Please join Mayer Brown for an engaging half-day forum focused on the evolving landscape of financial services M&A, with an emphasis on market outlooks, strategic partnerships, and the convergence of private credit, insurance, and banking. We will conclude with a networking reception.
Topics will include:
- 2026 Vision: Market Forces Shaping Financial Services M&A
- Convergence in Action: Leaders of the Pack in Insurance, Asset Management and Private Credit
- AI in Financial Services: Opportunities, Risks, and the Road Ahead
- Deal or No Deal: Inside High Stakes M&A Disputes
- When the Cycle Turns: Restructuring Signals and Implications for Financial Services M&A Deals
Guest Speakers: Katie Daly, Apollo; Frank Dery, Berkeley Research Group, LLC; David DesPrez, Bain Capital; Brent Ferrin, Houlihan Lokey; Al Laufenberg, KBW; Graham Nix, Evercore; Zach Pfanstiel, UBS; Michael Pokrassa, Raymond James; Sanjay Sakhrani, KBW; Gary Silber, KKR Insurance; Rishi Taparia, Garuda Ventures; Albert Yee, Macquarie Group.
Wednesday, January 14, 2026
1:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Registration
2:00 p.m. – 5:45 p.m. Program
5:45 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Networking Reception
Location
Mayer Brown
New York Office
1221 Avenue of The Americas
New York, NY 10020-1001
Agenda
- 1:30 – 2:00 P.M.
Registration
- 2:00 – 2:05 P.M.
Welcome Remarks
- 2:05 - 3:05 P.M.
2026 VISION: MARKET FORCES SHAPING FINANCIAL SERVICES M&A
- David DesPrez, Partner, Bain Capital
- Brent Ferrin, Managing Director, Houlihan Lokey
- Al Laufenberg, Managing Director, KBW Investment Bank
- Graham Nix, Senior Managing Director, Evercore
- Zach Pfanstiel, Managing Director, UBS
- JP Bernard, Partner, Mayer Brown
- Daniel Serota, Partner, Mayer Brown
- 3:05 – 3:15 P.M.
NETWORKING BREAK
- 3:15 – 4:00 P.M.
Convergence in Action: Leaders of the Pack in Insurance, Asset Management and Private Credit
- Katie Daly, Partner, Apollo, Global Head of M&A, Reinsurance and Pensions, Athene
- Gary Silber, Managing Director, General Counsel of Investments and Risk, KKR Insurance
- Albert Yee, Managing Director, Insurance Capital Solutions, Macquarie
- Greg Oguss, Partner, Mayer Brown
- 4:00 – 4:30 P.M.
AI IN FINANCIAL SERVICES: OPPORTUNITIES, RISKS, AND THE ROAD AHEAD
- Sanjay Sakhrani, Managing Director, KBW Investment Bank
- Rishi Taparia, Co-Founder and General Partner, Garuda Ventures
- Nina Flax, Partner, Mayer Brown
- 4:30 – 4:40 P.M.
NETWORKING BREAK
- 4:40 – 5:10 P.M.
DEAL OR NO DEAL: INSIDE HIGH-STAKES M&A DISPUTES
- Frank Dery, Managing Director, Berkeley Research Group
- Frank Favia, Partner, Mayer Brown
- 5:10 – 5:40 P.M.
WHEN THE CYCLE TURNS: RESTRUCTURING SIGNALS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR FINANCIAL SERVICES M&A DEALS
- Michael Pokrassa, Managing Director, Raymond James
- Joaquin C de Baca, Partner, Mayer Brown
- Richard Stieglitz, Partner, Mayer Brown
- 5:40 – 5:45 P.M.
CLOSING REMARKS
- 5:45 – 7:00 P.M.
NETWORKING RECEPTION
