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9:00 am – 7:30 pm,
including an evening reception
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Venue:
JW Marriot Hotel,
Pacific Place,
88 Queensway, Admiralty, Hong Kong
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Registration and Networking
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Welcome and Opening Address Remarks
Murray Wood
Specialty Products Leader, Aon Asia Pacific
Lee Xianwei
Head of Aon M&A and Transaction Solutions, Asia
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Panel Session 1 – State of the M&A Market: Reflecting on 2024 and Crystal Ball Gazing into 2025
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Fluctuating economic conditions have changed the market dynamics in M&A and put pressure on value investing. This panel explores the state of the M&A market as we move swiftly into 2025 having just closed off with the first financial quarter. Panelists will discuss the key risks dealmakers and stakeholders look to mitigate in the current environment.
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Moderator:
Lee Xianwei
Head of Aon M&A and Transaction Solutions, Asia
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Panel Speakers:
Vivek R. Baid
Managing Director and Head of Legal Asia Pacific, Hudson Advisors
Brian Sung
Senior Director (Business Development), China Power International Holding Ltd.
Andrew Whan
Partner, Milbank (Hong Kong) LLP
Simon Kavanagh
Co-head Greater China, BDA Partners
Murray Wood
Specialty Products Leader, Aon Asia Pacific
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Panel Session 2 – The M&A Playbook: Driving Value Throughout an M&A Lifecycle
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This panel will examine key factors to consider in proactive risk management throughout an M&A lifecycle, starting from pre-acquisition stage to post-acquisition integration. Post-completion steps are critical to the success of an M&A transaction, including being Day 1 operationally ready.
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Moderator:
Jamie Wan
Head of Transaction Advisory Services, Aon M&A and Transaction Solutions, Asia
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Panel Speakers:
Serena Bian
Managing Director, CVC Asia Pacific
Karmen Lau
Managing Director, Goldman Sachs
Edwin Chan
Partner, Goodwin Procter
Julie Brennan
National Practice Leader – Risk & Insurance Due Diligence, Aon Australia
Ling Yu
Financial Services and Professions Group Leader, Aon Asia
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Panel Session 3 – Adapting to Complexity: Innovative and Novel Applications of W&I Insurance
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As transaction parties look to address strategic challenges to dealmaking by way of creative transaction structures, alternative investment instruments, and deferred/contingent payment mechanisms (amongst other things), the W&I insurance market has stepped up to provide innovative and novel solutions to complex transaction features. In this session, the panelists will share their experiences in advising on transactions with such deal features, and how W&I insurance has been structured and adapted to fit the needs of clients and transaction structures, as well as their learnings from these experiences.
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Moderator:
Adrian Chai
Head of Transaction Solutions, Aon M&A and Transaction Solutions, Asia
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Panel Speakers:
James Cheng
Investment Director, Overseas Infrastructure Fund Development, China Everbright Limited
Justin Chan
Partner, Slaughter & May
Jade Cummings
M&A Product Leader – Asia Pacific, Beazley
Jay Kang
Vice President, Aon M&A and Transaction Solutions, North America
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Panel Session 4 – W&I Insurance Claims: Triggers, Trends and Tactics
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With W&I insurance becoming more prevalent in regional transactions, this panel will share highlights about the claims trends in W&I insurance as well as our Aon Claims Study globally including a consideration of the representations cited most often in a claims notice. The panel will discuss case studies, the developing case law on W&I in this space, coverage issues as well as the common issues faced by insureds in claims management.
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Moderator:
Mark Wong
Associate Director, Transaction Solutions, Aon M&A and Transaction Solutions, Asia
Panel Speakers:
Michael Peer
Partner and Managing Director, Alix Partners
Darren Savage
Head of M&A for Asia Pacific, AIG
Alice Ho
Head of Asia Pacific, Euclid Transactional
Simon Tesselment
Global Co-Chief Broking Officer, Aon M&A and Transaction Solutions
Cathryn Neo
Associate Director - Litigation and Contingent Risks, Transaction Solutions, Aon M&A and Transaction Solutions, Asia
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Panel Session 5 – Creating Value: Central Role of Human Capital in M&A
Human Capital is still an untapped area neglected during the pre-sale process by both buyers and sellers. In this session, panelists will discuss how a robust human capital M&A strategy with a carefully orchestrated and considered approach starting from the due diligence process through to post-transaction would significantly enhance the value of the transaction for both buyers and sellers.
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Moderator:
Blossom Lim
Growth Leader, Aon M&A and Transaction Solutions, Asia
Panel Speakers:
Alvin Lam
Partner, CVC Capital Asia
Stephanie Keen
Partner and Head of Singapore, O'Melveny & Myers LLP
Dennis Gan
Head of Human Capital M&A, Aon M&A and Transaction Solutions, Asia
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Panel Session 6 – Overcoming Uncertainty: Navigating Known Risks in M&A and Ongoing Disputes
This panel will tackle what causes an impasse in an M&A transaction and discuss how known issues red-flagged in due diligence reports could be navigated through the structuring of innovative contingent risk solutions. Hear how corporates, private equities, financial advisors and transactional lawyers can overcome issues such as title, licensing, land zoning, contractual interpretation amongst others. Discover how litigation risk insurance can also be applied outside of a transaction in live disputes to help corporates and litigators navigate duration and financial uncertainties.
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Moderator:
Siddick Khan
Director, Transaction Solutions, Aon M&A and Transaction Solutions, Asia
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Panel Speakers:
Alex Au
Director – General Counsel (Corporate and Investment), Link Asset Management Limited
Stephen Chan
Partner, Charles Russell Speechlys LLP
Steven Harwood
Managing Partner Asia Pacific, Fusion Specialty
Cathryn Neo
Associate Director - Litigation and Contingent Risks, Transaction Solutions, Aon M&A and Transaction Solutions, Asia
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Panel Session 7 – Insure to Ensure: Optimizing Tax Liability Insurance in M&A and Beyond
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The panel will discuss how tax liability insurance can be a strategic tool to protect the value of an investment from early-stage negotiations to liquidity at exit; and on a stand-alone basis, to bring certainty to non-transactional risks. It will also consider how this tool has been used to secure investors, assure current shareholders and protect tax structures from unanticipated tax leakage within and outside of M&A transactions.
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Moderator:
Vijay Nair
Director - Tax, Transaction Solutions, Aon M&A and Transaction Solutions, Asia
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Panel Speakers:
James Badenach
Managing Partner and Head of A&M Tax Asia Pacific, ex-Australia, Alvarez & Marsal
Loretta So
Partner, Asset Management Tax, KPMG
Matthew Lau
Partner, Morrison Foerster
Chong Kaihui
Head of Tax Asia Pacific, Liberty Global Transaction Solutions
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Drinks & Canapes Reception
Opening Remarks:
Adrian Chai
Head of Transaction Solutions, Aon M&A and Transaction Solutions, Asia
Jamie Wan
Head of Transaction Advisory Services, Aon M&A and Transaction Solutions, Asia
Dennis Gan
Head of Human Capital M&A, Aon M&A and Transaction Solutions, Asia
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