Reuters Global M&A Summit creates buzz in dealmaking world

The Reuters Global Mergers & Acquisitions Summit from April 4 to 6 created a buzz in the dealmaking world as nearly 60 investment bankers and lawyers visited Reuters offices in New York, London, Hong Kong and Toronto and gave exclusives insights into their views of the outlook for M&A and threats to the business such as global uncertainty, growing nationalism and sluggish recovery. The Summit produced a multimedia package of more than 30 exclusive text stories, plus Reuters Insider video segments and graphics, covering some of the hottest issues: boardroom caution on dealmaking, global exchanges consolidation, nationalism in oil and gas deals, private equity’s elusive $10 billion-plus buyouts, the outlook for IPO markets, and increase in insider trading cases. Reuters polled dozens of bankers on a range of issues, from compensation to the ethics of former Warren Buffett protege David Sokol. The Summit turned heads: Bankers reached out proactively to thank Reuters for giving them the opportunity to participate, and a London public relations executive said he wanted more of his clients to participate next year. One of Wall Street’s largest banks, which had previously declined to participate in the summit, heard it was a success and wanted a list of the panelists. A representative of a major international investment bank said: “All have enjoyed and thought the panels were well done. I feel like they`ve generated a lot of buzz broadly.” At a major real estate conference in New York the next day, with people like Pershing’s Bill Ackman as speakers, a session started with a reference to the Reuters M&A Summit.