As political uncertainty, changing regulation and unstable markets have weighed on much of the large cap dealmaking in the U.S., where are dealmakers going to find deals? The middle market continues to be a vibrant area, as U.S. companies, still eager for growth look down market to spend capital. Meanwhile, PE firms, once known for large LBOs and club deals, make growth equity deals and hire specialists in venture capital and entrepreneurship. The popularity has pushed valuations in the middle market to all-time highs. How do dealmakers navigate this landscape and find good deals without overpaying?

Moderator: Jeff Rabaut, Principal, Churchill Asset Management

Panelist: Monika Brown, Senior Vice President, Mergers & Acquisitions, McKesson Corporation

Panelist: Todd Dauphinais, Founding Principal and Managing Partner, Clavis Capital Partners

Panelist: Drew Flanigan, Principal, Riverside Company

Panelist: Ned Fleming, Founder & Managing Partner, SunTx Capital Partners

With private equity still sitting on record piles of cash, investors are seeking the next big investment boom. From healthcare to technology to financial services to organic foods, private equity continues to be a big player in the growth of new and developing industries. What is the outlook for PE going forward? What are the hottest sectors for investment, and what has fallen out of favor? This panel will provide a unique analysis of the different sectors and markets that are attracting private equity investment, and what is driving those trends.

Moderator: Thomas Yang, Partner, Akin Gump

Panelist: Brendan Achariyakosol, Director, Private Equity, Ardenton Capital

Panelist: Mike Hollander, Principal, GTCR

Panelist: Jeremy Lynch, Partner, Trilantic Capital Partners

Panelist: Heather Madland, Principal, Business Development, Huron Capital

Addition by subtraction is true, too, in corporate America, especially today as the age of the American conglomerate comes to an end. With investors – both retail and activists alike — hungry for pure-plays and dealmaking still strong, corporates are honing their portfolios through divestitures. How do you know when a unit is noncore and when it’s time to sell? How do you navigate a sale of part of your business and refocus around another asset? How do you determine if there is value in the company’s real estate that can be captured? For buyers, how do you know it’s a good time to double down on acreage someone else deems noncore?

Moderator: Mark Habner, CEO and Co-Founder, BeckWay Group

Panelist: Maureen Kelly Cooper, Executive Director, Corporate Capital Markets, Cushman & Wakefield

Panelist: Conner Searcy , Managing Partner, Trive Capital

Panelist: Jason Pizza, Managing Director, Strategic Solutions, Grant Thornton

We’ve all heard about technology disrupting the status quo through innovation and AI, but has it changed how organizations are doing M&A? Big data and the force of analytics are driving competitive advantage for buyers and sellers and even excel may no longer be a staple in analysis. This panel will discuss what the future of transactions will look like and what do boards and decision makers need to understand to navigate these new capabilities through innovation.

Moderator: Steve Gelsi, Senior Reporter, The Deal

Panelist: Nichole Jordan, National Managing Partner, Markets, Clients & Industry, Grant Thornton

Panelist: Jim Peko, National Managing Principal, Transaction Services, Grant Thornton

The days of big R&D budgets are all but lost, but companies continue to innovate, often times through dealmaking. How are corporates using deals to shape their businesses and position themselves for the future? Corporate dealmakers and advisers discuss innovation through dealmaking and how to balance this with shareholder returns and long-term growth.

Moderator: Tom Harris, Partner, Haynes and Boone

Panelist: Jennifer Brown, Assistant General Counsel, Corporate, Farmer Brothers

Panelist: Dawud Crooms, Senior Counsel, 7-Eleven, Inc.

Panelist: Matt Miller, Vice President, Analytics Production Group, Seal Software

Panelist: Patrick N. W. Turner, Managing Director, VSS

Interviewer: David Marcus, Senior Reporter, The Deal

Speaker: Beth Berg, Partner, Sidley

Early-stage companies are exciting but propose their own sets of challenges when it comes to dealmaking. Inconsistent and unsophisticated systems often underlie some of the most promising businesses, but what happens when these companies seek capital, or are ready to sell? This panel will examine the ins and outs of raising money, acquiring and selling early-stage companies.

Moderator: Steve Gelsi, Senior Reporter, The Deal

Panelist: Elyse Stoltz Dickerson, CEO & Founder, Eosera, Inc.

Panelist: Nick Schanbaum, General Counsel & Chief of Staff, ParkHub

Panelist: Chris Sugden, Managing Partner, Edison Partners