13th IBA European Corporate and Private M&A Conference in Paris

The echoes from the 13th IBA European Corporate and Private M&A Conference held in Paris last week are still here. Noewe Legal partners Ernesta Žiogienė and Giedrė Dailidėnaitė share their takeaways.

Main highlights from Rothschild overview still resonate:

• 2024 was second lowest year in M&A since 2014 (while 2023 was marking the bottom) in Europe and globally. A wait-and-see attitude still dominated.
• Further recovery from various hits (covid, war, interest spikes) moves forward
• Trends such as deglobalization, cold war (tensity between US and China), increasing sovereignty concerns, M&A legislations protecting against foreign acquisitions would be very significant
• ESG importance in M&A process would increase
• 2025 is a dangerous year for CEOs, but difficulties should be taken as opportunities.
• Trust and loyalty remain essential. By guiding clients through tough times, advisors—including lawyers—would be able to build lasting advantages.

Paris, IBA community, networking. And of course, a bit of colours from the capital of fashion.