KBRA
KBRA's Esoteric ABS Forum: Sectors in Bloom

May 19, 2026 | 1:00 - 5:30 PM EST


New York, NY

About the Event

KBRA is pleased to host an Esoteric ABS Forum in New York City on May 19. The forum will bring together issuers, investors, bankers, and other market participants for focused discussions on key commercial ABS sectors, including Music ABS, Communications Infrastructure ABS, and Whole Business Securitizations (WBS). Featuring perspectives from KBRA’s analytical leadership as well as industry experts, this forum will examine issuance trends, evolving credit risks, structural considerations, and performance dynamics, ground by KBRA’s latest research and ratings. The program will conclude with a networking reception, offering attendees the opportunity to connect with peers and speakers.

Where
Ease 1345
Concourse Level, 1345 6th Ave, New York, NY 10105
*RSVP by May 12, 2026. 
This event is closed to Press and Media. Registrations will be reviewed regularly. Email events@kbra.com for more information.
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Register

Agenda

1:00-1:45 PM EST

Conference Registration

Agenda is subject to change. 

1:45-2:00 PM EST

Opening Remarks



2:00 - 2:45 PM EST

Music ABS: Valuations Take Center Stage Again

  • Issuance, new issuers and broadening of the sector
  • Recent M&A activity
  • Music ABS Performance
  • Valuation Challenges


2:45 - 3:30 PM EST

Fiber and Communications Infrastructure ABS: One Strand at a Time

  • Various types of fiber application
  • Analytical considerations, including technology, diversification, historical data availability and performance trends
  • Interaction of back-up manager during various phases of the transaction

3:00-3:45 PM EST

Networking Break

3:45 - 4:30 PM EST

Whole Business Securitizations (WBS): Digesting the Refi Wall

  • Current refinancing environment and what paths issuers are choosing
  • Evolution and looking forward in WBS
  • Risks and performance in the asset class

4:30 - 5:30 PM EST

Networking Reception



5:30 PM EST

Event Concludes


KBRA Speakers

Chris Baffa

Senior Director
ABS

Xi Chen

Managing Director
ABS

Christine Dalton

Managing Director
ABS

Matthew Gardener

Senior Director
ABS

Jack Kahan

Senior Managing Director
Global Head of ABS & RMBS

Anna Roginkin

Senior Director
ABS

KBRA Business Development 

Rosemary Kelley

Senior Managing Director
+1 646-731-2337

Arielle Smelkinson

Senior Director
+1 646-731-2369

Gabriela Hodara

Managing Director
+1 646-731-2499

KBRA's Esoteric ABS Forum: Sectors in Bloom

May 19, 2026 |New York, NY

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KBRA

KBRA is a global full-service rating agency with a mission to set a standard of excellence and integrity. Established in 2010, KBRA remains dedicated to the restoration of trust in credit ratings by creating new standards for assessing risk and by offering timely and transparent ratings. KBRA provides market participants with an alternative solution by delivering in-depth research across various sectors within the US, UK and European markets. We strive to provide the investment community with the products and tools needed to make informed investment decisions.

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