Welcome to this year’s Corporate Finance Faculty Annual Reception – in the historic and impressive Guildhall.
As I look back on the last year serving as Chair of the Faculty, I find myself reflecting on whether any of us could have foreseen where we would be today. Here we are in 2026, another year characterised by ubiquitous technological change, albeit with slightly less optimism and a greater degree of caution. Even AI developers themselves are expressing concerns about the impact these technologies could have without the necessary guardrails in place. Alongside this, geopolitical tensions continue to create uncertainty, particularly through the on-and-off conflicts in the Middle East and their impact on investor sentiment.
Against this backdrop, and despite the challenges facing the M&A ecosystem, the Faculty team has remained committed to its purpose: supporting members with high-quality insight, policy representation and technical guidance to help them navigate whatever conditions the market presents.
This year, we launched two new technical guidelines linked to the sourcing of deals, Carve-out and Public to private transactions; we held a careers event focusing on the invaluable human traits that AI cannot easily replicate; hosted topical webinars exploring the future of deals; and also provided valuable opportunities for business development through our five in person events. In addition, we produced over 100 insightful articles on emerging trends and developments in M&A.
As always, thanks are due to the faculty’s Board, committees and working groups and above all to the faculty team, led by David Petrie until August, for their outstanding contribution and commitment.
Finally, I would like to thank you, our members, for your continued support and engagement, which help make this network as valuable and vibrant as it is today.