Deal or No Deal: Privacy in Mergers and Acquisitions

This panel will explore  why privacy considerations are essential throughout the mergers and acquisitions  lifecycle, from initial due diligence to post-deal integration. There have been acquisitions where inadequate privacy due diligence failed to identify compromised systems, which later led to the exposure of millions of sensitive records. Such oversight resulted in significant regulatory fines, highlighting how privacy lapses can severely impact the success of major deals.

We will examine essential due diligence steps to evaluate target companies' data protection practices and uncover hidden liabilities, regulatory non-compliance and potential deal-killers. We will also address the critical integration phase, covering best practices for aligning privacy policies and practices, ensuring seamless compliance and deployment expansion across merged entities and navigating multi-jurisdictional regulatory requirements. Through real-world case studies, panelists will share insights and lessons from their experience working on wide-ranging transactions. Attendees will take away practical and useful tips to confidently support mergers and acquisitions transactions in their companies.

What you will learn:

• Steps to evaluate target companies’ privacy risks, compliance gaps and potential lia-bilities.
• Strategies to structure purchase agreements that protect against privacy, AI, and pricing risks, while allocating liability and ensuring regulatory compliance.
• Practical frameworks to align privacy policies and data practices for smooth post-acquisition compliance and deployment across merged entities.