This year’s AICA EMEA meeting was hosted by YES Corporate Finance. The meeting took place in the vibrant city of Rotterdam, bringing together over 50 corporate finance professionals from our international network for an engaging two-day conference + one day of sightseeing centred on cross-border M&A and strengthening member collaboration. We were thrilled to welcome so many colleagues to Rotterdam, eager to share insights, explore deal opportunities, and deepen connections across borders.
The conference began with an enthusiastic welcome from the AICA Chairman, Simon Davies from FRP (UK), who reflected on the network’s recent accomplishments and highlighted new initiatives. We followed with a YES CF introduction about the Netherlands & Rotterdam, sharing insights into the Dutch economic landscape and setting the stage for a series of in-depth discussions around cross-border collaboration and new market opportunities.
In Rotterdam, sessions featured speakers from private equity firms, a highly respected economist, who offered diverse perspectives on the current European economy, the evolving private equity landscape, and strategies for addressing challenges in our home markets. These sessions sparked insightful conversations that extended into a lively afternoon of discussions focused on deal opportunities, expanding buyer pools, and enhancing collaborative efforts across our network.
After an enriching day of sessions, we enjoyed nice dinners, providing our members the chance to unwind, share experiences, and build even stronger personal connections.Reflecting on the event, Arjan shared how inspiring it was to see so many colleagues connect deeply and openly exchange insights. He noted, “Gatherings like these go beyond professional networking; they build long-lasting friendships and trust, which are the foundation of successful cross-border collaboration. It’s moments like these that remind us why we’re passionate about our work and our network.”
We extend our gratitude to all participants and the YES CF team who made this event a success. Special mentions for the support of Monique Hoedemaker and Maaike Hoogerwerf. We are inspired and motivated for 2025, and we look forward to leveraging the relationships and ideas gained in Rotterdam to achieve new success together.
