Wed 1415 Concurrent 1
22647
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WEDNESDAY 2:15 PM

CONCURRENT SESSION 1

DEALMAKING IN A VOLATILE WORLD

INTRODUCTION: ORACLE NETSUITE

Moderator

Howard Johnson

Canadian Market Leader and Managing Director

Kroll

About the Speaker

Dr. Howard E. Johnson, DBA, FCPA, FCA, FCMA, FCBV, CPA, CFA, ASA, CF, C.Dir. is a Managing Director and head of the Canadian M&A Advisory practice at Kroll. He has been advising business owners and executives on acquisitions, divestitures, financing, and shareholder value matters for 30 years. Howard is the author of several books on valuation and corporate finance. He is also a past recipient of FEI’s Frank Capon Award.

About the Session

CUSMA still intact? New Tariffs? Emerging geopolitical tensions? Who knows where things will stand on May 27th, 2026! But our panel of experts will fearlessly delve into these and other issues in terms of how they’re impacting mergers and acquisitions in real time. They’ll address topics such as how buyers are assessing target companies and using acquisitions to reduce risk through geographic expansion and diversification. From a sell-side perspective, they’ll discuss what would-be sellers of private companies are doing to position themselves to be an attractive acquisition target. Transaction structuring in the face of uncertainty will also be addressed. Finally, we’ll hear from legal counsel on how key provisions in purchase and sale agreements can be used to get deals over the finish line.

Garrett Hamel

Partner

Gowling WLG Canada

About the Speaker

Garrett Hamel is a partner in Gowling WLG’s Ottawa office with a practice that focuses primarily on private mid-market M&A (both buy-side and sell-side) and corporate finance. He also regularly works with entrepreneurs and investors across the startup and venture capital ecosystems. Garrett and his team routinely advise Canadian and international clients on domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, foreign investments, corporate restructurings, and general corporate and commercial issues. Garrett’s transaction experience spans a diverse range of industries, including software, technology, media, telecom, transportation, medical and health products, manufacturing, construction, professional services and consumer products. His approach blends strong technical skills with a pragmatic approach and sound business judgment to help his clients meet their objectives and get deals done.

About the Session

CUSMA still intact? New Tariffs? Emerging geopolitical tensions? Who knows where things will stand on May 27th, 2026! But our panel of experts will fearlessly delve into these and other issues in terms of how they’re impacting mergers and acquisitions in real time. They’ll address topics such as how buyers are assessing target companies and using acquisitions to reduce risk through geographic expansion and diversification. From a sell-side perspective, they’ll discuss what would-be sellers of private companies are doing to position themselves to be an attractive acquisition target. Transaction structuring in the face of uncertainty will also be addressed. Finally, we’ll hear from legal counsel on how key provisions in purchase and sale agreements can be used to get deals over the finish line.

Melanie Russell

Founder

Kalex Partners Inc.

About the Speaker

Melanie is the founder of Kalex Valuations Inc. and began professional practice in 1985, which includes several years of industry experience. Throughout her professional career she has been involved in many assignments for a variety of public and private companies of various sizes and across many industries, obtaining her training at two of the largest international accounting firms in the industry. Melanie placed second in Canada on the CICBV membership examination. She founded Kalex Valuations Inc. in 1996.

Ms. Russell has been active in teaching business valuations and related topics since 1987 at various universities and professional organizations, and runs the premiere preparatory course for CBV students in Canada taking their national Membership Qualification Examination. She has written various articles, taught professional courses and had many public speaking engagements on matters relating to business valuations and related topics.


Ms. Russell has qualified as an expert witness in the Ontario Court of Justice, the Ontario Superior Court, the Federal Court of Canada, the Supreme Court of British Columbia, the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario (“CPAO”, formerly Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario)’s Discipline Committee (which determines whether members should be charged with offences as brought by the CPAO’s Professional Conduct Committee) and the Investment Dealers’ Association. She has qualified as an expert in the areas of business/asset valuation, quantification of damages, income determination and forensic accounting. She has also acted as an accounting expert in arbitration, mediation, mediation/arbitration and other alternative dispute resolution proceedings (e.g., collaborative practice), and negotiated a number of buy/sell transactions.

About the Session

CUSMA still intact? New Tariffs? Emerging geopolitical tensions? Who knows where things will stand on May 27th, 2026! But our panel of experts will fearlessly delve into these and other issues in terms of how they’re impacting mergers and acquisitions in real time. They’ll address topics such as how buyers are assessing target companies and using acquisitions to reduce risk through geographic expansion and diversification. From a sell-side perspective, they’ll discuss what would-be sellers of private companies are doing to position themselves to be an attractive acquisition target. Transaction structuring in the face of uncertainty will also be addressed. Finally, we’ll hear from legal counsel on how key provisions in purchase and sale agreements can be used to get deals over the finish line.

Melanie Russell

Founder

Kalex Partners Inc.

About the Speaker

Amanda is the Chief Financial Officer at HCI Filtration a rapidly growing private equity-backed consolidator of liquid filtration companies across North America.


Amanda has over 20 years of experience in finance leadership, business advisory, strategic and financial planning, corporate finance and executive coaching. Her previous roles have included Head of Business Consulting for ATB Financial and Vice President of Finance at SCM Insurance Services. Amanda is a Chartered Professional Accountant, Chartered Accountant, Chartered Business Valuator and a Certified Executive Coach.


Amanda is actively involved in the community serving on the Board of Directors of the CBV Institute and volunteers as the student coordinator and a flight instructor for the Edmonton Soaring Club.

About the Session

CUSMA still intact? New Tariffs? Emerging geopolitical tensions? Who knows where things will stand on May 27th, 2026! But our panel of experts will fearlessly delve into these and other issues in terms of how they’re impacting mergers and acquisitions in real time. They’ll address topics such as how buyers are assessing target companies and using acquisitions to reduce risk through geographic expansion and diversification. From a sell-side perspective, they’ll discuss what would-be sellers of private companies are doing to position themselves to be an attractive acquisition target. Transaction structuring in the face of uncertainty will also be addressed. Finally, we’ll hear from legal counsel on how key provisions in purchase and sale agreements can be used to get deals over the finish line.

Meet some of our other speakers

Roger Daoud

CFO Canada
SAP

Ross Prusakowski

Director, Export Development
(EPIC) EDC

Vicki Saunders

Entrepreneur, Mentor & Founder
SheEO