During the Jefferies Global Healthcare Conference, which took place in London between 17-20 November 2025, Baker McKenzie Transactional partners Jane Hobson and Roel Meers were interviewed by Fierce Biotech reporter James Waldron on the current dealmaking environment in the sector, as well as predictions for the next year.
Fierce Biotech subsequently published two articles which quoted Jane and Roel. The first, Jefferies' London conference cements reputation as 'JP Morgan for Europe', reflected on the mood of the conference overall, as well as its popularity. Jane Hobson was quoted as saying,
“(Jefferies) It’s on the calendar now. It’s not just about the conference, it's about the eco-structure that comes with it. I go through my list of contacts across all my clients and just write to them saying, ‘Will you be in London?’ They all are.”
She was quoted later in the article as saying,
“Everyone wants to announce a deal just before J.P. Morgan. I wonder if we’ll get to the point where everyone wants to announce a deal just before [Jefferies]?”
In a second article, 'People are getting used to it': Global uncertainties can't dampen upbeat Jefferies conference', Roel Meers commented on the renewed sense of cautious optimism among dealmakers, explaining,
“I think at the beginning of the year, everybody was super positive at the [J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference 2025].”
And then, “everything [was] on pause for six or seven months,” he added, with a dearth of biotech IPOs as well as companies seeking “very creative” funding solutions such as convertible financing.
Jane also added comments in this article, suggesting that after a lull, the pace of deals may start to accelerate again in the coming months.