IBA Annual Conference Toronto 2025

2 Nov - 7 Nov 2025

Session information

The role of shareholders in M&A transactions

Committee(s)

Corporate and M&A Law Committee (Lead)

Description

Shareholder involvement is a critical feature of many M&A transactions, yet in some cases, transactions may proceed with limited or no shareholder engagement.

This panel will examine the legal and strategic considerations surrounding shareholder involvement in both private and public M&A deals. Topics will include managing recalcitrant or dispersed shareholders in private companies, the legal thresholds for shareholder approval, and the influence of shareholder activism in public M&A. The discussion will explore how transaction structures can mitigate or require shareholder involvement, and the implications for deal certainty, timing, and execution.

Session / Workshop Chair(s)

Harry Coghill Macfarlanes LLP, London, England; Conference Coordinator Europe, Corporate and M&A Law Committee
Gabriella Covino Gianni & Origoni, Rome, Italy; Vice Chair, Corporate and M&A Law Committee

Speakers

Christine Carson Carson Proxy Advisors, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Jennifer Grossklaus Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Xanthe Ranger American Securities, New York, New York, USA
Rabbe Sittnikow Hannes Snellman, Helsinki, Finland; Member, Corporate and M&A Law Committee Advisory Board