Name
NextGen Session #1: The Realities of Entrepreneurship & Picking Your Partners
Date & Time
Friday, February 18, 2022, 3:00 PM - 5:05 PM
Carmen Ortiz-McGhee Robert Greene Francois Auzerais O'Kelly McWilliams, III
Description

All times are listed in Eastern Time Zone

3:00pm - 3:05pm | Welcome & Opening Remarks, Housekeeping

Speaker: Carmen Ortiz-McGhee, Chief Operating Officer, NAIC

3:05pm - 3:50pm | Experienced Investor, New Entrepreneur: The Realities of Entrepreneurship

You have decided to launch your own firm, leveraging the experiences and networks you have built over a long and successful career. You know everything necessary to do this, right? This common misconception will be addressed in great detail in a session that also covers the journey from managing deals to managing people, establishing a culture, managing logistical and human resources issues, and more. Learn what to expect and how to transition to entrepreneurship as smoothly as possible. 

Speaker: Robert L. Greene, President & CEO, NAIC

  • Thinking like an entrepreneur versus an employee
  • Pre-survey Insights: Understanding what you know and don't know about the journey ahead
  • Important considerations when building a firm (culture, governance and collaboration)
  • Responsibilities of the Founder & Managing Partner: A Day in the Life of an Entrepreneur 

3:50pm – 3:55pm | Virtual Break (3 min) & Next Panel Introduction

Picking Your Partners: Talent, Values and Skills

Picking your partners requires an intricate set of complex considerations. Having a shared vision and grounded understanding of the journey, a strong track record, and the right combination of skills and experiences are all crucial characteristics that LPs evaluate throughout the due diligence process. Additionally, ensuring that your partnership is undergirded by a thoughtful and thorough partnership agreement that positions your firm to weather its full life cycle is critical. Learn key principles that will position you and your partners for success on this journey.

3:55pm – 4:15pm | Picking Your Partners: Key Traits of a Successful Partnership

When launching an institutional-grade private equity fund, selecting the right partners is a critical early step. Relationship dynamics, compatible skillsets, a strong collective track record, and a common vision must all be considered when shaping a team that can elicit high conviction in LPs. In this session, attendees will hear from industry experts about strategies for selecting partners and best practices for team compatibility as well as pitfalls to avoid.

Speaker: Francois Auzerais, Senior Client Partner, North America, Korn Ferry

4:15pm – 4:35pm | Picking Your Partners: Partnership Agreements

This session will provide a thorough overview of important legal terms and language that should be included in any partnership agreement to ensure the firm and partners’ ability to navigate the opportunities and challenges it will likely encounter. Topics that will be covered include:

  • The Founding Partnership
  • Advisory Board
  • Operating Partners

Speaker: O’Kelly E. McWilliams III, Attorney, Mintz

4:35pm – 4:50pm | Picking Your Partners: Panel Session

This panel will bring both speakers together for a deeper discussion into the topics covered and will also provide symposium attendees an opportunity to ask questions.

Moderator:  Carmen Ortiz-McGhee, Chief Operating Officer, NAIC

Panelists:

 Francois Auzerais, Senior Client Partner, North America, Korn Ferry

O’Kelly E. McWilliams III, Attorney, Mintz

4:50pm – 5:00pm | Audience Q&A

5:00pm – 5:05pm | Closing Remarks

Speaker: Carmen Ortiz-McGhee, Chief Operating Officer, NAIC

5:05pm | Session #1 Ends

Virtual Session Link