AICA Global Meeting and General Assembly

Tuesday May 14, 2024

City of M&Angels

Bangkok, Thailand | 9-11 May 2024

The 13^th AICA Annual General meeting commenced on Thursday 9 May with 40 corporate finance professionals from across our network coming together in Bangkok Thailand – the home of AICA Member, Sage Capital Partners – for a two-day conference focused on cross border M&A and member collaboration. FRP was represented by Corporate Finance Partners Clive Hatchard, Mark Farlow, and Simon Davies – the current Chairman of AICA.

Presentations began with a warm welcome from the AICA Network President Ken Tarry, who provided an overview of AICA activity over the past couple of years. This was followed by a welcome from our host firm in Bangkok, followed by a presentation from our latest new member, DH Corporate Services from Dubai, represented by Declan Hayes.

Sessions focused on M&A activity in Thailand and South-East Asia followed, with speakers from local member firms, including a presentation on the Private Equity landscape in Thailand from Lakeshore Capital.

The main element of the Global meetings is to bring members together to focus on live deal opportunities and expanding cross border connections to widen buyer pools. The afternoon was spent in these discussions and around the challenges we are all facing in our home territories, and ways of dealing with them in our M&A processes. After the main working sessions, the day finished with a networking dinner and a chance for the members to relax and interact.

Strategy and the future of the network was a key focus for day two, with a planning session on the future of the network including potential new territories. This was followed by the annual AICA Global awards – where FRP Corporate Finance Partner Simon Davies was named ‘most valuable player’, voted by the AICA members, recognising his commitment to collaborate with other firms on transactions.

Simon Davies, AICA Chairman and FRP Corporate Finance Partner said: “It has been a financially challenging year which has tested M&A professionals across the world. During these times it is more important than ever to re-group, reflect on our current strategy, share best practice, and consider how we evolve. The AICA network is based on relationships, collaboration, support, and encouragement as we look to identify opportunities for other firms and maximise outreach for our clients. We act as a collective to work more effectively than we do as individual firms.”