On May 26, 2026, the AEB Finance and Investments Committee held the fourth M&A conference titled “Russian M&A market 2026: a holding pattern?".

Tadzio Schilling, CEO, AEB, and German Zakharov, AEB Finance and Investments Committee Chair, welcomed the participants.

Ivan Chebeskov, Deputy Minister of Finance of the Russian Federation, and Ilya Melnikov, Deputy Director of Department of Strategic Development and Corporate Policy, Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, spoke at the conference’s plenary session devoted to the regulatory framework for M&A transactions involving foreign companies, dividend payments, and return of foreign investors to the Russian market.

In recent years, the M&A market has undergone significant shifts, with changes in its structure, key players and rules of the game. Following the boom of 2022–2024, deal activity has become more selective. At the same time, expectations of a new wave of transactions — including those involving foreign investors — are gradually shaping the outlook for 2026 and beyond.

At the event, leading experts, regulators, advisors and market participants discussed the key regulatory developments, market trends and practical aspects of structuring and executing transactions in a changing environment. Among the moderators and speakers were also: Maxim Uryash, Executive Director, Advance Capital, Mikhail Dubnov, Co-founder, Partner, Brio Capital, Vilen Eliseev, MD, Partner, Insight Investments, Anton Kunashov, Partner, Nextons, Evgeny Garkusha, CEO, Gradient Management Company, Ilya Shumov, Head of IB/M&A, Russian Agricultural Bank.

The AEB thanks gold sponsors Advance Capital, ALRUD Law Firm and Nextons for their support of the event.