2022 Cross-Border M&A and Private Equity Conference

Conference Co-Chair
Partner and Lawyer, McDermott Will & Emery, Munich

Dr. Nikolaus von Jacobs advises private equity funds and German industrial players on private equity, venture capital, and private and public mergers and acquisitions. Nikolaus leads the Firm’s German private equity activities.

Conference Co-Chair
Partner and Lawyer, McDermott Will & Emery, Munich

Christian von Sydow advises clients on corporate law, M&A, private equity, restructuring, corporate conflict resolution and estate planning. He has represented a large number of international and German clients, including strategic and financial investors, in acquisitions and sales of businesses in Germany and internationally in cross-border matters. Mr. von Sydow represents clients in a wide variety of industries, including automotive supply, consumer electronics, defence, energy, internet, optics, publishing, retail, software, technology and testing technology, travel and tourism.

Partner and Lawyer, McDermott Will & Emery
Moderator

Executive Board Member, Oaklins Angermann AG

Florian is a managing partner at Oaklins Germany, and was president and chairman of Oaklins International between 2016 and 2019. He joined the firm as an M&A consultant in 1994 and became a partner in 1998. Florian has advised on over 100 M&A transactions, many of them cross-border. Most of Florian’s clients are privately-owned Middelstand companies, but also include larger conglomerates and private equity firms. He has particular expertise in industrial manufacturing, machinery, engineering, industrial automation, precision metal processing, tool manufacturing, injection molding, electronics, food & beverage and construction. Florian leads Oaklins’ industrial machinery & components team and is an active member of the food & beverage team.

Prior to 1994, Florian worked at Siemens Components Pte Ltd. in Singapore. He has a doctorate in economics and political economy and studied business administration at the universities of Goettingen, Germany, and Fribourg, Switzerland.

Head of DACH & CEE, Datasite Germany

He has supported the transformation to Datasite over the past four years and has led the Frankfurt office since 2017. Prior to his time at Datasite, Markus worked in the financial sector, as Sales Manager Europe for Trading Technologies and account manager at Thomson Reuters. In 2016, he co-founded the technology start-up Evo Fintech.

He holds an MBA from Purdue University (US) and a BA from the University of Oregon (US).

Principal and Global Policy Advisor, Brooch Associates, London, Global Advisory Firm

Dr. Stefanie Babst can look back at a remarkable professional journey in NATO's International Staff. In the course of 22 years she held different positions in the Public Diplomacy Division which she was appointed to lead as NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General from 2006 to 2012. The post made her the highest-ranking German woman in the International Secretariat. From 2012 to 2020, she led NATO's Strategic Foresight Team - a fabulous civil-military team, advising the NATO Secretary General and Chairman of the Military Committee on strategic unknowns and potential upcoming crisis situations in geographical and functional areas of relevance to the Alliance.

Stefanie began her career in 1991 as Assistant Professor for International Security Policy at the Christian-Albrechts-University in Kiel, Germany, moving on to become Professor of Russian and East European Studies at the Federal Armed Forces Command & General Staff College in Hamburg.

She is an internationally renowned strategic advisor, publisher and speaker on international security issues and board member of the German Council on Foreign Relations and the Danish Center for War Studies. Stefanie is also active in various security networks, including Women in International Security (WIIS) and the World Economic Forum. She also is a Senior Associate Fellow with the London-based European Leadership Network. In recognition of her professional achievements, she received several state awards.

Founder and Managing Director, Green Sentinel Capital

Thomas is a successful entrepreneur and business owner active in multiple sectors. As Managing Director of the group he works closely together with all of our portfolio companies. Prior to founding Green Sentinel Capital he gained significant experience in the private equity sector while working at Deutsche Beteiligungs AG and Deloitte.

Managing Director, Patev

Counsel, McDermott Will & Emery

David A. Cifrino focuses his practice on corporate and transactional matters, primarily representing public and private financial services, industrial, technology, consumer products and other businesses ranging in size from start-ups to Fortune 50 multinationals, in securities, merger, acquisition, disposition, commercial, strategic, governance and executive compensation matters. He also represents clients in public and privately placed equity and debt financings under the Securities Act of 1933 and counsels public companies on the full range of securities compliance issues under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. David is a Senior Fellow in Harvard University’s Advanced Leadership Initiative, where he is primarily focused on corporate sustainability and environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues.

Counsel, McDermott Will & Emery

Raminta Dereskeviciute focuses her practice on product compliance, trade regulation (sanctions and export controls) and ESG. She has significant experience in advising on EU and UK chemical legislation (REACH), product safety and liability rules and frequently represents clients before the European Chemicals Agency Board of Appeal. Raminta also advises businesses on the implications Brexit has in relation to a range of regulatory compliance issues.

Raminta counsels clients on the EU and the UK sanctions regimes and export controls, including in higher risk jurisdictions such as Russia and Iran. Her experience covers the review and design of compliance programs, including giving training to client teams on controlled goods, prohibited jurisdictions, persons and activities. Raminta assists companies in liaising with regulators when assessing whether their activities are in breach of EU or UK sanctions regimes, or whether authorisations / licenses from the national authorities are appropriate. Raminta has participated as a chair and speaker on sanctions related panels at the Cambridge International Symposium on Economic Crime.