The ILF, together with Hogan Lovells, Deutsches Aktieninstitut, Deutsche Börse, and Going Public, hosted the annual Capital Markets and Takeover Conference in Frankfurt. The event brought together senior practitioners from investment banking, corporate finance, legal advisory, and industry to discuss the most pressing developments shaping European capital markets in 2026.
At the beginning of the conference, Mr. Stefan Maassen, Head of Capital Markets & Corporates, Deutsche Börse, Dr. Claudia Royé, Head of Capital Markets, Deutsches Aktieninstitut e.V. and Prof. Dr. Michael Schlitt, Partner, Hogan Lovells, who also served as the moderator throughout the afternoon, gave the joint welcoming address.
Ms. Sonja Marten, Chief Economist, DZ Bank, opened the program with a comprehensive macroeconomic assessment in her speech “Kapitalmarktausblick 2026”. She outlined the key drivers and risks shaping the capital market environment in 2026, providing the strategic backdrop against which the subsequent panel discussions took place.
The first panel discussion on “Aktuelle Entwicklungen bei Anleihe und strukturierte Produkte” was moderated by Dr. Sven Brandt and Dr. Jochen Seitz, both Partners at Hogan Lovells. This panel brought together leading voices from treasury, investment banking, and corporate finance: Mr. Tim Armbruster, Group Treasurer, KfW, Mr. Maximilian Moser, Partner, Pareto Securities, Dr. Martin Paal, CFO, Grenke AG and Ms. Pamela Steckel, Head of Corporate DCM DACH, UniCredit. The discussion explored the current dynamics in the bond markets and the evolving landscape for structured products.
The second panel discussion on “Marktumfeld und aktuelle Trends für Aktien- und Equity-Linked Transaktionen”, moderated by Dr. Susanne Ries, LL.M. (London), Of Counsel at Hogan Lovells, gathered senior equity capital markets professionals Mr. Sam Ernst, Director – Equity Capital Markets DACH, Barclays, Dr. Martin Kniehase, Head of Investment Banking Legal Continental Europe, Berenberg, Mr. Heiko Leopold, Co-Head Equity Capital Markets D/A/CH, Deutsche Bank, Ms. Sabine Morgenthal, Partner, Brunswick Group and Mr. Markus Pfeifer, Managing Director – Equity Capital Markets, Commerzbank. The panelists shared their perspectives on current market conditions for equity and equity-linked transactions.
The final panel discussion on “Aktuelle Entwicklungen bie öffentlichen Übernahmen und aktivistischen Investoren”, moderated by Dr. Tim Oliver Brandi, LL.M. (Columbia), Dr. Mesut Korkmaz, LL.M. (LSE), and Dr. Michael Rose, all Partners at Hogan Lovells, addressed one of the most dynamic areas of the market. The panelists consisting of Mr. Lukas Sieren, Head of DACH Sponsor Coverage, Jefferies, Mr. Dennis Kaehler, Executive Director, Morgan Stanley and Mr. Michael Thanner, Managing Director, Triton examined recent trends in public M&A and the growing influence of activist investors.
After the conference, all participants and speakers were invited to a get-together “Capital Markets - Talks, Drinks, Snacks & Music” on Roof Top Terrace of the Omniturm, where they enjoyed the view of the Frankfurt skyline. The informal setting provided an ideal opportunity for continued exchange among participants from across the capital markets community and networking!
