Mergers & Acquisitions NYC | February 19, 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 

9:05-9:35 AM | Keynote Presentation 
Tensions Between Leverage and Monetary Policy: A Macroeconomic Backdrop  
Keynote Presenter:  
Hans Hoogervorst, Former Dutch Finance Minister, Public Policy Expert and Skytop Contributing Author  

9:35-10:15 AM | Panel Discussion 
Policy Shifts and M&A: Market Conditions and Regulatory Uncertainty  
Moderator:  
Nick Graziano, Partner, 2717 Partners, and Skytop Contributing Author, Host of “Inside the Corporate Boardroom”, SkytopTV Talk Show Series  
Panelists:  
Jeanne Carr, Senior Managing Director, MacKenzie Partners, Inc. 
Eric Rosenfeld, CEO, Crescendo Partners 
Lowell Robinson, Experienced Board Director and Advisor 

10:15-10:45 AM | Exclusive Interview 
Navigating the Storm: Managing Integration Risks  
Interviewer:  
Jeremy Fielding, Co-Chief Executive Officer, Partner, Kekst CNC, Skytop Contributor, Host of “To The Point”, SkytopTV Talk Show Series 
Interviewee: 
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

10:45-11:25AM | 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, Partner, 2717 Partners, and Skytop Contributing Author, Host of “Inside the Corporate Boardroom”, SkytopTV Talk Show Series 
John Glenn Grau, President and CEO, InvestorCom  

11:25-11:40 AM | Networking Break 

11:40-12:20 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.

12:20 - 12:40 PM | Fireside Chat
Strategic Currents: M&A Perspectives in the Evolving Energy Economy
Discussants:
Carlos A. Rechelo Neto, CEO, Petrobras America, Inc.
David A. Katz, Partner, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz

12:40-1:40 PM | Networking Luncheon  
 
1:40-2:10 PM | Exclusive Interview  
Catalysts of M&A: Shareholder Activists and M&A Dealmaking  
Interviewer: 
Ed Mullane, Editor, Dealreporter/Mergermarket/Activistmonitor, ION Analytics  
Interviewee:  
Sebastian Tiller, Partner, Mergers & Acquisitions and Shareholder Engagement, Head of Strategic M&A, Vinson & Elkins LLP

2:10-2:50 PM | Panel Discussion  
Energy M&A: Macro Trends, Increasing Demand and Drivers of Value  
Moderator:  
Paulo Henrique Rocha, Head of M&A, Joint Ventures and Divestitures, Motiva Enterprises LLC
Panelists:  
<<Panelist TBA>>
Jonathan Lurvey, Managing Director, Mergers & Acquisitions, Energy Sector, Bank of America 
Sean Diskin, Managing Director, Head of Power & Energy M&A, Morgan Stanley

2:50-3:30 PM | Exclusive Interview 
Cross-Border Mergers and Acquisitions: Strategies for Navigating New Challenges 
Interviewer: 
Ronald Orol, Senior Editor, The Deal  
Interviewees: 
Fred Pletcher, Partner, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
David A. Katz, Partner, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz 

3:30-3:45 PM | Networking Break 

3:45-4:25 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, SkytopTV Talk Show Series
Michael Frankel, Founder and Managing Partner, Trajectory Capital
Arthur Kohn, General Counsel, Leading Corporate Governance Expert, Skytop Contributing Author, Chair of the Editorial Committee, Skytop Media Group 

4:25-4:55 PM | Fireside Chat 
Regulatory Uncertainty, Economic Instability and Geopolitical Risk: Uncovering Opportunities as Institutional Investors Adapt to Changing Conditions
Host:

Robert McCormick, Executive Director, Council of Institutional Investors
Discussants:
Marcy Sharon Cohen, Managing Director, General Counsel and Head of Regulatory Affairs, ING Americas
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

4:55-5:00 PM | Closing Remarks 

5:00-6:00 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 Contributing Author
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
Senior Advisor, Engage.MC
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
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

Ashe Reardon
Partner
Kekst CNC

New York, NY

Robert McCormick
Executive Director
Council of Institutional Investors

Washington, D.C.

Deepak Gill
Partner
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
Vancouver, Canada


Robert Liscouski
Chairman
Quantum Computing, Inc.
Skytop Contributor and
Host, SkytopTV Talk Show Series
Washington, D.C.

Marcy Sharon Cohen
Managing Director, General Counsel and Head of Regulatory Affairs
ING Americas

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

Sebastian Tiller
Partner, Mergers & Acquisitions and Shareholder Engagement
Head of Strategic M&A
Vinson & Elkins LLP
New York, NY

Leonard Wood
Partner, Chair-Elect
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






Nick Graziano
Partner, 2717 Partners,
and Skytop Contributing Author
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

Hans Hoogervorst
Former Dutch Finance Minister
Public Policy Expert and Skytop Contributing Author
The Hague, Netherlands

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

Ronald Orol
Senior Editor
The Deal
Washington, D.C.

Chad Rucker
Senior Managing Director
Valuation Research Corporation
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

Michelle Richards
Senior 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

Pieter Idenburg
Strategic Advisor, Europe
Skytop Media Group
The Hague, Netherlands

Jean Haggerty
Senior Reporter, Activism
The Deal
New York, NY

Gianna McCarthy
Director Of Corporate Governance
New York State Office of the Comptroller
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

Ed Mullane
Editor
Dealreporter/Mergermarket/Activistmonitor
ION Analytics
New York, NY

Paulo Henrique Rocha
Head of M&A, Joint Ventures and Divestitures
Motiva Enterprises LLC
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




 

Skytop Studio & Nearby Hotels

Skytop Studio | 488 Madison Ave, 2nd Floor, NYC

Skytop Studio is located in the famous Look Building at 488 Madison Avenue between 51st and 52nd Streets.  This 23-story office building was designed in the International Style by Emery Roth & Sons. Originally named for its primary tenant, Look Magazine, directly across from St. Patrick's Cathedral, this landmark has undergone extensive renovations while retaining its original character. 

Last year, Skytop designed a state-of-the art hub, its home base along with a beautifully appointed open space, a glimmering reception area, a workshop room and a newsroom set up for its growing operations. Located one story above street level, it has floor to ceiling windows, soundproof glass and views of Madison Avenue's street life. 

Given the launching of SkytopTV, it serves as a multipurpose space while we finalize our plans to build out an additional 30,000 square feet, to support our growth in staffing and four additional state-of-the-art studios.  Once launched, this space will house some of our team, Skytop Studio, along with individual consultation rooms.

It's the perfect space for convening, networking and receptions. 

Hotels Nearby

Omni Berkshire Place

The Omni Berkshire Place is a luxury hotel located in the heart of Midtown Manhattan, New York City. Situated on 21 E 52nd St, it's just steps away from iconic attractions like St. Patrick's Cathedral, Rockefeller Center, and Radio City Music Hall. The hotel offers spacious and elegantly designed rooms, many of which feature outdoor terraces with city views. Guests can enjoy amenities such as a fitness center, Berk's Bar for cocktails, and a terrace with stunning views of St. Patrick's Cathedral.

Click Here for More

Hotel 48LEX

The Hotel 48LEX is a luxury boutique hotel located in Midtown East, Manhattan, New York City. It offers a sophisticated guesthouse experience with the charm of a residentially-styled, upscale boutique hotel. The hotel features elegant and high-style accommodations, including various salon rooms and suites with floor-to-ceiling windows, luxurious bedding, and private terraces. Guests can enjoy amenities such as a fitness center, upscale dining options, and a wine program.

Click Here for More

The Renwick Hotel

The Renwick Hotel is a charming boutique hotel located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. Nestled between Lexington and Park Avenues, it offers a blend of Old New York glamour and modern comforts. The hotel features loft-style rooms and suites, many of which were once artists' studios, providing a unique and creative atmosphere. Guests can enjoy amenities such as a fitness center, upscale dining options, and a prime location near iconic attractions like Bryant Park, Grand Central Terminal, and Times Square.

Click Here for More