despite higher nominal rates - why is this?
Lunch
Panel
Cross-Border SPAC Activity
- Why EMEA / APAC sponsors are registering SPACs to go public in the US
- Non-US companies choosing to align with US SPACs
- Navigating the rules and regulations of cross-border transactions
Panel
Regulatory and Market Drivers and Consequent Expectations for SPACs in Europe
- What does the tumultuous market for SPACs in the U.S. say about where things are heading in Europe?
- What trends will cross the Atlantic? What are the differences?
- What should we expect for Europe-listed SPACs and How Do We Avoid the Downside?
Senior BD Investment Trusts, Sustainable Investments, Alternatives
London Stock Exchange
Panelist
Networking Break
Fireside
Are There Benefits to an Overseas SPAC Listing Due to SEC Scrutiny Stateside?
- What the SEC actually proposes
- No excise tax on European SPAC stock repurchases
- Less competition – for now – is advantageous
- European SPAC deals becoming larger and more lucrative
- A caveat: European de-SPAC mergers and standard IPOs differ little from a regulatory standpoint
Presentation
Deal Protections to Ensure Closing & Cash Certainty in De-SPAC Transactions
- Bridging the cash gap amid a tightening PIPE market
- Limiting redemptions in a bearish SPAC market
- Managing market volatility between signing and closing
- Closing conditions and termination rights
Presentation
The SPAC Conference Wrap Up: What We Learned and a Look Ahead
- Structural considerations for a successful IPO
- Regulatory scrutiny and proposed litigation
- SPAC liquidations
- Looking ahead to 2023 and beyond
Closing Remarks
Cocktail Reception (Sponsored by Toppan Merrill)
Thursday, December 8 Day 2
Breakfast
Presentation
SPAC Risk Management and Insurance
- Potential risks, historical perspectives and emerging trends
- Discussing Nuanced Insurance for SPAC transactions
- Managing and optimizing current market conditions
Round Table
Plumbing the PIPEs: SPACs and Private Equity
- Why raising private equity is a critical component in closing deals
- Understanding the growing trend towards creating a backstop against redemptions
- Identifying reliable capital sources
Networking Break
Presentation
A Look At The Rapid Growth of SPACs in Italy
- A discussion of SPAC underwriters and SPAC investors in Italy
- Key players on the Italian Market
- Why SPACs are a viable tool to take public mid size companies in Italy and other EU countries
- Innovations to fuel the next generation of Italian SPACs
Fireside
SPACs – The Opportunity for London
- General Overview of European SPAC Market
- Types of Target Suitable for De-SPAC
- Brief History of London SPAC and Latest IPOs
- Structural Overview of London SPAC
- What’s in store for next 12-18 months
Presentation
Nasdaq: How Requirements are Evolving with SPACs
- Requirements for entry on the Nasdaq Market
- How you can prepare for fast-changing regulations governing SPACs
- Getting up to speed on the current and proposed listing rules
Lunch
Fireside
Advising SPACs & Targets
- Best practices for business combinations
- SPAC extensions & shareholder meetings
- SPAC liquidations
Networking Break
Presentation
Understanding the Agency Problem Between SPAC Investors and SPAC Sponsors Inherent in Standard Contractual Arrangements
- Understanding misalignment in the incentives of sponsors and SPAC shareholders
- Assessing the potential for costly agency problems
- Why some sponsors might pursue any deal rather than liquidate
- Fostering good communication between sponsors and shareholders to avoid litigation
Presentation
Listing Options: London or Amsterdam?
- A perspective on which listing venue is the preferable market for a new European SPAC
- Amsterdam advantages (and drawbacks)
- The London edge (and disadvantages)
Closing Remarks
