Given continued high equity valuations, historically low interest rates and volatility all around, what are the tactics and strategies dealmakers can employ to best structure transactions in the current environment? This panel will address how to weigh the trade-offs involved in using cash, stock and debt to finance deals as well as expectations for cost synergies and top-line and/or market share growth.

Moderator: Kimberly Petillo-Décossard, Partner, Cahill Gordon & Reindel

Panelist: Kyle Fox, PE Consultant, H.I.G. Capital

Panelist: Jelena Guzenko, Director, Mergers & Acquisitions, Siemens

Panelist: Gino Sabatini, Head of Investments, W. P. Carey Inc.

Panelist: Chris Schulitz, Director, Mergers & Acquisitions, Paychex, Inc.

Panelist: Daniel Yunger, Managing Director, Kekst CNC

What are the trends currently prevailing in PE and what does the foreseeable future hold? What are the most promising sectors and segments for PE and the most prevalent means of financing transactions in them? This panel will cover these topics as well as the impact of the macroeconomic and political climate, high equity valuations, volatility and rising interest rates – and how to meet the challenge of doing due diligence in this environment.

Moderator: Omar Pringle, Partner, Corporate and M&A, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

Panelist: Darren Abrahamson, Managing Director, Bain Capital Private Equity

Panelist: Alex Darden, President and Head of US Infrastructure, EQT Partners Inc.

Panelist: James Manges, Partner, Head of Consumer, Trilantic Capital Partners

Panelist: Stephen Master, Vice President, GTCR

Panelist: Eric Schaefer, Managing Director, Eurazeo Capital

As Activism becomes more commonplace, new trends and tactics have emerged. This panel will examine some of the most interesting: dissident campaigns, including a surge in withhold-vote campaigns, proxy fights coupled with hostile bids and activists’ hiring of multiple proxy solicitors to target retail and institutional investors separately. What are the challenges facing corporate management when targeted by multiple activists with different investment objectives and horizons?

Moderator: Ele Klein, Partner, Schulte Roth & Zabel

Panelist: Kal Goldberg, Partner, Finsbury

Panelist: Quentin Koffey, Portfolio Manager, Strategic Investments, D.E. Shaw & Co.

Panelist: Kai Liekefett, Partner, Chair, Shareholder Activism Practice, Sidley

Panelist: Bob Marese, Managing Director, MacKenzie Partners, Inc.

Panelist: Dianne McKeever, Chief Investment Officer, Ides Capital

Canopy Growth Corporation (CGC) was the first cannabis producing company in North America to be listed on both the Toronto Stock Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange, and included in a major stock index. To date, the company has enjoyed market support for capital raises of over $6 billion including a $5 billion investment by Fortune 500 beverage company, Constellation Brands. Amid the push to legalization in the U.S., big deals continue to happen in the space. Jim Cramer talks with Mr. Linton about why the industry is so hot and where it’s headed next.

Interviewer: James J. Cramer, Host, “Mad Money with Jim Cramer” & Co-Anchor, “Squawk on The Street”, CNBC; Founder, TheStreet, Inc.

Speaker: Bruce Linton, Founder, Chairman and Co-CEO, Canopy Growth Corporation

Speaker: James J. Cramer, Host, “Mad Money with Jim Cramer” & Co-Anchor, “Squawk on The Street”, CNBC; Founder, TheStreet, Inc.

Recent effective, innovative and disruptive deals, and what made them so successful, offer important lessons for corporate dealmakers. What are the most promising opportunities and biggest challenges facing dealmakers going forward? How are corporate acquirors seeing value in their increased use of representations and warranties insurance? Panelists also examine the role that integration plays in these calculations, and what forecasting techniques can best ensure that projections are realistic.

Moderator: Steve Gelsi, Senior Reporter, The Deal

Panelist: James Batson, Investment Manager, Legal Counsel, Bentham IMF

Panelist: Rachel Bhattacharya, Director, Corporate Finance, Strategic Initiatives, Investor Relations, General Motors

Panelist: Matthew Greenberg, Partner, Pepper Hamilton

Panelist: Edward Richards, Vice President, Corporate Business Development, The Lubrizol Corporation (a Berkshire Hathaway Company)

Panelist: Eric Ziff, Managing Director, Aon Transaction Solutions

Shifts in antitrust and foreign investment policies continue to have numerous implications for the market. Dealmakers must understand the climate—the opportunities and risks. What should we make of the attack on AT&T-Time Warner? Do all Chinese buyers face roadblocks at CFIUS? What steps can dealmakers take to effectively understand all of the various risks involved in any international deal, and how can they reduce the regulatory uncertainties associated with cross-border transactions?

Moderator: Mary Lehner, Partner, Antitrust, Competition and Trade, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

Panelist: Deepak Gupta, Vice President, Mergers & Acquisitions, Covanta Energy Corporation

Panelist: Greg Psihas, Head of Corporate Development, Lockheed Martin

Panelist: Satish Raman, Chief Corporate Development Officer, Fractal Analytics

Panelist: Raj Ratnakar, Chief Strategy Officer, Fortive

The financial services industry has embraced fintech as an object lesson in how to avoid disruption. Rather than attempt to fend off technology as a competitive threat, the industry has used M&A to refresh and expand its existing business through bolt-on deals that add new technology to their retail, commercial and investment banking systems. This panel will delve into this case study in how the “if-you-can’t-beat-em-join-em” approach can extend the life of an otherwise creaky business model.

Moderator: Chris Nolter, Senior Writer, The Deal

Panelist: Angelo Greco, Chief Business Development Officer, CardConnect, a First Data Company

Panelist: Tal Hacohen, Partner, Orrick

Panelist: Lonne Jaffe, Managing Director, Insight Venture Partners

Panelist: Randy Paine, Co-head, Key Corporate Bank and President, KeyBanc Capital Markets, Inc.

Panelist: Christina Wojcik, Vice President, Legal Services, Seal Software

State Street is the third-largest asset manager in the world, responsible for around $2.8 trillion in assets. Lori Heinel, Executive Vice President, Deputy Global Chief Investment Officer will give her perspective of how a large, long-term investor with both active and index-based strategies, views activist investors, and discuss the important balance between public and private markets.

Interviewer: Lex Suvanto, Global Managing Director, Financial Communications & Capital Markets, Edelman

Speaker: Lori Heinel, Executive Vice President, Deputy Global Chief Investment Officer, State Street Global Advisors