Global M&A: Best Practices for Expanding Your Brand Across International Waters

Bob Zapata is General Counsel, Corporate Strategy & Development at TIAA, a diversified financial services company with over $1 trillion in assets under management. In this role, Bob has legal responsibility for M&A transactions, joint ventures, and strategic investments across TIAA, and is the legal partner to the Chief Financial Officer, the Chief Investment Officer, and the TIAA “Finance & Actuarial” organization.

Prior to joining TIAA in 2017, Bob was Executive Counsel, M&A at General Electric. Bob is a member of the NYC Bar Association’s Committee on Mergers, Acquisitions and Corporate Control Contests, and is active in various community organizations in Westport, Connecticut.

ALAN KONEVSKY IS THE CHIEF LEGAL OFFICER AND BOARD SECRETARY OF TZERO, A FINANCIAL TECHNOLOGY COMPANY FOCUSING ON BLOCKCHAIN INNOVATION FOR THE CAPITAL MARKETS.

ALAN LEADS TZERO’S IN-HOUSE TEAM TO DRIVE GLOBAL REGULATORY INITIATIVES (WITH RESPECT TO ISSUANCE, TRADING, CLEARING AND SETTLEMENT OF DIGITAL SECURITIES, AS WELL AS RELATED TO CRYPTOCURRENCIES AND OTHER DIGITAL ASSETS), STRATEGIC TRANSACTIONS, PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT, BOARD/CORPORATE GOVERNANCE, COMPLIANCE, COMMERCIAL CONTRACTS, INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, PRIVACY, CYBERSECURITY, PUBLIC POLICY AND OTHER CRITICAL ASPECTS OF THE COMPANY’S BUSINESSES AND OPERATIONS.

HIS REMIT ALSO INCLUDES BUILDING OUT AND OVERSEEING CORPORATE AFFAIRS MATTERS, INCLUDING INVESTOR RELATIONS, STRATEGY/COMPETITIVE INTELLIGENCE AND COMMUNICATIONS, AS WELL AS SHAREHOLDER-LEVEL OVERSIGHT OF TZERO’S BROKER-DEALER SUBSIDIARIES AND THE TZERO ALTERNATIVE TRADING SYSTEM (ATS). ALAN ALSO SERVES ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF BOSTON SECURITY TOKEN EXCHANGE.

PREVIOUSLY, ALAN WAS THE SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND STRATEGIC INITIATIVES AND TECHNOLOGY COUNSEL AT MASTERCARD, WHERE HE AND HIS TEAMS HAD GLOBAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR LEGAL SUPPORT, GUIDANCE AND OVERSIGHT OF TWO ORGANIZATIONS -- CORPORATE DEVELOPMENT/STRATEGY/M&A/INTEGRATION AND ALL OF THE COMPANY’S TECHNOLOGY FUNCTIONS/INITIATIVES/OPERATIONS.

PRIOR TO JOINING MASTERCARD, ALAN WAS A MANAGING DIRECTOR AT GOLDMAN SACHS IN LONDON, WHERE HE HEADED LEGAL COVERAGE FOR PRIVATE EQUITY, CREDIT, REAL ESTATE AND INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTING IN EUROPE, AND WAS THE PRINCIPAL DEAL LAWYER RESPONSIBLE FOR OTHER STRATEGIC TRANSACTIONS IN THE REGION.

PREVIOUSLY, HE WAS SPECIAL COUNSEL AT SULLIVAN & CROMWELL, AN INTERNATIONAL LAW FIRM, WHERE HE HAD A BROAD TRANSACTIONAL AND SECURITIES PRACTICE, AND WAS BASED IN THE FIRM’S NEW YORK AND LONDON OFFICES.

ALAN GRADUATED MAGNA CUM LAUDE FROM HARVARD LAW SCHOOL, AND SUMMA CUM LAUDE FROM COLUMBIA COLLEGE IN THREE YEARS, WHERE HE WAS ELECTED TO PHI BETA KAPPA.

RECOGNIZED IN NEW YORK SUPER LAWYERS AND AS A UK YOUNG DEAL MAKER OF THE YEAR. FREQUENT BOARD-LEVEL AND CONFERENCE SPEAKER (BLOCKCHAIN, CAPITAL MARKETS INNOVATION AND REGULATION, PAYMENTS, M&A AND STRATEGY), AUTHOR AND INDUSTRY GROUP AND THOUGHT LEADER. SOUGHT-AFTER CONTRIBUTOR TO A RANGE OF EXPERT NETWORKS.

In her role, Rachael is responsible for M&A and other strategic initiatives globally at Marsh & McLennan Companies and its four operating companies (Marsh, Mercer, Guy Carpenter and Oliver Wyman). She leads a team and drives legal guidance and execution of acquisitions, divestitures, investments, joint ventures and other strategic projects worldwide. Rachael specializes in cross border acquisitions, investments and joint ventures and have led transactions in a variety of jurisdictions, including Brazil, Mexico, Panama, Argentina, South Africa, India, Australia, South Korea, Indonesia, Western Europe and UK.