Mergers, Acquisitions & Buyouts Conference

Driving business growth through mergers & acquisitions

Why this conference?

After 7 successful editions of our Buy Your Own Company Conference, with over 1,200 participants joining, we are expanding the scope of the conference by also shedding light on how M&A can be an accelerator in a company’s growth trajectory. This conference provides you with a hands-on learning experience of the steps you need to take for a successful merger, acquisition or sale. What’s more, we also address important challenges and drivers of success from the selling side.

3 tracks, 1 unique event

People who have successfully followed their dreams and bought into companies share their stories, along with academics and experts providing backgrounds on the best approach to tackle this exciting challenge. What's in it for you? By attending this conference, you will:

• Learn how to use M&A to grow your company
• Examine how to structure and value an acquisition
• Gain practical insights from leading serial acquirers
• Discover best practices for deriving more value in cross-border deals
• Learn more about identifying and closing innovation-driven acquisitions 
• Hear how to prepare your company for sale
• Discover how family businesses drive business strategies and transitions across generations
• Network and collaborate with other peers in the market

This event offers you an excellent opportunity to reflect on your own entrepreneurial aspirations! Take a look at the brochure for the full programme and more detailed practical information!

Have a look below to catch a glimpse of the set-up and the speakers of the 2018 edition:

Schedule private meet-ups

Meet with brokers, investors, financial advisors, and bankers during private meet-up sessions to ask your personal questions and get started with your M&A journey. We will use the Conversation Starter digital app to make your networking experience more effective throughout the conference. Conversation Starter enables you to connect and schedule these meet-ups upfront (9.30am till 12.30pm).

These intermediaries are available for the private meet-ups: Adcorporate, AIM Group, Aquis, BDO, Belfius, Capforce, CDI Global, Corporate Diplomat, Creafund Asset Management, Dealmakers, Fibiz Partners, Finactor, Integra Capital Partners, JBR – TYD, KBC Match’It, Metra Consult, Monard Law, NautaDutilh, O.B.A, Overnamemarkt, Pandion Partners, Pentahold, PMV, Retearn, Standard Investment, TheClubDeal, Transeo, TVB Financial Architects, Van Reybrouck, VD&P Overnamepartners, Vectis Private Equity, Vista Capital Advisors and We Are Jane.

Workshops to kick-start your M&A career

We organise 4 workshops during the morning (10am till 12pm) to introduce tools and concepts to start your M&A journey and help you answer the following questions:

• How to start searching for an M&A target?
• How to value an M&A target?
• What are the different funding options to finance a transaction?
• What are the main contracts used in an M&A transaction?

Conference

The detailed afternoon programme (1pm till 7pm, with networking reception) can be found in the brochure.

White paper: 10 tips on searching the perfect target!

Interested in finding out what to keep in mind when searching for your own company? Download the paper!

White paper: Why start from scratch when you can buy your own company?

Rather than start a new company from scratch, entrepreneurs often choose to buy a small business instead. But many people underestimate how complex and time consuming this process can be. Our white paper sets out ten frequent mistakes people make when buying a small business.

Download the white paper

Entrepreneurial Buyout Academy

The 7th edition of the Entrepreneurial Buyout Academy will be launched 20 April 2020. For further information, please visit the webpage of the Entrepreneurial Buyout Academy.

Exit Academy

The 3rd edition of the Exit Academy will be launched 17 March 2020. For further information, please visit the webpage of the Exit Academy.

Prime Foundation Partners Centre for Mergers, Acquisitions and Buyouts

Vlerick Business School’s Centre for Mergers, Acquisitions & Buyouts develops and disseminates knowledge concerning best practices in the entire M&A field − from deal origination to completion, from financing to integration. The Centre brings all this knowledge together and shares experiences for everyone who is involved in an acquisition, merger or sale. The Centre’s activities are supported by Bank J.Van Breda & C°, BDO and NautaDutilh.

Bank J.Van Breda & C° is a Belgian bank, solely focused on entrepreneurs and self-employed professionals. They are specialised in personal, pro-active guidance, and they help systematically build, manage and protect the professionals assets.

 

BDO is a well-known consultancy organisation with more than 50 years of experience in financial services. Whether you wish to be assisted in audit, corporate finance, accounting, or tax and legal advice: BDO has the right experts for you. It doesn’t stop there. We offer specialised advice in various areas as well, such as Strategy & Transformation, Digital, Risk and Interim Management. Our services are accessible and open to everyone who needs them. Ranging from large international companies, to family businesses and private individuals: you can count on us for any advice or help needed. Every day, more than 800 Partners and staff, spread over 11 offices in Belgium, run the extra mile for you.

NautaDutilh is an international law firm with offices in Amsterdam, Brussels, London, Luxembourg, New York and Rotterdam. Founded in 1994, the Brussels office has become an important player in the Belgian legal market, with the capability to handle the most complex cases. Focusing on seven sectors (financial Institutions, real estate & infrastructure, energy & natural resources, life sciences, BeTech, private equity and professional services) we are able to offer our clients tailor-made solutions based on a thorough knowledge of all relevant markets.

In collaboration with

Vlerick Alumni Association