International
Investor Relations & Fundraising Forum San Diego 2024
September 25-26, 2024
The Westin San Diego Bayview, San Diego
Maximize your firm's fundraising potential
The Investor Relations & Fundraising Forum connects leading professionals within private markets and venture capital to discuss a changing fundraising environment.
Improve your strategy by hearing from market leaders about best practices and trends in fundraising, investor relations, branding, communications, marketing, and more.
Discover solutions to your most pressing challenges through engaging panels, interactive roundtable discussions, and extensive networking opportunities.
The Forum will connect you with peers to exchange ideas on the changing fundraising landscape, how to navigate oncoming headwinds, and significant day-to-day pain points.
Save $575+ on your ticket when you register before June 7.
Why attend the forum?
Improve your strategy
Industry thought-leaders will discuss emerging trends and best practices to improve your investor relations, marketing, and fundraising strategies.
Overcome your challenges
This year’s forum features exclusive keynotes, panels, roundtable discussions, networking opportunities, and more to help answer your most pressing questions.
Build your network
Consult with your peers to discuss significant day-to-day pain points, the competitive fundraising landscape, and how to differentiate your firm from the rest.
Key agenda themes
The 2024 agenda is developed through consultation with influential IR leaders in private markets and venture capital.
The topics covered will provide necessary guidance to improve processes and practices within firms, such as:
- Building credibility with investors
- Preparing for conversations with LPs around negative news
- Maintaining brand awareness and integrity while fundraising
- Forging partnerships that can withstand times of stress
- Understanding how AI is shaping the market
- Uncovering what really matters to investors
- Determining best approaches for targeting family offices
- And more…
Join a world-class community of IR professionals, including:
Speakers
What our attendees say about the Forum
Kate Gallego
Data & Operations Specialist, CIVC Partners LP
This PEI Conference was fantastic and all of the attendees have similar situations as their firms are starting to implement marketing/IR and wear multiple hats…
Rikki Gibson
Senior Associate, Northleaf Capital Partners
A great event to network with and learn from other private markets marketing professionals.
Andrew Hines
Marketing Manager, Pacific Current Group
As a new member of the finance/investment industry, I found this conference to be extremely helpful in my development of understanding and evolution of my strat…
Kate Gallego
Data & Operations Specialist, CIVC Partners LP
This PEI Conference was fantastic and all of the attendees have similar situations as their firms are starting to implement marketing/IR and wear multiple hats in their role. The speakers were very helpful having excellent experiences at a range of firms and the moderators kept the pace of the Q&A and topic. The highlight was the small groups, where I was able to network and share part of my story and hear others’ stories. It was a positive networking experience and I will definitely attend this conference again in the future.
Agenda
Download the 2024 preliminary agenda to see a sample of which timely and relevant topics will be covered at this year’s Forum.
If you are interested in a speaking role please contact contact Brian Anderson at brian.a@pei.group.
Agenda
Day 1 - Wednesday 25th
Registration and Breakfast
Breakfast Meeting A: Expand your funding base internationally
- Weigh the pros, cons and how-tos of using placement agents
- Comply with nuanced regulatory challenges and rule sets
- How do you cover the globe, where do you show up and how often
- International marketing: what are the challenges of marketing a non-US fund to US investors
Panelist
Ravali Parsa, Director, Investor Relations, Aurora Capital
Andrew Darcovich, Head of Investor Relations and Business Development, Alpha Edison
Mac Hofeditz, Managing Director, Head of Marketing and Investor Relations, Vector Capital
Breakfast Meeting B: Speed Networking
In this session, participants will expand their network by meeting many peers. This session is ideal for more junior-level IR leaders.
Opening remarks & chair's welcome
Chairperson:
Tiffany Davis, Director, Sofinnova Investments
Keynote
- What lessons can investor relations leaders learn from events like the Silicon Valley Bank collapse? Can fund managers take on potential crises proactively?
- What is the role of your firm’s brand in crisis communications, and can fund managers take on potential crises proactively through their brands?
- When it comes to public relations and communications with your investor base, what does transparency mean for your firm?
Moderator:
Sue Kwon, Vice President of Brand & Communications, General Catalyst
Panelist:
Lawrence Aragon, West Coast Bureau Chief, PEI
What really matters to investors when you’re fundraising
- Who are the non-traditional investors making an impact in managers’ fundraising strategies, and what motivates them?
- How do you define your ideal investor personae for your firm?
- What are the common themes across different non-traditional investor personae, and how can you use those themes in your branding and communications strategies effectively & successfully?
Moderator:
Jennifer Stroud, EVP, Bay Area Head, Financial Communications and Capital Markets, Edelman
Speakers:
Karen Heidelberger, Partner, Chief Partnership and Communications Officer, Deerfield Management
Ann Lee Steinberg, Head of Investor Relations, NFX
Olga Serhiyevich, Head of Investor Relations, Village Global
Networking coffee break
Think Tank A: Messaging in the digital age and social media
- Differentiation strategies that work
- What social media work for your different audiences
- Compare outcomes of different types of content marketing, videos and websites for what you are trying to achieve
- Comply with the Marketing Rule
- New approaches to content-first marketing
Luciana Castro, Head of Investor Relations, Espresso Capital
Think Tank B: Score with HNW investors: Addressing their needs and wants
- Customize messaging and approach to HNW investor’s needs and evolve your communications
- Is your firm and back office suited for individual investors including
- tailored platform and technology
- resources in place before they’re needed
- Present the right information in the right way to educate HNWs
- Advantages of going after HNW investors directly or through RIAs
Katie Schoen, Global Head of Investor Relations & Operations, Robert W. Baird & Co
Think Tank C: Paths to investors’ doorsteps: Talk the talk and walk the walk
- Different approaches that work for disparate channels
- What information should you know about investors as you develop your relationships
- Blocking and tackling best practices
- Hear examples of effective communications pre and post meetings
Evan Teiger, Partner, Investor Relations, Foundation Capital
Networking luncheon
Brand awareness and integrity when fundraising
- Stand out in a competitive market
- Create and convey a consistent and transparent message
- What is your true north and how do you convey that genuinely
- How to cut through the noise with a clear differentiating narrative
Facilitators:
Nicole Beauregard, Director, Marketing, Hamilton Lane
Kimberley Kasper, Chief Growth Officer, Strattam Capital
Maximize your team’s function internally to deliver value
- How do you manage GP expectations internally by communicating effectiveness up
- What are your key challenges in the IR and marketing roles
- How do IR teams create ways to add value and stay proactive?
Facilitators
Dr. Aaron Funk, Principal, Reston Equity Group
Build and sustain credibility with investors
- Find the balance between transparency and TMI
- Determine what, when, and how to communicate in difficult situations
- How to respond when investors want too much
Get the most out of your AGM
- Determine and maximize outcomes that matter most
- Planning and executing interactive AGMs
- Realize the potential of pre-planning and communications
Facilitators
Stephanie Lo, Director of Investor Relations & Marketing, Clairvest Group
Networking Break
- How are venture capital firms faring in today’s competitive fundraising landscape?
Facilitator:
Debbie Liao, Partner, Investor Relations, Battery Ventures
What family offices need and are looking for
- Best approaches for finding and targeting family offices
- Factors that make your firm and fund well suited for family offices
- Communications that build relationships
- Compare relationship-building approaches for single family offices vs multi-family offices
- Leverage family office operating experience to benefit portfolio companies
Panelists
Stacey Leanos, Director of Investor Relations, ACME Capital
Friendraise when you’re not fundraising
- Optimize your CRM for strategic and effective relationship building
- Integrate branding, voice and data across technology platforms
- Discuss big-firm approaches and meeting those challenges as a smaller firm
- Leverage creative content, thought leadership and proprietary research on industry perspectives
- Produce regional and intimate events (beyond your AGM)
Moderator
Camila Noordeloos, General Partner, Grand Ventures
Panelists
Rishi Pabari, Head of Investor Relations, ICON Infrastructure
Kate Mermelstein, Director, Investor Relations & Fundraising, Top Tier Capital Partners
Katherine Vu, Head of Investor Relations, Glendon Capital Management
Kate Bechtold, Senior Director, Investor Relations, Vida Ventures
Kate Mermelstein
Vice President, Investor Relations & Fundraising, Top Tier Capital Partners
Read bioTechnology throughout the LP lifecycle -prospecting, fundraising and customer service
- Discuss best practices within technologies and workflows
- What are the available tools and solutions?
- What data and analytics are you using to report externally or internally
Panelists
Morgan Finnell, Director, Investor Relations, Evolution Capital Partners
Taylor Long, Vice President, Capital Raising/Investor Relations, SoLA Impact
What really matters to investors when you’re not fundraising
- Hear LP expectations for their GP relationships
- Hear best practices for AGMs that educate, engage and resonate with LPs
- How, what and how often they want to hear from you
- Put your best foot forward thru your social media, quarterly reports and more
Cocktail Reception
Agenda
Day 2 - Thursday 26th
Continental breakfast
The evolution of secondary markets
GP-led secondaries
- When to use GP-led secondaries
- Advantages and disadvantages
- How do you manage process
LP-led
- How do GP-led secondaries influence processes
- What about single name secondaries
- How to work with a broker
- How do they think about ideal buyer types
Amy Nelson, Chief Strategy Officer, Rethink Capital Partners
Ruben Tinajero, Vice President, Investor Relations, Gryphon Investors
Link your IR and marketing teams and responsibilities
- Explore at communications’ role in facilitating deal flow
- Compare various models and structures set and the best practices for each
- Discuss IR’s steps and missteps for maintaining PE/VC brand
- What common and separate metrics matter for your teams
- Finding and retaining IR and marketing talent
Panelists
Amanda Stewart, Global Head of Investor Relations & Fundraising, Alvarez & Marsal Capital
Eva Pullano, Head of Marketing and Communications, Fin Capital
Carousel: Fundraising: People, processes, and technology
A hybrid of the popular roundtable and think tanks formats, groups with share best practices in three areas. Each table will report back to the whole group the key practices in one category.
Join your peers for candid discussions in a closed-door setting, with no media, vendors, or service providers in the room.
Networking Break
Tailor your story to multiple investor types
- Contrast characteristics different investor types
- Breakdown world view and needs of investor channels
- Maintain brand integrity while tailoring your story
- Discuss how nuances influence where and how to reach different constituencies
Facilitators
Yoni Riemer, Managing Director, IR and Corporate Development, Peak Rock Capital
Communicate with LPs in times of stress
- How IR execs can prepare for conversations around negative news with LPs
- Manage media and headline risk
- Forge partnership mentalities that endure times of stress
- Explore the limits of zoom/digital communication
Facilitators
Lauren Hubbert, SVP, Investor Relations; Head of Investor Solutions, Investor Relations; Head of Investor Solutions, Brookfield Asset Management
Best practices for your LPAC and other LP interactions
- Best or common practices for interactions
- Have the hard conversations, votes, contentious issues
- Discuss logistics, frequency, timeline, and fostering an LP’s desire to attend
- Coordinate LPACs across multiple active funds
Facilitators
Tessa Shakon, VP, Investor Relations, Ridgemont Equity Partners
Alicia Francis, Head of Investor Communications, GenNx360
Networking Luncheon
Manage the process of co-investing
- Leveraging co-investing during fundraising
- Understand the increasing demands from your LP base for co-investment opportunities
- Creating a co-investment program for the LP and GP
- How much does it impact your strategy around LP targeting?
- Make sure economics are aligned
Panelists
Emily Mason Larkin, Managing Director, Head of Investor Relations & Fundraising, Cornell Capital
Amanda Heravi, Managing Director, Investor Relations & ESG, Avista Capital Partners
Heather Engel, Senior Vice President, Head of Investor Relations, Juxtapose
The future of AI: How it is shaping LP relations and communications in the present
- Hear use cases that demonstrate its value
- What challenges and opportunities are at hand
- Survey the market landscape to identify risk and opportunity
- Cybersecurity and privacy concerns
Staffing: Team building, development and retention best practices
- Engage and nurture aspiring IR leaders until they have enough experience to be “in the room”
- Consider team composition and individual backgrounds are important for LPs?
- Facilitating intra- and cross functional collaboration
- How do you get the right skills on the team and what are they?
Betsy Sylvester, Managing Director, Head of Client Management, Castlelake
Forum Ends
Speakers
Have a topic you would like to discuss at this year’s Forum? Contact Brian Anderson at brian.a@pei.group to discuss speaking opportunities.
Be part of industry-leading events for global private equity professionals
Engage with networking sessions, thought leadership, and more to build lasting relationships and meet your business goals. Sponsorship gives you:
- VIP access
- Thought-leadership opportunities
- High-profile branding
- And much more…
For more information about sponsorship opportunities, contact Jimmy Kurtovic at jimmy.k@pei.group or call +1 646 356 4504.
Pre-Event Resources
Venue
All forum sessions will take place at the Westin San Diego Bayview.
400 W Broadway
San Diego, CA 92101
Advisory board
Connect with industry leaders
Join the forum to network with an expansive community of investor relations, marketing, and communications professionals from leading private markets and venture capital firms.
Learn how to secure more capital, improve your marketing strategy, and make the most of your communication efforts by conversing with industry experts throughout the event.
Make lasting connections with your peers by participating in:
- Think tanks
- Roundtable discussions
- Networking breaks
- End-of-the-day reception
- And more!
Past attendees include...
Build customer engagement strategies to raise capital
In 2023, the Private Equity Customer Engagement Workshop equipped attendees with strategies to identify new sources of capital and build strong relationships with investors.
Through roundtable discussions, we covered a range of topics including:
- Building your firm’s brand for success
- Using technology to prospect, attract and retain investors
- How to produce successful annual general meetings for prospects and investors
- Creating SEC compliant marketing materials and data visualizations
- And more…
Why you need to attend
Solidify your brand
The focused roundtable discussions look to give you the tools needed to create a brand for your fund that investors can trust.
Streamline your tech
Our roundtable facilitators will show you how to leverage new technologies to improve and streamline firm processes.
Simplify your reporting
Learn how to create effective and compliant performance reports.
Roundtable discussions that will improve your strategies
Roundtable discussions are 30-minute interactive, peer-driven conversations, facilitated by two industry experts, on various customer engagement topics that are important to investor relations, marketing & communications professionals.
Throughout the afternoon, facilitators will rotate tables to ensure all delegates participate in each discussion.
Brand road mapping
- How to identify investor targets – who are they, and what do they want
- How to manage multiple stories for multiple investor types
- Content marketing for private investors
Designing compelling and compliant marketing materials, reports, and data visualizations
- What makes a piece of marketing collateral in the private investment industry compliant with the SEC Marketing rule?
- The SEC Marketing rule – undertaking the task of educating your investors on how to read and interpret SEC Marketing rule compliant reports
- Tools and techniques for data visualization: data collection, analysis, distribution
Using technology to prospect, attract and retain investors
- CRM best practices to manage investor relationships
- Using social media platforms and tools to attract, retain, and cultivate new investor relationships
- Using data to identify new prospects
Executing your next AGM
- In-person, digital, or hybrid event production strategies? How do you get the right mix of strategies for your AGM?
- Agenda design and writing
- Event vendor management and tool selection
Differentiate your firm from the rest
As investors become more selective about who they’re investing in, it’s more important than ever to make sure your firm is standing out in the crowd. The 2023 Forum ensured that attendees had an effective marketing and communications strategy that was backed by a solid brand.
It included engaging panel discussions, interactive think tanks for marketing professionals only, an exclusive keynote discussion, and much more over the two-day forum.
Sessions crucial to your role
Explore some of the marketing and communications discussions presented in 2023.
Crisis communications
Keynote panel: Day 1 | 9:15-10am
We’re excited to have General Catalyst’s Vice President of Brand & Communications, Sue Kwon lead a discussion on how to effectively manage your communication strategies during a crisis.
She’ll take a deep dive into lessons learned from the SVB collapse and how your firm can be proactive in preparing for any potential crises.
Rebrand strategies
Panel discussion: Day 1 | 3:30-4:20pm
It all starts with your brand and who your firm is. This session will dive into when and why you should rebrand and the steps needed to make sure it’s solid from the ground up.
Our panelists will also discuss the most impactful changes internally within your firm as well as externally in the market.
Technology
Panel discussion: Day 1 | 4:25-5:15pm
As technology continues to advance, it’s important to assess how your firm can effectively leverage it to improve your marketing strategies.
This session will discuss how to find where technology can help you and which tools are best suited for your needs.
Customer engagement
Workshop: Day 2
New for this year, the half-day customer engagement workshop will get into the day-to-day work of your full marketing team. Click here for more information.
Marketing professionals offering their expertise
Kelly Howard
Partner, Head of Marketing, Adams Street Partners
Jennifer Janson
Director of Communications, OMERS Ventures
Kimberley Kasper
Chief Growth Officer, Strattam Capital
Tracie Kelly
Director of Marketing, Excellere Partners
Sue Kwon
Vice President of Brand & Communications, General Catalyst
Sarah Mattina
former Marketing & Communications Director, Venture Forward
Cindy Mesaros
Head of Marketing and People, Foresite Capital
Hillá Watkins
Chief Marketing Officer, Scale Venture Partners
Reach your fundraising goals
With the growing class of non-traditional investors, it can be difficult to find the right investors for your firm. The 2023 Forum helped define your ideal investor persona, improve your relationships with them, create an engaging investor experience, and much more.
This year’s event will include engaging panel discussions, interactive think tanks for IR professionals only, an exclusive keynote discussion, and much more over the two-day forum.
Sessions crucial to your role
Explore some of the investor relations discussions that took place at last year’s Forum.
Leveraging non-traditional investors
Panel discussion: Day 1 | 10:00-10:50am
The class of non-traditional investors is growing and while that is exciting, it’s important to make sure you’re finding the right investor fit for your firm.
This session will discuss how non-traditional investors are impacting the field, how to find the right ones for your firm, and how to tweak your messaging to reach them effectively.
Current trends
Breakout session: Day 1 | 3:30-4:20pm
The fundraising landscape is everchanging and this session will make sure you’re up to date on all of the latest trends. We’ll discuss capital deployment and fundraising strategies, new reporting methods, the competitive market, and more.
Your investor experience
Panel discussion: Day 1 | 11:20am-12:10pm
As private investing becomes more democratized you must keep your investors engaged. We’ll discuss how to create an engaging investor experience, show you what content investors are looking for, and help you leverage your brand to hold an effective AGM.
Private investing politics
Breakout session: Day 1 | 8:00-9:00am
This session will cover the impact the 2024 election may have on private investing, new pressures you’ll face as the industry becomes more democratized, and how you can better prepare your teams for what’s to come.