Session #1 Laying the Foundation for Your New Firm

(2 hours 5 min.) Thursday, February 6^th, 2025

4:00pm – 4:05pm          Welcome & Opening Remarks, Housekeeping

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

4:05pm – 4:50pm           Building a Firm is More Than Just Raising a Fund

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 

4:50pm – 4:55pm          Virtual Break (3 min) & Next Panel Introduction (2 min)

4:55pm – 5:15pm           The Partnership Agreement: Establishing the Foundations of a Successful Partnership

Partners require 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.

Session Description: 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.

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, Partner, Holland & Knight

5:15pm – 5:50pm           Picking Your Partners: Panel

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

Panelists:

• Robert L. Greene
• O’Kelly E. McWilliams III
• Jim Rutherford, Co-Founding Partner, Bharcap Partners
• Jewel Burks Solomon, Managing Partner, Collab Capital

5:50pm – 6:00pm       Audience Q&A

6:00pm – 6:05pm         Session #1 Closing Remarks

                                               Speaker: Carmen Ortiz-McGhee

6:05pm                              Session #1 Ends

6:05pm– 6:35pm           Cohort Post-Session Networking (Optional)

Session #2 Team, Track Record, and Strategy: Your Recipe for Success

 (2 hour 5 min.) Thursday, February 13^th, 2025

4:00pm – 4:05pm          Opening Remarks & Speaker Introduction

Speaker: Carmen Ortiz-McGhee

4:05pm – 4:35pm          Critical Components of an Effective Team  

Session Description: In this session, you will learn the critical roles and skills required to round out a team for consideration of an institutional investment. You will hear directly from a leading allocator who will cover what positions within your team will be critical to your success, the team members you should have in place, and key advisory roles that you should fill as well as the range of third-party services available as you construct a solid offering. This session will cover:

• • Investment team composition
  • Advisors, operating partners, and co-investors
  • Constructing a back-office team

                                           Speaker: Allen Ruiz, Managing Director, Alternative Investments, Barings

4:35pm – 4:40pm        Audience Q&A

4:40pm – 4:45pm          Virtual Break (3 min) & Next Panel Introduction (2 min)

4:45pm – 5:00pm          Establishing Your Track Record: Overview

                                               Session Description: One of the most important considerations for LPs evaluating GPs for allocation is the team’s track record. This session will provide detailed insight into the institutional investors’ perspective as well as ways to address when you are unable to port your track record, either individually or as a team.

                Speaker: Jason Howard, Founder & Managing Partner, New Catalyst Strategic Partners

5:00pm – 5:25pm          Establishing Your Track Record: Panel Discussion

Session Description: This session brings to bear the perspectives of some of the leading capital allocators in the industry for an in-depth dialogue and audience Q&A.

Moderator:  Jason Howard

Panelists:

• Bryan Fujita, CIO, Los Angeles Fire and Police Pension
• Caroline Gillespie Greer, Managing Director, Commonfund

5:25pm – 5:30pm          Audience Q&A

5:30pm – 5:55pm         Establishing Your Investment Strategy: Panel

Session description: While team and track record and strategy are the overall rubric through which LPs evaluate managers, it is often said that strategy is far and away the most important of these elements. During this session you will hear from experts who have many years of evaluating and determining if they will deploy capital to support an investment strategy designed to create significant value and is resilient enough to weather the inevitable storms caused by the market.

Moderator:

• Joseph Acevedo, Managing Director, BlackRock

• Panelists:
• Daryn Dodson, Managing Partner, Illumen Capital
• Kwesi Quaye, Partner, Fairview Capital Partners

5:55pm – 6:00pm          Audience Q&A

6:00pm – 6:05pm         Session #2 Closing Remarks

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

6:05pm                                           Session #2 Ends

6:05pm– 6:35pm           “Ask an Expert” with Allen Ruiz, Barings

Session #3 Attracting Capital: Building a Winning Go-to-Market Strategy

(2 hours 5 min.) Thursday, February 20^th, 2025

4:00pm – 4:05pm          Opening Remarks & Speaker Introduction

                                                Speaker: Carmen Ortiz-McGhee

4:05pm – 4:40pm          Positioning Your Firm to Win in a Competitive Environment

In the crowded and competitive field of fundraising, it is critical to hone your messaging, define your brand and clearly articulate your competitive advantage. In this session, you will hear from leading experts on how to effectively differentiate your strategy and learn how to attract potential LPs' attention. You will also discover how to pitch to different investor types and how to most effectively tell your story to investors who hear pitches all day, every day.

What is your “edge”?

• • Key Differentiators
  • Building Your Story: Team, Market Opportunity, Investment Strategy, and Track Record
  • The Role of Friends & Family
  • Engaging your Initial Limited Partners

Speaker:

• Nia Gandy White, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Arc Advisors

4:40pm – 5:15pm          Crafting Your Brand: How You Stand Out in a Crowded Marketplace

When launching a new firm, it is crucial that your marketing materials pass institutional muster. With one chance to make a first impression, your messaging must be concise, consistent and appropriate for your target LPs. Your design and materials should also look professional. Participants will hear from an industry expert on how to ensure consistency in messaging and design across your marketing materials.

Speakers:

• Julia Cassano, Director of Client Management, The Loom Collective
• Emily Lewis, Investment Marketing Lead, The Loom Collective

Firm and Fund Marketing Materials: Pitch Book, Fact Sheet and Website

5:15pm – 5:20pm           Virtual Break (3 min) & Next Panel Introduction (2 min)

5:20pm – 6:00pm         Been There, Done That: Perspectives from Successful Founders

Lessons learned the hard way, including the real cost of launching and operating an institutional-grade firm, how long it will actually take to raise the capital, the realities of no longer being a part of a much larger entity (with all of the resources and infrastructure it afforded you) are all covered in this session. NAIC member firms will share some of the harsh realities of being an entrepreneur and raising a fund in the ever-increasingly competitive universe of alternative investments.

Moderator: Carmen Ortiz-McGhee

Panelists:

• Heather Faust, Managing Partner & Co-Founder, Argand Partners
• Colin Meadows, Managing Partner, o15 Capital Partners
• James Tieng, Managing Partner, Lumos Capital Group

6:00pm – 6:05pm         Session #3 Closing Remarks

                                                      Speaker: Carmen Ortiz-McGhee

6:05pm                                           Session #3 Ends

6:05pm– 6:35pm           “Ask the Expert” with Julia Cassano and Emily Lewis, The Loom Collective

Session #4 Behind the Scenes: Capital Allocator Insights

(2 hours) Thursday, February 27^th, 2025

4:00pm – 4:05pm         Opening Remarks & Speaker Introduction

                                                Speaker: Carmen Ortiz-McGhee

4:05pm – 4:50pm          Capital Allocator Insights: Everything You Need to Know

In this session, you will hear directly from one of the top capital allocators in alternative investments. Topics covered in this informative session include the intricacies of the due diligence process, how decisions are made, the do’s and don’ts of interacting with potential LPs and what the competitive landscape looks like for diverse and emerging managers.

Speaker:

• Charles Pippen, Principal, GCM Grosvenor

4:50pm – 4:55pm          Virtual Break (3 min) & Next Panel Introduction (2 min)

4:55pm – 5:55pm             Capital Allocator Insights: Panel Discussion

• Moderator: Charles Pippen

Panelists:

• Laura Skiles, Senior VP, Director of Impact for Community Finance Solutions, U.S. Bank
• Miguel (Michael) Silva, Associate Investment Manager, CalPERS
• Maura Danko, Director, Business Development, Stable

5:55pm – 6:05pm          Audience Q&A

6:05pm – 6:10pm          Session #4 Closing Remarks

                                                      Speaker: Carmen Ortiz-McGhee  

6:10pm                             Session #4 Ends

6:10pm – 6:40pm          Cohort Post-Session Networking (Optional)

Session #5 Risk Mitigation: Protecting Your Firm & Enhancing Your Deals

(2 hours 5 min) Thursday, March 6^th, 2025

4:00pm – 4:05pm         Opening Remarks & Speaker Introduction

                                                Speaker: Jaye Washington

4:05pm – 4:50pm          Top 7 Legal Mistakes to Avoid as a First-Time Fund Manager

                                               This module will address common pitfalls that first-time fund managers often encounter and tips for avoiding them.  From fund terms to management company structuring and operations, to LP negotiations and side letters, you will gain invaluable insight on how to avoid costly mistakes from an experienced large law firm partner who has the unique perspective of advising both emerging fund sponsors and a variety of institutional investors.  

Speakers:

• • Amanda Amelia Butler-Jones, Partner, Akin Gump
  • Emily Goodman, Partner, Akin Gump

4:50pm – 4:55pm          Virtual Break (3 min) & Next Panel Introduction (2 min)

4:55pm – 5:55pm          Risk Mitigation

The asset management world is rife with risks and uncertainties. In this discussion, global leaders in risk management will instruct how best to protect your firm, partners, and deals from common risks. You will also learn about a few innovative new products in the market that can increase the value of a deal or strongly position your firm in competitive deal situations.

• • Key fund level insurances
  • Key employee level insurances/risk management
  • Cyber liability insurance and risk management for fund and portfolio companies

                  Risk Mitigation: Enhancing the Deal and Your Portfolio

• IP valuation and price modeling
  • Due diligence (Human Capital, Property Insurance and Cyber Security) for acquisitions
  • Transactional insurance (Reps & Warranties insurance, tax liability insurance, litigation insurance)

Speaker:

• Machua Millett, Senior Vice President, Chief Innovation Officer and Alternative Investment Practice Leader, Lockton Financial Services
• Paul Ahn, Managing Director, Lockton

5:55pm – 6:00pm | Closing Remarks

Speaker: Jaye Washington

6:00pm | Session #6 Ends

6:00pm             – 6:30pm          “Ask an Expert” with Akin

Session #6 Back Office Essentials: Compliance, Reporting, and Tax Considerations  

(2 hours 5 min.) Thursday, March 13^th, 2025 

4:00pm – 4:05pm            Opening Remarks & Speaker Introduction 

Speaker: Carmen Ortiz-McGhee 

Back Office Essentials 

Compliance and regulatory requirements, institutional investor reporting standards, cash and treasury management are all areas that are often underestimated by new managers – both in their importance and complexity – with potentially dire consequences if not properly managed. This session will take you through these key areas, what you need to do to make sure you are well-covered as you build and grow your firm.  

4:05pm – 4:10pm             Introduction of EY Team

• Ian Taylor, Partner, Ernst & Young 

4:10pm – 4:30pm             Regulatory compliance 

• Beverly Ilagan, Executive Director, Financial Services Organization, Ernst & Young 

 4:30pm – 4:50pm             Admin & investor services 

• Keith Caplan, Partner, Americas Private Markets Consulting Leader, Ernst & Young 

4:50pm – 5:00pm            Q&A 

5:00pm – 5:05pm            Virtual Break (5 min)  

5:05pm – 5:20pm             Management accounting 

• Jonathan Tomback, Partner, Financial Services Organization, Ernst & Young   

5:20pm – 5:35pm             Valuation 

• Sumit Kapur, Managing Director, Transactions and Corporate Finance, Ernst & Young  

5:35pm – 5:50pm             Tax considerations 

• Gerald Whelan, Partner, Private Equity Tax Technical Leader, Ernst & Young  

5:50pm – 6:00pm            Q&A 

6:00pm – 6:05pm            Session #6 Closing Remarks 

Speaker: Carmen Ortiz-McGhee 

6:05pm                                    Session #6 Ends 

6:05pm – 6:35pm            “Ask an Expert” with EY

Session #7 Structuring Your Firm: Important Legal Considerations

(2 hours) Thursday, March 20^th, 2025

4:00pm – 4:05pm         Opening Remarks & Speaker Introduction

                                               Speaker: Carmen Ortiz-McGhee

4:05pm – 5:00pm         Fund Formation Legal Considerations (Part I)

From the impact of securities laws on marketing, to fund and sponsor structuring, to the intricacies of fund documentation and closings, you will learn the critical components of how best to structurally set up your firm for success from one of the world’s top law firms. Topics that will be covered include:

• Fund structuring
• Fund documentation
• Marketing considerations
• The closing process

                                        Speaker:  

                                         Nadia Murad, Partner, Investment Funds, Kirkland & Ellis 

                                         Melissa Gainor, Partner, Investment Funds, Kirkland & Ellis 

5:00pm – 5:05pm          Virtual Break (5 min)

5:05pm – 5:50pm          Fund Formation Legal Considerations (continued)                                   

5:50pm – 6:00pm         Session #7 Closing Remarks                                     

                                               Speaker: Carmen Ortiz-McGhee

6:00pm                           Session #7 Ends

6:00pm– 6:30pm          Cohort Post-Session Networking (Optional)

Session #8 Alternative Asset Classes: Venture, Real Estate, Buyout, Independent Sponsor

(2 hours) Thursday, March 27th, 2025

4:00pm – 4:05pm           Opening Remarks & Speaker Introductions

Speaker: Carmen Ortiz-McGhee

Session Description:

While many of the strategies and structural considerations are similar across alternative asset classes, there are nuances within each. These concurrent sessions will take a deep dive into the specific considerations required across Real Estate, Venture and Private Equity.

4:05pm – 4:15pm           Transition

4:15pm – 5:50pm           Asset Class Overview

While many of the strategies and structural considerations are similar across alternative asset classes, there are nuances within each. This concurrent session will take a deep dive into the specific considerations required in Real Estate, Venture and Private Equity and Independent Sponsors.

6:00pm – 6:30pm           Cohort Networking (Optional)

BREAK week March 31st- Independent Project (Prepare for Session 9, no meeting this week)

 4:15pm – 4:50pm            Independent Sponsor Overview

While many of the strategies and structural considerations are similar across alternative asset classes, there are nuances within each. This concurrent session will take a deep dive into the specific considerations required in Independent Sponsorship. 

  Speaker: Brandon William Jones, Founder & CEO, Gravy  

 4:50pm – 6:00pm           Independent Sponsor Panel 

• Moderator: Brandon William Jones, Founder & CEO, Gravy 

 Panelists:  

• Tarrus Richardson, Founder and CEO, IMB Partners  

 6:00pm - 6:30pm           Optional Cohort Networking

4:15pm – 6:00pm             Private Equity/Buyout Panel 

This concurrent session will take a deep dive into the specific considerations required in PE/Buyout. 

Moderator  

• Martin Cabrera, CEO & Founder, Cabrera Capital Markets 

Panelists: 

• Samir Parikh, Managing Partner & Co-Founder, GiantLeap  

• Marques Torbert, Managing Partner, 5^th Century Partners 

• Alex Washington, Managing Director, Wind Point Partners 

6:00pm - 6:30pm Optional Cohort Networking

4:15pm – 4:30pm             Venture Capital Funds Overview

While many of the strategies and structural considerations are similar across alternative asset classes, there are nuances within each. This concurrent session will take a deep dive into the specific considerations required in Venture. 

 4:30pm – 6:00pm             Venture Capital Funds Panel

Moderator: Renata Aráuz-DeStefano, Pivotal Ventures 

Panelists: 

• Noramay Cadena, Managing Partner, Supply Change Capital 

• Tony Meadows, Partner & Chief Investment Officer, SineFine
• SC Moatti, Managing Partner, Mighty Capital

6:00pm – 6:30pm    Optional Cohort Networking

4:15pm – 4:45pm              Real Estate Overview  

While many of the strategies and structural considerations are similar across alternative asset classes, there are nuances within each. This concurrent session will take a deep dive into the specific considerations required in Real Estate. 

Speaker: Peter Braffman, Managing Director, Real Estate Investments, GCM Grosvenor 

4:45pm – 6:00pm            Real Estate Panel 

Moderator: Peter Braffman, Managing Director, Real Estate Investments, GCM Grosvenor 

 Panelists: 

• Olesya Bakar, Corporate Attorney, Holland & Knight  

• Malcom Johnson, Chief Executive Officer, Langdon Park 

6:00pm- 6:30pm Optional Cohort Networking

Session #9 Money, Money, Money: Preparing for the Financial Journey 

(5 hours) Thursday, April 10^th, 2025 (Capstone attendees only- Live at the Offices of Akin Gump) 

2:00pm – 2:05pm       Opening Remarks: Resources & Financing Your Private Equity Firm: Introduction 

Speaker: Carmen Ortiz-McGhee 

Session Description:  

Are you financially prepared to navigate the firm-building and fundraising journey ahead? In this session, you will learn about resources available and hear from industry experts about how to manage your finances while you raise your first institutional fund. In this session, experts will cover: 

• Seeding: a productive seeding partnership and seeding structures 

• Managing your firm’s P&L in its first year and preparing for unexpected circumstances 

• How you get paid: the realities of management fees & waterfalls 

2:05pm – 2:20pm       NAIC Market Resources 

2:20pm – 2:40pm       Financing Your Firm: Seeding 

Session Description: An important consideration as you build your firm is whether a seeding partner that provides operating capital in addition to an LP allocation is a viable option. In this session, you will learn the ins and outs of a productive seeding partnership as well as various options for seeding structures. 

Invited Speaker: Pamela Pavkov, Head of TPG Next, TPG 

2:40pm – 2:50pm       Audience Q&A 

2:50pm – 3:20pm       How You Get Paid: The Realities of Management Fees & Waterfalls

Session Description: You will hear from one of the industry’s leading legal experts on the dynamics and considerations of the waterfall options and the pros and cons of each as well as insights into how to negotiate with LPs with respect this crucial topic that will impact your bottom line. 

3:20pm – 3:30pm       Audience Q&A 

3:30pm – 3:45pm       Break (15 min) 

3:45pm – 4:10pm       What’s It Going to Cost: An In-depth Look at a First Year P&L Statement  

Session Description:  

In this session you will learn the realities of managing your firm’s P&L in its first year. You will hear about the realities of the costs and challenges as well as ways to better prepare for unexpected circumstances that may arise. 

Speaker: Shana Hall, Executive Director, Finance, GCM Grosvenor 

4:10pm – 4:15pm       Audience Q&A 

4:15pm – 4:40pm       Operations:  Knowing the Essentials to Succeed

What are the essential elements to your operational infrastructure? This rapid-fire module will review the following: Establishing the right team & culture (HR), and right processes (Accounting & IT) as foundations to your success.  You will learn the “Days to Zero” methodology to ensure that you have the actual capital to operate and sustain your firm.   

Speaker: Shana Hall, Executive Director, Finance, GCM Grosvenor  

4:40pm – 4:45pm       Audience Q&A 

4:45 pm   Virtual Session Closes

 4:45pm – 6:00pm      Pitch Coaching Session (Capstone Attendees only)       

4:45pm – 4:55pm       Introduction of Judges & Overview

Speaker: Carmen Ortiz-McGhee 

• Introduction of coaches/judges. 

• Purpose of the session: refining pitch delivery, storytelling, and investor engagement. 

4:55pm – 5:05pm       Transition

5:05pm – 5:45pm       Pitch Coaching

• Each participant/team delivers a 3-minute pitch. 

• Immediate constructive feedback from judges/coaches (2–3 minutes per pitch). 

5:45pm – 6:00pm       Break and Transition

6:00pm – 6:10pm       Closing Remarks NextGen/Reception Kick-off 

Speaker: Robert L. Greene 

6:10pm – 7:00pm       Networking Reception