The next big opportunity for owners and CEOs: ESG

Impact. Sustainability. Diversity. Beyond the pandemic, several key themes emerged out of 2020 — and these are critical components of Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG). As companies plan future engagements in M&A with either public companies or private equity, the increased demand of an ESG focus from outside investors will likely require M&A targets that are additive, or at least neutral, to their own strategy.

Middle market businesses that can indicate their ESG positioning clearly during a due diligence phase may become interesting targets that could deliver a premium vs. companies that do not provide those potential synergies. To drive value and stay ahead, companies must act with authenticity and intention, bearing in mind the ESG impact on the world at large.

This session will help members:

• Understand how ESG is impacting the public markets and what that may mean for the middle market.
• Develop an intentional strategy that focuses on ESG themes, such as sustainability and diversity and inclusion.
• Communicate their own ESG story to employees, customers, and investors/acquirers.

About the Presenters

Amantia Muhedini is a Sustainable Investing (SI) Strategist in the Chief Investment Office, Global Wealth Management. Prior to UBS, Amantia was a sustainable investing fellow with Morgan Stanley’s Investing with Impact team focusing on impact measurement and product development. She also spent time at Working Capital – the Supply Chain Innovation Fund conducting impact and commercial due diligence on potential investments. Amantia previously was an Investments Associate at the Omidyar Group’s Humanity United addressing forced labor in global corporate supply chains. She is also a member of the Governance Council of United World Colleges International (UWC), a global education organization, and was a founding board member and acting Executive Director for UWC Albania, an education non-profit based in Albania.Amantia holds a BA from Princeton University and a MPA from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs.

Mark Wilkins joined UBS Private Wealth Management in 2015, following 21 years at Merrill Lynch. Prior to becoming a Private Wealth Advisor he served as an officer in the United States Army. He was named a top advisor by Barron’s six times and a Best-in-State Wealth Advisor by Forbes three times, including 2021. Mark is very active in several military and educational causes. He is a founder and board member of the Second Ranger Battalion Assistance Foundation. In 2005, he founded the Mark and Patrick Wilkins Army ROTC Fund at his alma mater, University of Missouri.

Related Resources: 

• UBS “For the long run” PDF
• The Inflation Equation – What it means for CEOs [UBS]
• Minimize taxes with asset protection and estate planning

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