Conferences

6th European Company Law and Corporate Governance Conference

The accelerated pace of European financial market integration is posing new challenges for the single market project. The shareholder structure of Europe’s corporations is becoming more diverse and pan-European restructuring is reaching sectors that were considered untouchable pillars of national identity. By whom, how and for what purpose corporate control is exerted has become a European concern.

Two sets of issues have received particular attention. One, low interest rates and restructuring opportunities have brought new actors to the centre of the European stage – private equity firms, buy-out funds and hedge-funds. Controversial forms of combining sophisticated trading strategies with exercising corporate influence have emerged. The aggressive use of leverage is contentious.

At the same time, dormant barriers to corporate restructuring have been activated by private actors and by Member States. New barriers have been deployed and when unavailable have been called for. In some cases the commitment to the market process has been put in doubt. Corporate control has become the ultimate test of Europe’s willingness to complete its single market.

This conference will gather reputed specialists to assess this scenario, as it presents a unique opportunity to present new research and to evaluate the existing practices and legal solutions. Special attention will be paid to future European regulation as recent European takeover rules are once again under scrutiny and possible interventions on hedge funds and on the one-share/ one-vote principle are being considered by the European institutions.

Confirmed Speakers at the Conference

• Fernando Teixeira dos Santos
  Minister of State and Finance
• Carlos Tavares
  Chairman, CMVM, Vice-Chairman, CESR
• Antonio Borges
  Chairman, ECGI, Vice-Chairman, Goldman Sachs International
• Klaus Hopt
  Professor of Law, Director, Max-Planck Institut, Hamburg and ECGI
• Tim Jenkinson
  Reader in Business Economics, Saïd Business School, Oxford University and ECGI
• João Talone
  Chairman IPCG
• Luca Enriques
  Professor of Business Law, University of Bologna, and ECGI
• Julian Franks
  Professor of Finance, London Business School and ECGI
• Bernard Black
  Professor of Law, University of Texas Law School and ECGI
• Judge Huub Willems
  Enterprise Chamber, Amsterdam Court of Appeal
• Jörgen Holmquist
  Director General, DG Fisheries, European Commission
• Mats Isaakson
  Head of Corporate Affairs, OECD
• Ron Gilson
  Professor of Law, Columbia University, Stanford University and ECGI
• Per Strömberg
  Professor of Finance, Swedish Institute for Financial Research, Stockholm
• Pierre Delsaux
  Head of Unit and Acting Director DG Markt, European Commission
• Manuel Conthe
  Former Chairman, CNMV
• Ernst-Ludwig von Thadden
  Professor of Economics, University of Mannheim and ECGI
• Eddy Wymeersch
  Chairman, CBFA, Chairman CESR
• Marco Becht
  Professor of Finance, ECARES, Université Libre de Bruxelles and ECGI
• Paulo Câmara
  Director, Regulatory Policy and International Affairs Dep., CMVM
• Gerard Hertig
  Professor of Law, ETH Zurich and ECGI