Confirmed Speakers
Drew Bernstein, Co-Chair
Co-Chairman, MarcumAsia
Drew Bernstein is Co-Chairman of MarcumAsia, one of the leading accounting and advisory firms for companies pursuing US listings. He has been a central figure in bringing Asian and European companies to Nasdaq and NYSE for over two decades and serves as Co-Chair of the Summit alongside Crocker Coulson.
Mike Blankenship, Panelist—De-SPAC Execution on the Clock
Managing Partner, Houston & Co-Chair, Capital Markets Practice, Winston Taylor LLP • Houston, Texas
Mike is the co-chair of the firm’s Capital Markets Practice, and a member of the firm’s Executive Committee. He focuses his practice on corporate finance and securities law, including securities offerings, public company advisory, special purpose acquisition company offerings, private equity and venture capital transactions, mergers and acquisitions, and general corporate representation.
Mike regularly counsels public companies on strategic transactions, capital markets offerings, and general corporate and securities law matters. He represents both issuers and underwriters in U.S. and non-U.S. capital markets transactions, including IPOs and direct listings, and advises on corporate governance and securities market regulation. Mike routinely assists clients from many different industries, including, among others, energy & infrastructure, healthcare & life sciences and technology and new media.
Crocker Coulson, Co-Chair & Moderator
CEO, AUM Advisors · New York
Crocker Coulson is CEO of AUM Advisors, a New York-based capital markets advisory firm specializing in cross-border IPOs, SPACs, and investor relations for companies listing on US markets. He has advised on more than 100 IPOs, SPACs, direct listings, and follow-on offerings across Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Crocker is the organizer of the Japan Go IPO Summit and the founding organizer of the Europe SPAC Summit. He will serve as co-chair and lead moderator throughout the day.
Douglas Ellenoff, Keynote Speaker — Legal Framework for European SPACs
Partner, Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP • New York
Douglas Ellenoff is one of the most prominent SPAC lawyers in the United States and a founding partner of Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP, the leading law firm for SPAC transactions by volume. He will deliver the Summit's exclusive legal keynote — the definitive briefing on structuring European SPAC transactions under US securities law. This session is open only to Summit attendees.
Gianfranco Imperato, Panelist— Structuring, Pricing & Closing — Lessons from Recent Transactions
CEO and Shareholder, Trasteel Group • Lugano, Switzerland
Gianfranco Imperato is the CEO of Trasteel Holding S.A., a leading European steel trading and industrial processing company headquartered in Lugano, Switzerland, and Luxembourg. Founded in 2009, Trasteel has grown into a global platform operating in over 60 countries, serving more than 4,000 customers, and combining steel and raw materials trading with industrial transformation across 13 factories in six countries. In April 2026, Trasteel announced a definitive business combination with Sizzle Acquisition Corp. II (Nasdaq: SZZL), a transaction valuing the company at a pre-money equity of $800 million and an implied enterprise value of approximately $1.3 billion. Upon closing, the combined company is expected to list on Nasdaq under the ticker "TSTL." Under Gianfranco's leadership, Trasteel continues to expand its trading and industrial footprint, positioning itself as one of Europe's largest players in the steel and metals value chain.
Kristi Marvin, Panelist— Structuring, Pricing & Closing: Lessons from Recent Transactions
CEO & Founder, SPAC Insider• New York, New York
Kristi Marvin is the Founder and CEO of SPACInsider.com, a platform for real-time data, analysis, and news focused exclusively on the Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC) market. A former investment banker, she has worked on more than $2 billion in SPAC IPOs as a bookrunner and nearly $4 billion in total SPAC offerings as a lead or co-manager. She launched SPACInsider to provide dedicated coverage of a market that had long lacked a specialized source of data and analysis.
Adam Namoury, Panelist— Structuring, Pricing & Closing: Lessons from Recent Transactions
Shareholder, GreenbergTraurig LLP• New York, New York
Adam Namoury is a corporate lawyer whose practice centers on private equity, public and private M&A, and SPAC transactions, along with growth equity, venture capital, and distressed acquisitions. He advises private equity firms and public and private companies across industries, regularly counseling boards and senior executives on corporate governance, fiduciary duty, and other strategic matters, and serves as outside general counsel to several clients.
Previously, he was General Counsel of a multinational chemical and agricultural commodities company operating in more than 65 countries, where he built and led the global legal team and oversaw all corporate transactions, including M&A, project finance, and corporate finance.
Jason Preisler, Panelist— De-SPAC Execution on the Clock
Partner, MBP Global• New York, New York
Jason Preisler is a quality management and audit leader at MBP Global with deep expertise in audit quality, process optimization, and technology-driven transformation. Over his career, he has held senior roles including President of Preisler Consulting Group, National Assurance Leader at CBIZ CPAs, and multiple National Office positions at Marcum LLP. He spent 14+ years at PwC leading audits for SEC registrants and Fortune 100 clients—including four years in the firm's National Office focused on risk, quality, and audit innovation. Jason has also served on Center for Audit Quality (CAQ) task forces, helping shape PCAOB rules and standards on quality management.
Gary Quin, Panelist— Sourcing Deal Flow in Europe - Where Are the Best Targets
Vice Chairman, Cohen & Company • New York, New York
Gary is a Vice Chairman of Cohen & Company Capital Markets, where he leads the firm's efforts in Europe, bringing over 25 years of investment banking, operating, and investing experience with deep expertise across telecoms, media, digital infrastructure, real estate, and financial services. He was previously CEO of North Atlantic Acquisition Corporation, a Nasdaq-listed SPAC, and before that Vice Chairman of Investment Banking at Credit Suisse in Europe, where he advised corporates, governments, and financial sponsors on M&A and capital raising totaling over $66 billion, while also serving as a Senior Advisor to The Blackstone Group. Gary holds an MBA from Trinity College Dublin and a degree from University College Cork, has studied at Harvard Business School and the University of Oxford, and is a former member of the Irish national rowing team.
Brandon Sun, Opening Address — State of the US SPAC Market
Head of SPAC Investment Banking, Cohen & Company Capital Markets • New York
Brandon is Head of SPAC Investment Banking at Cohen & Company Capital Markets and is one of Wall Street’s longest‑serving SPAC bankers. Over a 13‑year career, he has completed 120+ IPOs, 130+ de‑SPAC and M&A transactions representing more than $210bn in enterprise value, and 60+ PIPE and follow‑on offerings. Brandon holds an MBA from Yale School of Management and a BA from Carleton College.
Andrei Sirabionian, Panelist— A Guide for SPAC Sponsors: Legal, Accounting, Financing, and Deal Terms
Partner, McGuireWoods LLP • New York
Andrei Sirabionian is a capital markets partner whose practice focuses on representing foreign and domestic issuers, underwriters, and investors in a broad range of public and private securities transactions. His experience spans initial and secondary public offerings as well as exempt offerings of equity and debt, and he regularly advises public companies on ’34 Act reporting requirements, corporate governance matters, stock exchange rules, and ongoing securities law compliance.
Andrei’s practice includes transactions involving Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs) at both the IPO stage and in connection with business combinations. He additionally counsels clients in connection with mergers and acquisitions, including acquisitions and divestitures of assets and businesses, spinoffs, joint ventures, and “going private” transactions.
Alison Yablonowitz, Panelist— A Guide for SPAC Sponsors: Legal, Accounting, Financing & Deal Terms
Partner, Calabrese Consulting LLC• New York
Alison is an accomplished finance executive and trusted advisor for private and public organizations ranging in size from $100M to $100B. With more than 24 years of public accounting experience at a Big 4 accounting firm, Alison has been recognized as an exceptional client service provider.
Since joining Calabrese in January 2021, Alison has been primarily assisting companies with GAAP and IFRS accounting and SEC financial reporting matters, private offerings, acquisition and disposition accounting, revenue recognition matters, equity related accounting, and client relationship management, as well as coordinating and working closely with auditors to ensure timely and accurate reporting. Prior to that, Alison was an audit partner at Ernst & Young LLP responsible for growing the Northeast Assurance Practice.
Alison received her undergraduate degree from Binghamton University in Accounting and an MBA from Columbia University. Alison is a CPA and a member of the New Jersey State Society of Certified Public Accountants and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). Additionally, Alison is on the board of the United Way of Greater Union County.