We’re pleased to announce that ACA Aponix has been named Due Diligence Firm of the Year for the third& year running in the& M&A Advisor ‘s 14th Annual Turnaround Awards. The awards recognize the leading transactions, firms, and individuals in the distressed investing and reorganization industry.
The 2020& nominations represented over 240& participating companies and were judged by an independent jury of industry experts.& The awards will be presented at the 2020 M&A Advisor Distressed Investing Summit on March 18 in Florida.
“It is extremely rewarding to see our& IT, cybersecurity, and privacy transaction advisory services& be recognized for the third year in a row by The M&A Advisor,” said& Chad Neale, Managing Director at ACA Aponix. “At the outset of establishing our services, our goal was to become the benchmark for tailored, impactful, and actionable M&A technology and risk management services throughout the investment lifecycle. We remain firmly committed to these goals and take great pride in our team, approach, and track record for delivering meaningful results for our clients. I would like to thank our deal team and portfolio operations clients that have supported our growth in transaction advisory.”
ACA Aponix provides IT, cybersecurity, and privacy transaction advisory services that help investors manage the cyber risks of their portfolio companies, negotiate better deals, and preserve their investment value.
About ACA Aponix
ACA Aponix, a division of ACA Compliance Group, provides cybersecurity and technology risk assessments, vendor and M&A diligence services, network testing, and advisory services. Our team of highly experienced technologists combines expertise across the breadth of cybersecurity and information technology. Our award-winning Technology Risk Assessment is designed to address the latest requirements from regulators and boards. We offer a suite of consulting and advisory services designed to help firms uncover risks and identify deficiencies in their cybersecurity policies, procedures, and controls.
For More Information
For more information about ACA’s& M&A and portfolio company diligence services, please contact& Noah Fox at& nfox@acaaponix.com& or your ACA consultant.
ACA Spring Conference: May 18, 19, 20
ACA ‘s virtual spring conference is right around the corner. The lineup is set. ACA Aponix is excited to showcase three sessions on timely, relevant, and thought-provoking topics. We encourage ACA Aponix clients to attend the sessions below or to invite other members of & their teams to join in.
Here ‘s a sneak peek at what you can expect and what you can expect to take away.
View the complete agenda here.
Session #1
Building a Regulatory Compliant Cyber Program in an Age of RiskMutation™
Speakers: Keith Cassidy, Director of the SEC Office of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs, and Mike Pappacena, ACA Partner.
When: & May 18, 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. EST.
Summary
- The SEC has recently detailed their priorities on operational resiliency and cybersecurity. These priorities have included a focus on planning for global warming weather events, pandemics, and ransomware, as well as on safeguarding investor information.
- SEC Director Keith Cassidy will talk with ACA Aponix ‘s Mike Pappacena and offer observations on these and related risks and concerns, including supply chain and third-party risk.
Attend if
- You want to know what is on the SEC and FINRA ‘s mind about cybersecurity, privacy, or compliance, straight from the SEC.
- You are on the hook for cybersecurity. You’re a compliance officer, COO, CTO, CISO, risk manager, general counsel, or operating partner.
Takeaways
- First-hand knowledge of SEC observations, straight from the SEC.
- Strategic information usable in building a cost-effective cybersecurity resilience plan that satisfies regulatory requirements.
Session #2:
Portfolio Oversight: Cyber, Privacy, and ESG,
Speakers: Dan Mistler, ACA Partner, ESG Group, and Chad Neale, Partner, ACA Group.
When: May 18, 2 p.m. – 3 p.m. EST.
Summary
- Chad Neale (ACA Aponix) and Dan Mistler (ACA ESG) will walk through the latest ESG, Cyber, and Privacy trends. They will detail synergies, relevant regulations, and frameworks, and will outline how to strike a balance between core operating metrics and risk management. They will share how leaders in private markets are providing portfolio company oversight in these areas.
Attend if
- You are an operating partner, part of the investment team, or a risk management professional.
- ESG has been added to your plate of responsibilities. With the U.N., E.U., and the U.S. Biden administration ramping up their regulatory ESG demands to previously unseen levels, and with ESG programming becoming mandatory, you want to know how firms like yours are handling it within their organization and at their portfolio companies.
Takeaways
- How well-designed risk management programs can provide insight into portco performance, with little impact on internal or management teams.
- Unexpected synergies when combining an ESG and a risk management oversight program.
Session #3:
Addressing Security Challenges of the Cloud-First Model
Speakers: Steve Blossom, Chief Information Officer at ACA Group, Mathew Hegarty, Chief Technology Officer at Candlestick Capital, Kris Lau, Managing Director at ACA Aponix, and Andy Sobek, Head of Information Technology at Permira.
When: May 20, 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. EST.
Summary
- Cloud use continues to grow. Recent reports indicate that 92% of surveyed enterprises have a multi-cloud strategy,80% have a hybrid cloud strategy, and 59% of advanced users name cloud migration as a key initiative. While the cloud presents many opportunities for ubiquitous access and efficiency, it’s these same characteristics that make it an ideal vector for compromise. Moving to the cloud still requires security and oversight.
- ACA Aponix Managing Director Kris Lau will host a technology panel featuring CIOs, CTOs, IT and risk management leaders, and focus on cloud security, dangers, and mitigation strategies. They will cover recommendations for securing the cloud environment, roles, and responsibilities. They will discuss what it means to have a “Zero Trust” model and what it takes to get there. They will also explore real life examples of cloud security assessment strategies and cloud-related breaches.
& Attend if
- Your firm has moved or is planning to move to a cloud-first or hybrid-cloud model.
- You need to know risks to be aware of and recommended mitigations.
- You want to know learn more about the Zero Trust model and how it can benefit your organization.
Takeaways
- A security-in-mind model for cloud migration and usage.
- Knowledge of specific dangers and control tactics.
- Awareness of unforeseen impacts of cloud migration (e.g., business continuity and incident response planning).
Bonuses
- Recordings of sessions will be made available for attendee review.
- Immediate poll results that reflect how peer attendees are addressing issues of common concern will be provided.
- Downloadable checklists with consolidated reference to actionable steps will be made available.
Sign-up
The material in these presentations will be particularly relevant to compliance officers, COOs, CTOs, CISOs, risk managers, general counsels, and operating partners. Additionally, the presentations contain information relevant to all C-level attendees, and in general, to individuals with overall cybersecurity, privacy, and ESG responsibilities.
We look forward to your attendance. View the complete agenda here.
Client discounts are available. Please contact your ACA consultant for your discount code.