At DFIN’s second annual Activate Executive Summit, CFOs and finance leaders from various industries gathered amidst a backdrop of optimism and economic momentum. With the U.S. stock market nearing record highs, discussions of interest rate cuts and a recovering IPO market dominated the news.

In a merger or acquisition (M&A), two companies combine forces by agreeing to a deal. Whether you are the company that is acquiring a competitor or the acquisition target, the process can be highly involved. Organization is important for both sides, particularly during the due diligence phase. This M&A documents checklist can be used to stay on track and ensure completeness throughout the M&A process.

Investment banks play a key role in the financial services industry, particularly concerning mergers and acquisitions (M&A). Learn more about how banks assist with M&As, including their role as advisors that offer insights on market trends and conditions.

In the fast-paced legal world, managing sensitive information securely and efficiently is not just a priority — it’s a necessity. That’s where legal data rooms step in, offering a robust solution that goes beyond traditional document storage. These platforms are transforming how legal teams collaborate, store critical data and meet stringent regulatory requirements.

Companies in the startup phase need a secure place to share data with potential investors. Learn what is a startup data room, why this powerful solution is so beneficial and the most common use cases.

Understanding Data Rooms for Startups

DFIN’s second quarter earnings, released this week, demonstrate the strength of our business strategy to become the leader in deal-making, regulatory and compliance software.

We achieved record quarterly software solutions net sales of $85.6 million, an increase of 13.1%, or 14.4% on an organic basis from the second quarter of 2023. Software solutions net sales accounted for 35.3% of total net sales, up from 31.3% in the year-ago quarter.

If you’re a CEO, CFO, or other C-suite executive, you probably talk to your Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) a lot more often these days. Or you should. 

With Artificial Intelligence (AI) now widely adopted by the business community, it has never been more important for finance organizations to examine their AI strategy.

In our latest eBook, DFIN executives weigh in on the future of AI in finance.

Key Topics:

• The importance of creating and maintaining an AI strategy.
• The pros and cons of Generative AI.
• Managing and mitigating security risks
• How AI will change and shape the finance industry.

The European Securities and Markets Authority, ESMA, was formed in 2011. ESMA is a financial regulatory agency based in Paris, with the goal of keeping the European Union (EU) financial system secure. ESMA sees itself as something of a financial systems watchdog within the broader EU region. Learn more about the history of ESMA and its initiatives.

A lot has happened since the IPO surge of 2021. One of the most significant developments is the rise of Generative AI, a technology that can generate new content — everything from computer code to complex images to complete essays.

Companies planning to go public today have taken note. They want to know if this transformative new technology can help them get ready for a public offering. That was the topic of an excellent panel discussion at the recent 11^th Annual IPO Summit, hosted at the New York Stock Exchange.