Finance Conference to Focus on Mergers and Acquisitions, Nov. 19

The strategic value of mergers and acquisitions will be the focus of the fourth annual MBA student-organized Berkeley Finance Conference on Friday, Nov. 19, at the Haas School.

The conference, titled "Creating Value Through Mergers and Acquisitions," will feature three speakers:

  • Inder Singh, vice president, corporate portfolio management, long-range planning, mergers and acquisitions finance, at Cisco Systems;
  • Cynthia Gaylor, managing director, technology mergers and acquisitions, at Morgan Stanley;
  • Read Simmons, partner, private equity and telecommunications, media, and technology, at management consulting firm Bain & Co.

Six panels will explore mergers and acquisitions from both the buyer's and seller's perspectives. Corporate executives and entrepreneurs from the tech sector will discuss M&A as a tool for innovation. Another panel will feature consultants and corporate development professionals discussing strategic acquisitions and how to make them work after the documents have been signed. A third will highlight M&A market trends during the past six to 12 months from the perspectives of investment bankers and lawyers.

Justin Di Trolio, MBA 11, co-chair of the conference with James Chan, also MBA 11, is excited about being involved in the effort. “I was in the financial services sector before school, and it’s an area I enjoy. It’s also an area where Haas is growing and will continue to grow,” he says.

The only MBA student-sponsored finance conference of its kind on the West Coast, the event is expected to attract between 200 and 250 attendees, including MBA students and Bay Area industry professionals.

For more information about the conference, pricing, and registration, visit berkeleyfinanceconference.com.

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