Mergers & Acquisitions NYC | April 8th, 2026

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8:00-9:00 AM | Registration & Networking Breakfast

9:00-9:05 AM | Welcome Remarks
Christopher P. Skroupa, Founder & CEO, Skytop Strategies 

9:05-9:40 AM | Panel Discussion
Policy Shifts and M&A: Market Conditions and Regulatory Uncertainty
Moderator:
Nick Graziano, Managing Partner, Venetus Partners, Skytop Contributor, Host of “Inside the Corporate Boardroom”, SkytopTV Talk Show Series
Panelists:
Eric Rosenfeld, CEO, Crescendo Partners 
Elina (Lina) Tetelbaum, Partner, Head of Shareholder Engagement and Activism Defense, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz
Rolin P. Bissell, Partner, Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor, LLP

9:40-10:20 AM | Exclusive Interview
From Call Center to Tech Platform: M&A Integration Blueprint for Business Model Reinvention
Interviewer:
Anntal Silver, Partner, Kekst CNC  
Interviewee:
Si-Yeon Kim, Board Director, Chair, Nom/Gov, Audit Committee, XCF Global, Board Director, Compensation Committee, Associated Metal Forming Technologies, Former Chief Risk Officer, American Express Global Business Travel

10:20-10:55 AM | Panel Discussion
Driving M&A Success: The Crucial Role of Talent
Moderator:
Lisa L. Hunter, Managing Director, Newport Consulting Group, Inc., Senior Fellow, The Conference Board, Executive Fellow, Cornell Institute for Compensation Studies
Panelists:
Dwain Celistan, Managing Partner, Diversity Practice, DHR Global 
Nick Graziano, Managing Partner, Venetus Partners, Skytop Contributor, Host of “Inside the Corporate Boardroom”, SkytopTV Talk Show Series 
John Glenn Grau, President and CEO, InvestorCom
Suzan Morno-Wade, Founder, Ascendio Management Group, Independent Director & Compensation Committee Chair, Veritiv Holdings and Latham Pool Group (NASDAQ:SWIM), former Chief HR Officer, Xerox Holdings (NASDAQ:XRX)

11:55-11:15 AM | Networking Break

11:15 - 11:45 AM | Panel Discussion
Strategic Currents: M&A Perspectives in the Evolving Energy Economy
Moderator:
Carlos A. Rechelo Neto, CEO, Petrobras America, Inc.
Panelists:
David A. Katz, Partner, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz

11:45-12:25 PM | Panel Discussion
Strategic Liquidity & Valuation in Private Equity: Navigating Continuation Fund Vehicles and Deal Economics
Moderator:
Ryan Tomicic, Partner, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
Panelists:
Dave El Helou, Managing Director, Private Capital Advisory, Evercore
Chad Rucker, Senior Managing Director, Valuation Research Corporation
August Vlak, Partner and Managing Director, Barington Capital Group, L.P.
Matt Hortenstine, Partner, Investment Funds, Vinson & Elkins LLP

12:25-1:25 PM | Networking Luncheon

1:25-2:00 PM | Panel Discussion
Catalysts of M&A: Shareholder Activists and M&A Dealmaking
Moderator:
Sal Migliorisi, Director, Business Development, Capital Markets and M&A, EdgarAgents
Panelists:
Francisco J. Morales Barrón, Partner, Mergers & Acquisitions and Private Equity, Vinson & Elkins LLP
Mauro da Cunha, Independent Director, Multiple Boards, Senior Advisor, Engage.MC, Skytop Contributor and Host of “Capital Connection”, SkytopTV Talk Show Series
Jeanne Carr, Senior Managing Director, MacKenzie Partners, Inc.

2:00-2:35 PM | Panel Discussion
Energy M&A: Macro Trends, Increasing Demand and Drivers of Value
Moderator:
Paulo Henrique Rocha, former Head of M&A, Joint Ventures and Divestitures, Motiva Enterprises LLC, former Director of Equity and Client Arrangements, Latin America, McKinsey & Company, Founding Partner, Base Capital Partners
Panelists:
Jonathan Lurvey, Managing Director, Mergers & Acquisitions, Energy Sector, Bank of America
Sandy Nessing, Founder & CEO, PurposePower, LLC, Senior Advisor, TRC Companies, Inc., former Vice President & Chief Sustainability Officer, American Electric Power
Mauro da Cunha, Independent Director, Multiple Boards, Senior Advisor, Engage.MC, Skytop Contributor and Host of “Capital Connection”, SkytopTV Talk Show Series

2:35-3:15 PM | Fireside Chat
Cross-Border Mergers and Acquisitions: Strategies for Navigating New Challenges
Lead Discussant:
Nathan Riggs, Partner, Kekst CNC  
Discussants:
Fred Pletcher, Partner, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
David A. Katz, Partner, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz 

3:15-3:30 PM | Networking Break

3:00-4:10 PM | Panel Discussion
AI and the Digital Transformation: Its Impact on M&A
Moderator:
Bill Deckelman, Chief Legal Officer, Andersen, Vice Chairman of The Howard Baker Forum AI Collaborative
Panelists:
Chuck Brooks, Professor, Georgetown University, CEO, Brooks Consulting International, Skytop Contributor & Host of “Intelligence Briefing”, SkytopTV Talk Show Series   
Robert Liscouski, Chairman, Quantum Computing, Inc., Skytop Contributor and Host of “Shadow Networks”, SkytopTV Talk Show Series
Michael Frankel, Founder and Managing Partner, Trajectory Capital

4:10-4:45 PM | Panel Discussion
Regulatory Uncertainty, Economic Instability and Geopolitical Risk: Uncovering Opportunities as Institutional Investors Adapt to Changing Conditions
Moderator:
Robert McCormick, Executive Director, Council of Institutional Investors
Panelists:
Marcy Cohen, Senior Advisor, Patomak Global Partners
Charles Elson, Founding Director of the John L. Weinberg Center for Corporate Governance, Edgar S. Woolard Jr. Chair of Corporate Governance (retired), University of Delaware and Executive Editor, Directors & Boards Magazine
Arthur Kohn, General Counsel, Leading Corporate Governance Expert, Skytop Contributor, Chair of the Editorial Committee, Skytop Media Group 

4:45-4:50 PM | Closing Remarks

4:50-6:00 PM | Networking Reception

SPEAKERS

DELEGATES

 

Fred R. Pletcher
Partner
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Jeanne Carr
Senior Managing Director
MacKenzie Partners, Inc.
New York, NY

John Glenn Grau
President and CEO
InvestorCom
New York, NY

David A. Katz
Partner
Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz
New York, NY

Eric Rosenfeld
CEO
Crescendo Partners
New York, NY

Arthur Kohn
General Counsel
Leading Corporate Governance Expert
Skytop Contributor
Chair of the Editorial Committee, Skytop Media Group
New York, NY

Jeremy Fielding
Co-Chief Executive Officer, Partner, Kekst CNC
Skytop Contributor
Host of “To The Point”, SkytopTV Talk Show Series
New York, NY

Dwain Celistan
Managing Partner, Diversity Practice
DHR Global
Hinsdale, IL

Francisco J. Morales Barron
 Partner, Mergers & Acquisitions and Private Equity
Vinson & Elkins LLP
New York, NY

Mauro da Cunha
Independent Director, Multiple Boards
Senior Advisor, Engage.MC
Skytop Contributor
Host of “Capital Connection”, SkytopTV Talk Show Series
Miami, Florida

Solade Rowe
Managing Partner, Diversity & Inclusion Practice
Jobplex
Washington, D.C.

Jessica Bayer
Managing Partner, Corporate Affairs and Communications
DHR Global
Washington, D.C.

Larry Schimmel
Managing Director
MacKenzie Partners, Inc.
New York, NY

Daniel Sullivan
Senior Vice President
MacKenzie Partners, Inc.
New York, NY

Alexandre Chenesseau
Managing Director, M&A Advisory & Investments (Professional Role)
CMD Global Partners
Member, Council on Foreign Relations &
Trade Advisor, Republic of France (External Affiliations)
New York, NY

Chuck Brooks
Professor, Georgetown University
CEO, Brooks Consulting International
Skytop Contributor
Host of “Intelligence Briefing”, SkytopTV Talk Show Series
Washington, D.C.

Skarlett Vaca Jara
Social Media Director and Data Analyst
InvestorCom
New York, NY

Josh Hochberg
Global COO
Edelman Smithfield
New York, NY

Jeffrey Taufield
Vice Chairman, Partner, Founding Member
Kekst CNC
New York, NY

Robert McCormick
Executive Director
Council of Institutional Investors
Washington, D.C.

Deepak Gill
PartnerBorden Ladner Gervais LLP
Vancouver, Canada

Robert Liscouski
Chairman
Quantum Computing, Inc.
Skytop Contributor
Host of “Shadow Networks”
SkytopTV Talk Show Series
Washington, D.C.

Marcy Cohen
Senior Advisor
Patomak Global Partners
New York, NY

Jan C. Childress
Director of Investor Relations
Consolidated Edison
New York, NY

Charles Elson
Founding Director of the John L. Weinberg Center
for Corporate Governance
Edgar S. Woolard Jr. Chair
of Corporate Governance (retired)
University of Delaware
Executive Editor, Directors & Boards Magazine
Newark, DE

Matt Hortenstine
Partner, Investment Funds
Vinson & Elkins LLP
New York, NY

Leonard Wood
Partner
Chair, Shareholder Activism and Takeover Defense
Goodwin
New York, NY

Sean Diskin
Managing Director
Head of Power & Energy M&A
Morgan Stanley
New York, NY

Andrea Henderson
Partner
Life Sciences, Healthcare, Diversity,
and Board & CEO Practice Groups
DHR Global
New York, NY

Gregory P. Patti, Jr.
Partner
Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP
New York, NY

Nathan Riggs
Partner
Kekst CNC
New York, NY

Rolin P. Bissell
Partner
Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor, LLP
Wilmington, Delaware

Heather Lucore
Chief Growth Officer
EdgarAgents
New York, NY

Suzan Morno-Wade
Founder, Ascendio Management Group
Independent Director & Compensation Committee Chair
Veritiv Holdings and Latham Pool Group (NASDAQ:SWIM)
Former Chief HR Officer, Xerox Holdings (NASDAQ:XRX)
United States

Sandy Nessing
Founder & CEO, PurposePower, LLC
Senior Advisor, TRC Companies, Inc.
Former Vice President & Chief Sustainability Officer
American Electric Power
Columbus, Ohio

Nick Graziano
Partner, Venetus Partners
Skytop Contributor
Host of “Inside the Corporate Boardroom”
SkytopTV Talk Show Series
Greenwich, Connecticut

Ryan Tomicic
Partner
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Lowell Robinson
Experienced Board Director and Advisor
New York, NY

Susan Skerritt
Board Director, Tanger, Inc.
Independent Non-Executive Director, Citibank Europe PLC
Chair, IG Group North America
Non-Executive Director, IG Group
and former CEO, Banking
New York, NY

Steven Crowley
Director of Business Development
CFO Consulting Partners
Westport, Connecticut

Chad Rucker
Senior Managing Director
Valuation Research Corporation
New York, NY

Bob Marese
President
MacKenzie Partners, Inc.
New York, NY

Jonathan Lurvey
Managing Director
Mergers & Acquisitions, Energy Sector
Bank of America
New York, NY

Marty Nass
Vice Chairman & Partner, Global Real Estate Practice
DHR Global
New York, NY

Dan Carney
Partner
DHR Global
New York, NY

John Bryan
Managing Director
MacKenzie Partners, Inc.
New York, NY

Gregory Monahan
Managing Director
Crescendo Partners
Independent Board Director
New York, NY

Bill Deckelman
Chief Legal Officer, Andersen
Vice Chairman of The Howard Baker Forum AI Collaborative
McLean, Virginia

Doug Jaffe
Managing Director
InvestorCom
New York, NY

August Vlak
Partner and Managing Director
Barington Capital Group, L.P.
New York, NY

Ira Gorsky
Managing Director, Special Situations and Investor Relations
Edelman Smithfield
New York, NY

Mark Fallati
Principal
Kekst CNC
New York, NY

Dave El Helou
Managing Director, Private Capital Advisory
Evercore
New York, NY

Gianna McCarthy (Unconfirmed)
Director Of Corporate Governance
New York State Common Retirement Fund
New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli
Pension Investment and Cash Management
New York, NY

Richard Mansouri
Investments, Public Equity
Arkhouse
New York, NY

Michael Frankel
Founder and Managing Partner
Trajectory Capital
New York, NY

Paulo Henrique Rocha
Former Head of M&A, Joint Ventures and Divestitures
Motiva Enterprises LLC
Former Director, Equity and Client Arrangements, Latin America
McKinsey & Company
Founding Partner, Base Capital Partners
Houston, Texas

Carlos A . Rechelo Neto
CEO
Petrobras America, Inc.
Houston, Texas

Lisa L. Hunter
Managing Director
Newport Consulting Group, Inc.
Senior Fellow, The Conference Board
Executive Fellow
Cornell Institute for Compensation Studies
New York, NY

Rob Masella
Partner, Co-Chair, Public M&A
Goodwin
New York, NY

Perry V. Zizzi
Managing Partner
Dentons
Bucharest, Romania

Nicholas Capuano
Partner
Kekst CNC
New York, NY

Anntal Silver
Partner
Kekst CNC
New York, NY

Daniel Raglan
Partner
Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP
New York, NY

Si-Yeon Kim
Board Director, Chair, Nom/Gov, Audit Committee
XCF Global
Board Director, Compensation Committee
Associated Metal Forming Technologies
Former Chief Risk Officer
American Express Global Business Travel
New York, NY

Elina (Lina) Tetelbaum
Partner
Head of Shareholder Engagement and Activism Defense
Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz
New York, NY

Sal Migliorisi
Director, Business Development, Capital Markets and M&A
EdgarAgents
New York, NY

Nathaniel Shahan
Principal
Kekst CNC
New York, NY

James Lindsay
Senior Associate
Kekst CNC
New York, NY

Jayson Pitagorsky
Senior Associate
Kekst CNC
New York, NY

Mark Houston
Senior Managing Director
Interim CFO
GlassRatner
New York, NY



 

Venue - NYC Event Spaces 4 West 43rd Street, New York, NY

4W43 offers a conference experience set within one of Midtown Manhattan’s most distinguished Renaissance Revival buildings. Designed in the 1890s by Clarence S. Luce for David H. King Jr., the landmark stands just off Fifth Avenue, moments from Grand Central Terminal and Bryant Park. Its location provides unmatched accessibility for national and international executives, while its architectural heritage delivers a sense of gravitas befitting high‑level professional gatherings.

Inside, 4W43 provides conference spaces that balance architectural heritage with modern capability. High ceilings, refined detailing, and restored interiors create an environment that feels both inspiring and executive‑ready. Each room is supported by reliable audiovisual infrastructure, strong acoustics, and flexible layouts—ideal for keynote sessions, multi‑track programming, leadership discussions, and hybrid formats that demand seamless execution. The setting is intentionally designed to keep attendees focused, comfortable, and fully engaged throughout the event.

By joining us at 4W43, you’ll experience a conference environment that elevates the content, the conversations, and the connections we aim to create. The building’s flow, amenities, and professional support staff ensure a smooth experience from registration through closing remarks. With its blend of history, accessibility, and modern conference readiness, 4W43 provides the ideal backdrop for a gathering built to inform, inspire, and drive meaningful outcomes.