Event Overview

The Corporate / M&A and the Banking, Finance and Capital Markets Commissions are delighted to invite you to the joint Autumn Seminar 2025 on the glamourous French Riviera in Nice.

Join us and benefit from an interdisciplinary academic programme. This seminar will provide you with a unique opportunity to look at M&A deals and investment funds in the luxury sector, highlighting the specifics of this industry segment, diving into the structuring and financing of luxury investments and discussing the related key legal considerations.

The venue – the French Riviera – needs no introduction and is almost as glamourous as the day-to-day life of an international lawyer. The social programme will aim at reflecting Nice’s chic, whilst giving you the opportunity of soaking up some autumn sunshine in preparation for the end-of-year sprint.

Save the date to make sure you take part in this AIJA-mazing experience!

AIJA Commissions involved
  • Banking, Finance and Capital Markets
  • Corporate and M&A

Programme

Corporate and M&A programme

18:30

More details to follow soon

09:00

09:30 - 10:00

10:00 - 11:00

Keynote speaker Mr. Marco Bizzarri

Marco Bizzarri is a prominent Italian business executive renowned for his transformative leadership in the fashion industry. Born in 1962 in Reggio Emilia, Italy, Bizzarri has held several high-profile roles in luxury fashion. He gained significant recognition as the CEO of Gucci, a position he held from 2015 to 2023. During his tenure, he revitalised the brand, fostering explosive growth by championing creativity and inclusivity, particularly through his partnership with former creative director Alessandro Michele.

Before Gucci, Bizzarri served as CEO of Bottega Veneta and Stella McCartney, where he showcased his ability to combine innovative business strategies with an appreciation for design and culture. Known for his people-centered leadership style, Bizzarri has been widely celebrated for driving sustainability and modernising traditional luxury fashion houses.

Following his departure from Gucci, Bizzarri has turned his focus to Forel, an innovative fashion venture of which he is majority shareholder and sole director, that aims to bridge sustainability and cutting-edge design.

Under his guidance, Forel is positioned to redefine the industry's approach to eco-conscious luxury, leveraging advanced technologies and ethical practices to set new standards for the future of fashion. This initiative reflects Bizzarri's enduring commitment to innovation and responsible leadership.
11:00 - 11:30

11:30 - 12:30

An introductory discussion with industry experts providing an overview of key market trends, setting the scene for further specific topics to be covered during the seminar. The panellists will in particular also elaborate on prevalent investment strategies by bidder type going from private equity to debt (IPOs, turnaround and other types of financing).
12:30 - 14:00

14:00 - 15:00

An exchange on best practice approaches for scrutinising the legal framework underlying key value drivers of a high-end target, in particular focusing on the protection and valuation of IP and the stability and transferability of distribution structures.
15:00 - 15:30

15:30 - 16:15

An opportunity for sector specific networking.
16:15 - 17:00

19:30

More details to follow soon

09:30

10:00 - 10:45

Fashion & Luxury Sector specific considerations regarding acquisitions, exits and transaction financing. In particular: Dos and Don'ts when crafting term sheets for investments in the fashion & luxury sector and when structuring exit-related provisions in the eventual shareholder and investment agreements.
10:45 - 11:30

Legislative developments and new business concepts arising from ESG considerations, including ‘green finance’ and ESG due diligence. A focus should be reserved also to sustainability-linked bonds.
11:30 - 12:00

12:00 - 13:00

A chance for participants to apply lessons learned as they conduct their own fashion & luxury deal negotiation in collaboration with sector experts.
13:00 - 14:30

15:00

More details to follow soon
Banking, Finance and Capital Markets track programme

18:30

More details to follow soon

09:00

09:30 - 10:00

10:00 - 11:00

Keynote speaker Mr. Marco Bizzarri
11:00 - 11:30

11:30 - 12:30

An introductory discussion with industry experts providing an overview of key market trends, setting the scene for further specific topics to be covered during the seminar. The panellists will in particular also elaborate on prevalent investment strategies by bidder type going from private equity to debt (IPOs, turnaround and other types of financing).
12:30 - 14:00

14:00 - 15:00

An investigation into the risks and drivers for different financing strategies in the luxury sector, with a discussion of the CVC Capital Partners vs L Catterton case on the acquisition of Birkenstock.
15:30 - 16:15

An opportunity for sector specific networking.
16:15 - 17:00

19:30

More details to follow soon

09:30

10:00 - 10:45

Fashion & Luxury Sector specific considerations regarding acquisitions, exits and transaction financing. In particular: Dos and Don'ts when crafting term sheets for investments in the fashion & luxury sector and when structuring exit-related provisions in the eventual shareholder and investment agreements.
10:45 - 11:30

Legislative developments and new business concepts arising from ESG considerations, including ‘green finance’ and ESG due diligence. A focus should be reserved also to sustainability-linked bonds.
11:30 - 12:00

12:00 - 13:00

A chance for participants to apply lessons learned as they conduct their own fashion & luxury deal negotiation in collaboration with sector experts.
13:00 - 14:30

15:00

More details to follow soon

Fees & General Info

There are currently no registration fees available.

General terms and conditions

By registering you have to accept the general terms and conditions and accept that your registration is considered binding immediately, but participation to the event is possible only after full payment of the registration fee.

Please note that any arrangements related to the participation of the participant in an AIJA event, including but not limited to booking or cancellation of accommodation or flights, as well as respecting the cancellation deadlines indicated in the general terms and conditions, are the sole responsibility of the participant. AIJA shall not be held liable for any expenses the participant may suffer as the result of participant’s failure to comply with his/her obligations.

It is recommended for each participant to purchase a cancellation and travel insurance.

Please note that in-house counsel registrations are subject to review and confirmation by AIJA. AIJA considers in-house counsel professionals who hold a university degree in law allowing access to a bar association and practicing law as an in-house counsel in private, public, or non-profit companies, institutions or organisations. Please note that in-house counsel who are at the same time active as fee-earning lawyers or consultants are not eligible to the discounted in-house counsel fee.

Please read the general terms and conditions applicable for AIJA events.


Scholarships

If you are a lawyer under 35 years old and meet the requirements, apply to our Scholarship Programme for this event. You can check more details here.

Organising Committee

Sofia CARUSO LCA STUDIO LEGALE (ITALY)
Michael COHEN SZA Schilling, Zutt & Anschütz Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft mbH (GERMANY)
Charlie COURT Farrer & Co (UNITED KINGDOM)
Aymeric DE MOL Aramis Avocats (FRANCE)
Philipp KAPL Binder Grösswang Rechtsanwälte GmbH (AUSTRIA)
Ginevra SFORZA Portolano Cavallo Studio Legale (ITALY)
Polibio VALENZUELA DVMS Legal SRL (DOMINICAN REPUBLIC)
Oksana ZOPPINI BG2V (Beylouni Carbasse Guény Valot Vernet) (FRANCE)

Sponsors


Become a sponsor

Partnership with AIJA as a sponsor provides the best networking opportunities in a relaxed business environment.
If you have any questions, contact us on ‘Become a sponsor’ and check for more opportunities.

Personal Protection

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Your data will be managed by AIJA's General Services, Events and Accounts Section:

  • For the purpose of administering your registration for the event and your on-site access to the event;
  • In order to pay for the selected services - your bank details will be deleted after receipt of your payment;
  • In order to communicate information messages from AIJA.

To the extent necessary for the execution of their respective tasks, our subcontractors in charge of our seminar organisation, our IT infrastructure, our management, the production and maintenance of our website and extranet, are likely to gain access to your data from time to time. Their servers are located in the European Union.

Data relating to your participation in the event shall be stored for a period of 10 years. We are obliged to archive billing data until the end of the period required for our tax and accounting obligations, i.e. for 7 full tax years.

We shall store your contact information to keep you informed until you ask us to stop. You have the right to access your data and have it corrected if necessary.