Conference programme

The panel will explore how tightening regulatory controls on mergers and acquisitions are transforming deal-making in a world where economic power is shifting toward Asia and the broader Global South. It will look at how competition authorities and foreign investment review bodies are becoming more assertive and more coordinated across borders. Finally, it will analyse whether the global M&A landscape is moving from a historically West centric reference point toward a more multipolar regulatory equilibrium, and what that means for businesses, advisers and policymakers.

Governance reforms and rising shareholder activism have helped facilitate a rapid surge in unsolicited takeover attempts in Japan in recent years. As in many jurisdictions, hostile M&A is no longer ‘taboo’ and is becoming a real possibility for Japanese corporations. As a result, it has become ever more important for companies and advisers representing targets, acquirors and investors to understand the various tactics that may be employed by potential bidders and defensive measures that are available to corporations. In this session, the panel of seasoned practitioners, including financial and strategic communications advisers, will discuss key trends and developments relating to unsolicited takeovers in Japan and how they compare to other jurisdictions. Within these, there will be an emphasis on the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry’s (METI) new takeover guidelines, the increasingly important role of shareholder activist campaigns and evolving defensive tactics in Japan and around the world. The panelists will draw on their expertise and provide practical insights into how various players may consider and effectively navigate such situations.

Intellectual property (IP) assets are increasingly at the heart of M&A transactions, driving value and shaping deal structures across industries and jurisdictions. This panel brings together leading experts from the US, UK, South Korea and Japan to explore the critical issues and emerging trends in managing IP rights in cross-border deals. Subjects will include effective IP due diligence, strategies for risk allocation and valuation, handling complex licensing arrangements, addressing data and technology transfer challenges and navigating local legal nuances. The session will also highlight practical approaches to post-completion integration and dispute resolution, equipping dealmakers with the tools to unlock and protect IP value in a rapidly evolving global landscape.

This session will take the form of an interactive negotiation of an international M&A transaction by counsel for the seller and buyer. Successful negotiation is an art that comes naturally to some, but must be learnt by most of us. This session will provide a unique opportunity to witness and question the negotiation positions, perspectives and alternatives of M&A counsel from several jurisdictions as they work to develop the best deal available, thus highlighting key strategies and pitfalls to avoid.

The private equity market is facing overlapping and interdependent challenges that are shaping business opportunities for private equity funds in Asia and globally. (Geo)political challenges, tough exit environments and fundraising conditions are affecting transaction structures as well as deal terms, paving the way not only for new markets and target sectors, but also for new financing strategies and alliances. The discussion will focus on how the markets have adapted to these challenges, the shifting focus of private equity funds in Asian markets, newfound opportunities and projected developments for 2026.

In a rapidly changing environment for cross-border M&A, general counsel are expected to play an increasingly diverse role that extends well beyond traditional risk management. Alongside safeguarding legal and regulatory compliance, in-house legal leaders are now closely involved in shaping deal strategy, guiding key decision-making and supporting effective execution under time pressure.

In this panel, senior in-house counsel from corporates and institutional investors across Asia will discuss how they help management navigate uncertainty, translate complex cross-border risks into clear and actionable advice and collaborate with internal stakeholders and external counsel to convert strategy into effective and timely execution. The discussion will also explore how expectations of the general counsel’s function have evolved and what in-house teams seek from their advisers to support resilient deal execution in today’s market.

In these unpredictable times, businesses may continue to face macroeconomic pressures, including interest rates, tariffs and maturity of pandemic-era debt, and certain sectors are anticipated to fall into distress in 2026. This panel will explore how private credit funds and strategic buyers may capitalise on sector-specific distress, including navigating a landscape defined by ‘loan-to-own’ manoeuvrers. We will also look at what companies can do to keep the barbarians at the gate.