KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, May 7, 2026 – ARC Group successfully hosted the Capital Markets & M&A Forum 2026: Malaysia Edition at EQ Kuala Lumpur, convening more than 500 senior executives, institutional investors, legal advisors, and business leaders from across Southeast Asia, North America, Europe, and key international financial centers.
Now in its fourth consecutive year in Kuala Lumpur, the forum has further solidified its position as one of Southeast Asia’s premier platforms for strategic dialogue on capital markets, mergers and acquisitions, and cross-border financial expansion.
Defining the Next Phase of Cross-Border Capital Formation
The 2026 edition convened influential decision-makers across the financial ecosystem to examine the structural shifts shaping global capital markets, including evolving investor sentiment, cross-border M&A execution, IPO preparedness, and Southeast Asia’s expanding role in global capital deployment.
Entrepreneurship, strategic financing, and international expansion featured prominently throughout the forum, reflecting how growth companies are increasingly aligning capital strategy with broader global expansion ambitions.
Malaysia emerged as a central focus within these discussions, as regional growth companies reassess capital access strategies and increasingly look beyond domestic markets toward international financing and public market opportunities.
From Market Insights to Execution Strategies
A series of keynote sessions delivered focused perspectives on today’s rapidly evolving capital markets landscape.
Datuk Seri Paul Chong, Partner at ARC Group, opened the forum with a keynote on shifting IPO dynamics, highlighting structural challenges within the micro-cap segment and emphasizing the need for stronger investor alignment.
Drew Bernstein, Co-Chairman of MarcumAsia, emphasized that governance, transparency, and execution discipline have become increasingly critical to IPO and De-SPAC success in a more selective global market environment.
Ian Hanna, CEO of ARC Group Securities, underscored the growing importance of integrated cross-border capital markets capabilities and institutional-grade execution readiness across advisory and underwriting platforms.
A dedicated panel on capital access further explored how Malaysian growth companies are rethinking financing strategies, reflecting broader regional momentum toward cross-border capital solutions and international market participation.
Panel participants included:
- Joy Pan, Senior Partner at MarcumAsia
- Pramugh Pathmanaban, Head of Equity Markets Development, Securities Market at Bursa Malaysia Berhad
- Roger Salazar, Jr., Managing Director and Head of Global Capital Markets at ARC Group Securities
- Sally Yin, Partner at HTFL
- Shu Haur, Principal at Ares Credit Group
Moderated by Ian Hanna, the discussion reinforced a central conclusion: as global markets evolve, companies are increasingly shifting from opportunity-driven strategies toward execution-driven outcomes.
Nasdaq Keynote Highlights International Market Access
A major highlight of this year’s forum was the keynote address delivered by Hiren Krishnani, Senior Director at Nasdaq, who oversees capital markets initiatives across the ASEAN region.
Krishnani shared strategic insights on global listing pathways, IPO readiness, and positioning Southeast Asian companies for successful participation in international public markets.
“Southeast Asia continues to play an increasingly important role in global capital markets. Companies that are strategically prepared and globally aligned are best positioned to access international liquidity and long-term growth opportunities.”
ASIA Records Recognition Validates ARC Group’s Global Advisory Reach
During the forum, ARC Group was formally recognized by ASIA Records with the title:
“Most Nationally Diverse Client Base for NASDAQ Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC) Listings by an Investment Bank.”
The recognition reflects ARC Group’s advisory leadership across 54 NASDAQ SPAC transactions as of 2026, representing sponsor clients from 17 countries spanning Asia, North America, Europe, Latin America, and Africa.
This achievement underscores ARC Group’s demonstrated ability to support one of the most geographically diversified issuer bases in the industry while executing complex cross-border capital markets transactions at scale.
Institutional Support Across Financial Ecosystems
The forum was supported by leading organizations across securities, legal, accounting, and advisory sectors, reflecting a broad institutional commitment to advancing regional capital formation and strengthening Southeast Asia’s connectivity with international financial markets.
Financial Leadership Aligned with Social Impact
As part of the 2026 forum, ARC Group partnered with Feed My Starving Children to support initiatives addressing global child hunger and food insecurity.
This initiative reflects ARC Group’s broader philosophy that financial leadership and global expansion should be accompanied by meaningful social responsibility.
Executive Commentary
“This year’s forum reflects Southeast Asia’s growing strategic importance within global capital formation. The scale of participation, institutional engagement, and quality of dialogue underscore the region’s expanding influence as an increasingly critical center for international capital deployment.”
— Carlos Lopez, Executive Director, ARC Group
Looking Ahead
With record attendance, expanded international participation, and increasing institutional relevance, the 2026 Kuala Lumpur edition marked ARC Group’s most significant regional forum to date.
ARC Group remains committed to advancing strategic dialogue, facilitating international market access, and positioning Southeast Asia at the forefront of the next generation of global capital markets development through future editions of its Capital Markets & M&A Forum series.
