2024 Content Sessions

Join this keynote address to hear what Bank of Montreal (BMO) Chief Investment Strategist Brian Belski sees coming down the pike. Brian will engage with the audience, giving strategic investment and portfolio management insights to participants. Brian is frequently quoted in the financial press, including regular appearances on CNBC and BNN, and is renowned for his accuracy as a strategist. In his 34th year on Wall Street, Brian is the only strategist with fiduciary responsibility – as he oversees $7 bil of assets — 10 equity and two ETF portfolios. This is a conversation you will not want to miss.

Dealmakers are feeling the impact of rising interest rates. However, despite the high cost of capital, deal makers are finding innovative ways to get deals over the finish line. From working with alternative sources of financing to deploying innovative deal structures, dealmakers are proving their resilience and adapting to today’s high rate environment.

Learn about Microsoft’s pre-merger and post-merger programs for ACG members and your operating partners. Learn how to quickly adopt AI to digitally transform your own firm as well as your operating partners. Equally important, learn how to use Microsoft programs to improve pre-sale valuations, lower cybersecurity risks, and transform your business using data and AI.

A record number of PE-owned companies filed for bankruptcy in 2023. With heavy debt loads and high interest rates, portfolio companies are under pressure. The Fed is expected to ease rates in the second half of 2024, but will that be enough to bring companies back to health, or will restructuring be necessary?

The desire to grow the number of women in the workforce is stronger than ever – and this goes for the financial services industry as well. Join the conversation to learn about the strides women have made in the industry, and what strategies firms are using to hire and retain more women among their ranks.

AI technologies are likely to transform whole industries and companies alike, but financial services firms are still feeling out how to put the transformative technology to use. Hear from the experts what the advantages and pitfalls are of using AI technologies, why adoption has been slow and why not learning how to use AI will put your firm at a disadvantage.

Selling activity fell to its lowest point in over a decade. PE’s end game is to grow portfolio companies. With higher interest rates, PE companies are needing to grow for longer. Across the US companies currently held by PE owners, the median age has stretched to 4.2 years and those that exited were held for 6.4 years, a new all-time high. A maturity wall is fast approaching in the form of finite-term funds and loans. Join this session to learn where and when private equity firms will find exit opportunities going forward.

Join GF Data Managing Director Bob Dunn as he discusses factors that led to a laggard deal market in 2023, and what factors will drive a comeback in the coming year.

A discussion on post-close trends, in particular how integration support teams are growing in size and getting involved earlier in the pre-close phases.

Understanding the stages of the deal process that can be elevated through the use of Generative AI and automation, and where human intervention is still irreplaceable.

In this session, industry experts will delve into the revolutionary impacts of artificial intelligence on the mergers and acquisitions landscape. This dynamic and interactive discussion will cover how AI technologies are redefining due diligence processes, deal sourcing, risk assessment, and post-merger integration strategies. Attendees will gain insights into the latest AI tools that are streamlining deal-making, enhancing predictive analytics, and facilitating smarter decision-making. The session will also cover unique insight into how dealmakers are currently using AI, plan to use AI in the future and the challenges they’re looking to address in these ‘early days’ of AI. Join us to explore the future of intelligent deal-making in an AI-driven world.