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2026 M&A Summit - New York

Divest to Win: When Portfolio Choices Become Strategy

MAY 06, 2026

NASDAQ MARKETSITE, NEW YORK, NY

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Divest to Win: When Portfolio Choices Become Strategy

The most consequential M&A decisions today are increasingly about what not to own. Divestitures, carve outs, and spin offs have moved from the margins of corporate development to the center of enterprise strategy. They shape capital allocation, operating focus, leadership attention, and long-term performance. Yet many organizations still approach these transactions as discrete events rather than as capabilities that demand discipline, coordination, and accountability long after close.

This program will examine divestiture as a strategic decision with lasting execution consequences, drawing on real post mortems and cross-functional experience. The focus will be on how organizations prepare assets for separation, align with the right buyers, manage operating and cultural complexity, and measure performance well beyond close, with particular attention to where value is preserved or lost once the deal is done.

Who Should Attend

The event is designed for senior executives who own portfolio shape, deal outcomes, and long-term value realization across complex enterprises, including:

  • CEOs
  • Chief Strategy Officers and Heads of Corporate Strategy
  • Chief Corporate Development Officers and Global Heads of M&A
  • Chief Financial Officers with direct portfolio and capital allocation authority
  • Chief Operating Officers who own post close operating model decisions
  • Board members who sit on transaction committees
  • Business unit presidents who have led acquisitions, carve-outs, or spin off, and those who have led large scale carve outs and regulatory heavy divestitures

Contact Us: 

Speakers

Current Agenda

Wednesday, May 06, 2026

12:00 PM - 01:00 PM ET

Registration, Networking and Lunch

01:00 PM - 01:10 PM ET

Opening Remarks

01:10 PM - 01:50 PM ET

The Portfolio Question That Comes Before the Deal
When does an asset stop being strategic, and what signals tell you it is time to act? The strongest divestitures start with clear … More

01:50 PM - 02:30 PM ET

Growth by Design: Turning Divestitures into Sustained Competit…
Can a divestiture strengthen a company’s growth trajectory rather than simply streamline its footpri … More

02:30 PM - 03:00 PM ET

Meet and Connect Networking

03:00 PM - 03:30 PM ET

The Deal Narrative: Mastering M&A Communications
How a company positions an M&A transaction with investors and stakeholders can make the difference between a smooth close and a ch … More

03:30 PM - 04:00 PM ET

Avoiding Regulatory Value Traps: Compliance Risks That Derail …
Regulatory and governance factors often determine whether a divestiture preserves or destroys value. … More

04:00 PM - 04:30 PM ET

The Right Buyer Beats the Highest Bid
The top price is not always the winning outcome in a divestiture. Buyer fit drives certainty, speed, employee impact, and long-ter … More

04:30 PM - 04:55 PM ET

The People Risk in Divestitures: Culture, Talent and Transition
Divestitures are modeled as financial and operational transactions, but execution risk often centers on people, culture, and leade … More

04:55 PM - 05:00 PM ET

Closing Remarks

05:00 PM - 05:45 PM ET

Networking Reception

Nasdaq MarketSite

151 West 43rd Street

New York, NY 10036

Frequently Asked Questions

2026 M&A Summit - New York

Divest to Win: When Portfolio Choices Become Strategy

  • Apply to Attend