Confirmed Speakers
Drew Bernstein, Co-Chair
Co-Chair, MBP Global • New York, New York
Drew Bernstein is Co-Chairman of MBP Global 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, 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.
Boris Dolgushin, Speaker—Keynote Fireside Chat: Kyivstar and the European SPAC Renaissance,
Strategic Adviser to CEO, Kyivstar Group • Kyiv, Ukraine
Boris Dolgushin is an Adviser to CEO and the former Group CFO of Kyivstar, a Nasdaq-listed integrated digital holding based in Amsterdam and Kyiv, with 24 years of international finance leadership across Europe, the CIS and South-East Asia.
At Kyivstar, Boris co-led the transformation of a single telecom operator into an eight-vertical digital holding, spanning telecom, ride-hailing and delivery, eHealth, marketplace, OTT TV, big data and cloud, IT and digital services, and alternative energy, reaching a market capitalisation of USD 3.5bn. He led the company's Nasdaq listing via de-SPAC, recognised as SPAC Insider's "Deal of the Year," delivering a 50% valuation increase within the first year of listing. Under his leadership, the business has achieved world-leading EBITDA margins up to 67% ranking global top-5 by GSMA, while he has built and led a finance function of more than 600 people to listed-company standard.
Before Kyivstar, Boris spent seven years as Regional Finance Director and Business Controller at VEON Group's Amsterdam headquarters, overseeing strategy, performance and M&A across 9 markets in CIS, Europe and Asia with combined revenue exceeding USD 10bn.
Earlier in his career Boris worked as the head of Finance and CFO at the group, regional and country level and successfully launched telecom and digital operators across 5 markets in CIS and South-East Asia, as well as led M&A and post-merger integration of multiple assets with the total consideration exceeding USD 7bn.
Boris has an extensive Board membership experience in mid to large-size telecom, digital and technology companies across 10 markets. Boris is a Dutch citizen residing in Amsterdam and is the London Business School Executive MBA graduate.
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.
Samy Hammad, Panelist — A Guide for SPAC Sponsors — Legal, Accounting, Financing & Deal Terms
President, NewHold Investment Corp. IV • New York
Samy Hammad is President and Chief Operating Officer of NewHold Investment Corp. IV, a special purpose acquisition company focused on opportunities in the industrial technology sector. He previously served as President and Chief Operating Officer of NewHold Investment Corp. III, which completed its business combination with newcleo in September 2026, and as Chief Financial Officer of NewHold Investment Corp. II.
Prior to NewHold, Samy worked in investment banking at Citigroup, where he advised financial sponsors and SPACs on M&A and capital markets transactions, completing more than 45 transactions and helping raise over $2 billion for SPAC sponsors. Earlier in his career, he worked in leveraged finance at CIT.
Asad Hussaini, Panelist — The Investor Perspective: What Institutions Want from European SPAC IPOs
Partner, SCAF • Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Asad Hussaini is a Dubai-based principal investor and founder who invests across the SPAC lifecycle: sponsor capital, pipeline positions, and de-SPAC structuring. He co-manages SCAF, a SPAC sponsor capital access vehicle, and is building a successor platform to extend sponsor financing and bridge solutions to the sector.
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.
Zeze Ikhinmwin, Speaker— Keynote Fireside Chat: Kyivstar and the European SPAC Renaissance
Head of Legal, Kyivstar Group • Kyiv, Ukraine
Zeze Ikhinmwin is Head of Legal at Kyivstar Group Ltd., a Bermuda-incorporated, UAE-headquartered telecommunications and digital group that completed its Nasdaq listing in August 2025 via a de-SPAC merger with Cohen Circle Acquisition Corp. I. In this role, she is the company’s senior legal decision-maker on its life as a U.S. public company, overseeing SEC and Nasdaq disclosure compliance, corporate governance, capital markets transactions, and cross-border regulatory matters.
Zeze began her career at Clifford Chance before spending over seven years in Corporate and Capital Markets at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP across its Frankfurt and London offices, advising issuers and underwriters on IPOs, debt and equity offerings, and foreign private issuer reporting under U.S. securities law. She also completed secondments to Credit Suisse AG in New York, advising on U.S. public disclosure through the bank’s merger with UBS, and to Henkel AG & Co. KGaA in Düsseldorf on corporate matters.
Zeze holds a JD from Columbia Law School, an LLB from King’s College London, and a BA from University College London, and is admitted to the bar in New York and England and Wales.
Olena Ksenich, Speaker— Keynote Fireside Chat: Kyivstar and the European SPAC Renaissance
Director, Kyivstar Group • Kyiv, Ukraine
Senior Finance Executive with 20+ years of leadership experience in external reporting, taxation, accounting, and finance transformation across the Telecommunications, Manufacturing, FMCG, Retail, and Agrochemical sectors. Currently serving as Director of External Reporting and Tax at Kyivstar Group (Nasdaq: KYIV), having supported the SPAC business combination, Nasdaq listing, and transition to public-company reporting.
Expertise in IFRS and SEC reporting, M&A transactions and post-merger integration, cross-border corporate restructurings, tax compliance and transfer pricing, and SOX-aligned internal controls. Extensive experience overseeing financial and tax reporting at both operating-company and parent-company consolidation levels, with regular engagement with Executive Committees, Boards of Directors, and senior stakeholders.
Proven track record in finance transformation, ERP implementations (SAP and Oracle), Shared Service Center migration and management, partnering with business leaders on strategic and operational initiatives, and building high-performing accounting, reporting, and tax teams.
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, Greenberg Traurig 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.
Andrei Sirabionian, Panelist— A Guide for SPAC Sponsors: Legal, Accounting, Financing, and Deal Terms
Partner, McGuireWoods LLP • New York, 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.
Elliott Smith, Panelist— Structuring, Pricing & Closing: Lessons from Recent Transactions
Partner, Ashurst Perkins Coie• New York, New York
Elliott advises clients on a variety of corporate and securities transactions, including initial public offerings (IPOs), follow-on offerings, at-the-market offerings, confidentially marketed public offerings, and private investment in public equities, as well as spinoffs, subsidiary IPOs, and M&As. He also represents clients in special purpose acquisition company-related transactions, including back-end business combinations. Elliott helps companies prepare to go public and manage corporate governance and compliance with federal securities laws, including the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the Dodd-Frank Act.
Elliott's experience enables him to support small, mid-cap, and large public companies in all aspects of transactional, litigation, and regulatory matters.
Brandon Sun, Opening Address — State of the US SPAC Market
Head of SPAC Investment Banking, Cohen & Company Capital Markets • New York, 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.
Inna Starinets, Speaker— Keynote Fireside Chat: Kyivstar and the European SPAC Renaissance
CFO, Tabletki.ua • Kyiv, Ukraine
Inna Starinets is currently the CFO at Tabletki.ua, Ukraine’s #1 online marketplace for medicine search and booking. Brings over 13 years of experience in global telecom, tower infrastructure, and retail, specializing in financial management, strategy, and M&A. As the former Head of the Finance M&A team at Kyivstar, managed the financial components of buy-side transactions across healthcare, ride-hailing, and fixed broadband, as well as IT and tower asset spin-offs. Led the overall NASDAQ public listing process as project manager on Kyivstar’s behalf, overseeing the Business Combination Agreement, due diligence, investor marketing, and SEC filings
Gaurav Verma, Panelist— De-SPAC Execution on the Clock
Partner, D. Boral Capital • New York, New York
Gaurav Verma has been covering the Technology, Media, and Telecom sector for over 10 years, and has executed over 100 billion in transactions encompassing sell-side and buy-side M&A, IPOs, SPACs, equity offerings, converts, high yield and investment-grade financings. Mr. Verma has advised C-Suite executive teams on M&A assignments, business development opportunities, growth strategies, and capital allocation policies.
Prior to joining D. Boral Capital, Gaurav was a Director at Nomura, spearheading TMT coverage efforts, and previously, was a Senior Vice President at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, within their TMT Investment Banking Group.
Gaurav received his MBA in Finance and Entrepreneurship from the NYU Stern School of Business and BS in Computer Science and Economics from Rutgers University.
Alison Yablonowitz, Panelist— A Guide for SPAC Sponsors: Legal, Accounting, Financing & Deal Terms
Partner, Calabrese Consulting LLC • New York, 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.