2021 FINANCIAL TIMES OUTSTANDING DIRECTORS EXCHANGE CONFERENCE

The 2021 Financial Times Outstanding Directors Exchange Conference (ODX), focused on economic recovery and cultural change, took place October 26-28 in a virtual environment. Global Managing Partner George Casey led two sessions directors.

On Tuesday, October 26, George moderated the roundtable “Improving Board Oversight Post-Merger” to discuss the steps boards should take to ensure integration plans go smoothly and promised synergies are realized post-close. Panelists included Claudia Fan Munce (Venture Advisor, NEA; Director: Best Buy, Bank of the West/BNP Paribas, Corelogic) and Cheryl Mayberry McKissack (Non-executive Chairman: Deluxe; President and Co-Owner, Black Opal).

On Wednesday, October 27, George chaired the panel discussion “New Realities in M&A” with panelists Douglas Geoga (President and CEO, Salt Creek Hospitality, LLC; Former Chairman: Extended Stay America (until 2021), ESH Hospitality (until 2021)), Young Sohn (Chairman, HARMAN International; Director: Cadence Design Systems) and Donna Wells (CEO, Valencia Ventures, LLC; Director: Mitek Systems, Walker & Dunlop) to discuss the current geopolitical and deal specific M&A environment post-pandemic and how M&A strategy and deal execution may be shifting as a result, and what directors may need to focus on in both buy-side and sell-side transactions as M&A will continue to evolve.