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)