Moderated By: Desmond Woods, Account Executive, Fero

Panellist : Matteo Fantacchiotti, Ex-Campari CEO, now Cygnet Gin Chairman

Panellist : Edouard-Antoine Musitelli, EMEA Consumer & Retail Investment Banking, Jefferies International

Panellist : Brian Fagan, CEO, Cobblestone Brands

Panellist : Ryan McFarland, Chief Commercial & Strategy Officer, Drinksology Kirker Greer

Who is the event for: Brand founders, operators, investors, acquirers & advisors

Overview
The spirits industry sits in a fascinating cycle. Buy-and-build strategies are accelerating, PE houses are deploying capital into the market, and larger group distillers are acquiring RTD brands and innovative formats. Liquidity events are happening across the sector — but they look very different from 2015–2018, with markedly different valuation multiples.

Yet the art of the deal — what the investment banks see in the market, what an acquirer truly seeks, and what it feels like to be on the receiving end of an approach — is rarely surfaced in one room.

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This event is structured around three lenses that together give a complete overview of M&A activity in the sector. The 60-minute panel will be a guided conversation on the following:

Part 1 — State of the Market: Jefferies sets the scene with live deal data, category trends, and the 12–24 month forward view.
Part 2 — The Acquirer's Lens: what buyers look for when acquiring brands and how they structure deals.
Part 3 — The Acquiree's Reality: what readying for acquisition actually looks like from the inside.
Part 4 — Q&A: Open floor

Why This Event

- The 360° format is rare. Most industry events offer a single perspective. This panel puts adviser, acquirer, and acquiree in the same room at the same time.
- Founders want frameworks. Owners and founders are actively looking for the right opportunity but often lack the tools to evaluate terms, structures, and trade-offs.
- Buy-and-build is accelerating. PE-backed platforms are actively rolling up craft and premium spirits brands.
- RTD is the hot acquisition category. RTD spirits grew 17% in value in the UK market in 2025, and +25.7% in dollar sales in 2025 globally. Larger group distillers are picking up RTD brands at speed, bringing a new class of seller to market — often founders with limited transaction experience.

Register your place Here.