Annual Private Equity & Hedge Fund Conference Highlights More than 250 limited partners, investment managers, and industry decision-makers gathered October 24-25 for the NAIC Annual Private Equity & Hedge Fund Conference at the global headquarters of William Blair in Chicago. Highlights of the premier industry event included a welcome reception at Tao Chicago, one of Chicagos newest nightclub and restaurant venues, where the NAIC honored the accomplishments of outstanding diverse investment professionals.
The NAIC Pacesetter Award was presented to investment management firm, Neuberger Berman (and its Dyal and Northbound funds) for its investments in and support of diverse-owned firms. This award recognizes those individuals and organizations whose efforts to support diverse investment managers have created new paradigms, accelerated the flow of capital to diverse-owned firms and demonstrated a clear recognition of the talent, leadership, and capabilities in these businesses.
The NAIC Rising Star Award, which recognizes young professionals who are leading the way in the industry with their talent, dedication, and expertise, to four outstanding new leaders were presented to Justine Chiou, Director, Services, Investment Banking, William Blair; William Heard, Chief Executive Officer & Chief Investment Officer, Heard Capital; José Guzmán, Investment Officer, Office of the New York City Comptroller; and Susan Nichols, Associate, Technology, Investment Banking, William Blair.
The NAIC also honored former Illinois Senate President Emil Jones Jr. with the Hall of Fame Award for his efforts in championing the first emerging manager initiative for Illinois pension plans during his tenure as President of the Illinois Senate. The Lifetime Achievement Award was bestowed upon John W. Rogers, Jr., Chairman, CEO & Chief Investment Officer of Ariel Investments. Mr. Rogers has furthered the cause of diversity and inclusion in the industry through his tireless support of the Diverse Asset Managers Initiative and Financial Services Pipeline Initiative, among others.
High-performing funds were also celebrated as Clearlake Capital Group earned the Private Equity Deal of the Year for its sale of Sage Automotive Interiors. Also honored was this year's Hedge Fund of the Year recipient, Ocean Park Investments.
Pipeline to Success: Opportunities in Finance for Young Professionals was an invitation-only luncheon where a select group of diverse young professionals met with industry stakeholders for an inside look at the opportunities and challenges within the investment management arena.
Among this years panel discussions were: From Emerging Manager to Rock Star looked at the next generation of emerging manager all-stars, how to identify them, and more. In Deal-Making Master Class: An Analysis of High-Performance Transactions, panelists who participated in successful deals broke down several transactions to identify the common threads and offered insightful play-by-play recounts. Hedge Fund Update: Expanding Access to Capital for High Performers in Active Management Strategies took a look at how smaller funds can overcome the hurdles that come with seeking access to capital and scaling in today's environment.
This years Lunch Breakout Sessions allowed participants to break into smaller groups and discuss some of the significant issues the industry is facing, such as closing the industry's gender gap, best practices for working with consultants to earn their endorsement, networking with investment bankers, and the best ways to leverage the changing face of talent to drive better outcomes.
The event was a huge success overall where participants networked, shared ideas and discussed potential business opportunities. We hope youll join us for next years Annual Private Equity & Hedge Fund Conference!
|
