Agenda

Embracing Innovation and steering change- The Future of Private Equity Operations

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Registration - Sponsored by HSBC Innovation Banking
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Coffee & networking - Sponsored by GEN II
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Chair’s welcome and opening remarks

Jon Whiteaker, Editor, The Drawdown

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Keynote: Industry attitudes on innovation

With persistent inflation, rising interest rates, and ongoing geopolitical issues a key industry professional will set the scene to how private capital markets are navigating their way through these challenges to create innovative opportunities.

Karim Palant, Director of External Affairs, BVCA

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Opening panel: Assessing the dynamic state of the private equity market
  • How has the definition of 'resilience' changed for PE firms in recent years We're seeing a growing appetite for specialised strategies and more flexible fund structures.
  • How are market conditions driving this innovation, and what are some of the most compelling trends being observed?
  • What are the key drivers behind the market moving towards consolidation, and how are firms navigating the complexities of managing multiple strategies and asset classes?

Moderator: Aleksandra Cison, Director, Strategic Fund Solutions, HSBC Innovation Banking

Speakers:
Hamish Mair, Managing Director and Head of Private Equity, Columbia Threadneedle Investments
Peter Northcott, Partner, Chief Operations Officer, Hereford Capital
Hana Prochaska, Executive Director, Gen II

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Panel: Weathering the storm of a challenging fundraising and valuations environment
  • Fundraising in the current low-liquidity environment: strategies for attracting capital and managing investor expectations.
  • Valuation challenges: the impact of updated ILPA guidelines, auditors' stricter stance on last-round pricing, and the need for transparency.
  • Tax structuring considerations in the current market: optimising fund structures and navigating evolving tax regulations.
  • Exploring the role of third-party valuation providers and their increasing scrutiny

Moderator: Nisha Raghavan, Partner & Chief Operating Officer, Actis Partners

Speakers:
Roland Graaf, CFO, Bencis Capital Partners
Matthias Dux, Managing Partner and Co-Founder, Avellinia Capital
Peter Soliman, Managing Partner, Arosa Capital

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Coffee & networking - Sponsored by GEN II
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Reg talk: Riding the regulatory wave: Private markets in a shifting world
  • How are recent amendments to AIFMD and other EU regulations reshaping private market operations? What are the key compliance priorities for firms today?
  • What operational strategies are firms implementing to stay ahead of regulatory shifts and maintain a competitive edge?
  • How are private equity firms adapting their workflows to meet evolving securities regulations, AML requirements, and KYC standards efficiently?
  • What’s next on the regulatory horizon, and how should firms prepare for future developments in private markets oversight?  

Moderator: Matthias Ploetz, Deputy Editor, The Drawdown

Speakers:
Rosemary McCollin, Executive VP, Fund Solutions, EU & ME, Vistra Fund Solutions
Jonathan Pugh-Smith, General Counsel - Funds and Compliance Officer, Bregal Investments

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Panel: Optimising operations through outsourcing vs. insourcing
  • How do you determine when to use insourcing vs outsourcing?
  • Considering the impact of increased regulatory requirements and the role of digitisation.
  • Discuss the challenges of selecting appropriate providers through navigating the crowded market and choosing systems that meet specific needs and budgets.

Moderator: Shuli Levy, CFO/COO, Expedition Growth Capital

Speaker:
Tom Seymour Mead, Chief Financial Officer, Signal Capital Partners
Bryan Astheimer, Head of IMS, SEI
Teddy Ramarotafika, Head of Finance, Lunar Ventures

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Panel: The future of investor reporting: Tech, transparency & trends for GPs
  • How can GPs leverage advancements in automation and data management to enhance reporting insights and efficiency
  • What trends are driving change in investor reporting?
  • How can GPs evolve their data and reporting functions to adapt to changing investor expectations?
  • With private equity increasingly focused on tapping retail markets, will DPI become more important?

Moderator: Chris Sparenberg Head of iLEVEL, S&P Global Market Intelligence

Speakers:
Alan Chu, Partner, Finance & Operations Director, Beechbrook Capital
Gilad G. Amir, Digital Operating Partner, Pollen Street Capital
Salman Shaikh, Director & Head of Transformation, Pemberton Asset Management

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Networking Lunch - Sponsored by GEN II
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Panel: AI in the investment space: Revolution or hype?
  • The practical applications of AI in investment processes: market research, due diligence, portfolio management, and reporting.
  • Managing and policing AI usage within teams: protecting proprietary information and ensuring responsible AI implementation.
  • The challenges of verifying and critically assessing information obtained from AI tools like ChatGPT

Moderator:
Tanya Kaushal, Reporter, The Drawdown

Speakers:
Jan Beitner, Director, Data & AI, Inflexion Private Equity
Ties Boukema, Head of Data and AI, Dawn Capital
Julian Schickel, Managing Partner and Co-Founder, Avellinia Capital

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Roundtables

Entering the retail market: 
The case of ELTIF 

Facilitator: Andrea Lennon, Country Head, Ireland, Gen II

The new frontier: How GP stakes are shaping private equity markets

Facilitator:
Gustav Hoejmark-Jensen, Head of Platforms, Nordic Alpha Partners

Succession planning- what’s next?


Facilitators: 
Karen Swain, CFO, Kindred Capital
Simon Hirtzel, General Partner & COO, IQ Capital
Khuram Bajwa, Director, One Ten Associates


Changing role of the COO

Facilitators:
Jessica Stewart, COO, Systemiq Capital 
James Rennie, Group Finance Director, Oakley Capital

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Closing panel: Secondaries- a market in motion
  • As secondaries and co-investments reshape portfolio construction, what operational adjustments are needed to manage deal execution, valuations, and investor reporting?
  • What role are innovative structures like continuation vehicles playing in this evolution?
  • How does the risk profile of a secondaries transaction differ from a conventional deal? What can buyers and sellers do to mitigate risk?
  • What’s next for secondaries? As both supply and demand momentum builds what opportunities could this present?

Moderator Steve Darrington, Chairman, Mactavish

Speakers:
Thomas Hallinger, Managing Director, Secondaries, Golding Capital Partners
Millie Silver, CFO, Clipway

Closing remarks and activities
Drinks reception - Sponsored by Alter Domus
Dinner - Sponsored by ALPHA Group

Agenda

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Coffee & networking
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Chair’s welcome and opening remarks

Jon Whiteaker, Editor, The Drawdown

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Opening panel "War stories" session: Lessons learned across market cycles
  • Industry veterans share their experiences navigating past market downturns, boom periods, and other significant events.
  • Reflecting on past industry trends and their implications for the future of private markets.
  • Sharing insights on successful investment strategies, risk management, and leadership in challenging times.

Moderator: Diana Meyel, Managing Partner, Cipio Partners
Speaker: Karen Sands, COO, Federated Hermes Global Private Equity

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Fireside chat: The changing shape of fund finance
  • How is the relationship between LPs and GPs evolving in the context of fund financing?
  • Explore emerging fund financing trends, such as tech platforms, specialized lenders, and hybrid structures.
  • Assess how increased secondaries activity due to market dislocation creates challenges and opportunities for managers and investors, and the role of fund financing.

Moderator: Megan Livingstone, Senior Structurer, Alpha Group

Speakers:
Giovanni Pericolini, Co-Founder & Partner, Medicxi
Dan Beary, CFO, Bow Street

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Networking coffee - Sponsored by GEN II
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Fireside chat: Performance in private equity: where are we now?
  • Analyse global fund performance trends, regional variations, and sector-specific insights, focusing on DPI as a key indicator amid market shifts like illiquidity and valuation discrepancies.
  • Explore the role of alternative metrics (MOIC, PME) in assessing fund performance and addressing inconsistencies in calculation and benchmarking.
  • Discuss the evolution of private equity performance measurement with increased regulatory scrutiny, ESG integration, and advanced data analytics.

Moderator
Jon Whiteaker, Editor, The Drawdown

Speaker
Catherine Kavanagh, Relationship Manager Director, Alter Domus

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Roundtables

Consolidation- is it good or bad for the industry? 

Facilitator:
Tom Miller, Director, Sales Real Estate, Alter Domus

Building a diverse and dynamic talent pipeline for the future

Facilitator:
Debojit Mukherjee, COO, Agilitas


ESG: Beyond compliance - Real impact or greenwashing?

Facilitator:
Rebecca Boscott, Head of Responsible Investing, Hanover Investors Management LLP


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Keynote: EUs competitiveness agenda – mobilising private capital. Too late, too little?

Since the publication of the Letta- and Draghi reports in 2024 it has been all hands on deck for the European Commission to revitalise a broad spectrum of regulatory and policy initiatives to fill the EU’s competitiveness gap. The policies and regulatory initiatives will have operational impact for venture-, private equity and infrastructure investors, but are the initiatives too late, too little and how will they fit into a geopolitical agenda radically changed since 2024.

Martin Bresson, Public Affairs Director, Invest Europe

Networking Lunch and end of the Summit - Sponsored by GEN II