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.
Meet the 2024 keynote speaker
Matthew Pedley
Sr. Managing Director, Head of Institutional Client Solutions in the Americas
Blackstone
Before joining Blackstone in 2009, Mr. Pedley was in the venture capital arm of AllianceBernstein, where he was responsible for software venture investments, Limited Partner relations, fundraising and legal documentation for the fund. Prior to AllianceBernstein, Mr. Pedley was at Crosslink Capital, where he was responsible for venture investments in the software and communications sectors. He was an Observer on the boards of Evant (acquired by MANH), IM Logic (acquired by SYMC), and Jasper Wireless (acquired by CSCO); he was also involved with private investments in Good Technology (acquired by MOT) and Equinix (EQIX). Prior to his career in venture capital, Mr. Pedley was a Senior Consultant with Andersen Consulting, where he provided strategic and business process guidance to the world’s largest technology companies.
2024 agenda themes
The 2024 agenda was developed through consultation with influential IR leaders in private markets and venture capital.
The topics covered provided 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…
2024 speakers
Who attended the 2024 event?
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.
2024 agenda
Download the 2024 agenda to see a sample of which timely and relevant topics were 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
Moderator
Gingee Prince, Chief Impact Officer, Enhanced Capital
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 junior-level IR leaders.
Opening remarks & chair's welcome
Opening remarks
Brian Anderson, Senior Conference Producer, Private Equity International
Chair welcome
Jeff Mills, Partner, Partner, Head of Investor Relations, Madrona
Propel fundraising by aligning your funds and disparate investor types
- Hear current challenges of this fundraising era and about opportunities that exist today
- Pinpoint what types of investments work with various investor types
- Position your fund according to investor type and their interests
- Work with clients to determine which products are the most relevant for them
- Manage multiple strategies simultaneously
- Importance of timely and transparent communication
Keynote
Matthew Pedley, Senior Managing Director, Head of Institutional Client Solutions in the Americas, Blackstone
Moderator
Lawrence Aragon, West Coast Bureau Chief, PEI
What really matters to investors when you’re fundraising
- What makes managers stand out during the vetting process
- Hear prioritization drivers of investors for choosing new managers
- Dos and don’ts during negotiations to optimize friendraising
- What are the red flags and green light signals you’re giving
Moderator
Charlotte Shropshire, Head of Investor Relations, Menlo Ventures
Panelists
Mike Krems, Partner, Portfolio Strategy, Aksia
David Robb, Managing Director, Frontier Group
David Martus, Managing Director, Investor Relations, GSSG Solar
Networking coffee break
Affinity Group Meetup - Real Assets
We’re providing space for you to connect with participants who are more like you.
Meetup with a subset of forum participants who have the same challenges and opportunities because they meet the same criterion as you (e.g., asset class, number of funds, and job title). These meetups are for open networking and will not be facilitated.
Think Tank A: 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
Bruce Emken, Head of Wealth Management, Pathway Capital Management
Think Tank B: 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
Lindsay Grider, Global Head of Fundraising and Investor Relations, LLCP
Affinity Group Meetup - VP/SVP
We’re providing space for you to connect with participants who are more like you.
Meetup with a subset of forum participants who have the same challenges and opportunities because they meet the same criterion as you (e.g., asset class, number of funds, and job title). These meetups are for open networking and will not be facilitated.
Affinity Group Meetup - BuyOut
We’re providing space for you to connect with participants who are more like you.
Meetup with a subset of forum participants who have the same challenges and opportunities because they meet the same criterion as you (e.g., asset class, number of funds, and job title). These meetups are for open networking and will not be facilitated.
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
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
Kathleen Rochard, Vice President, Investor Relations and Marketing, Serent Capital
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
Facilitators
Antonia Schwartz, Head of Investor Relations, Lotus Partners
Vaiva Herzberg, Alternatives Capital Formation, Executive Director, Goldman Sachs
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
Richard Carpenter, CEO, Bladonmore
Networking Break
Affinity Group Meetup - Private Credit/Private Debt
We’re providing space for you to connect with participants who are more like you.
Meetup with a subset of forum participants who have the same challenges and opportunities because they meet the same criterion as you (e.g., asset class, number of funds, and job title). These meetups are for open networking and will not be facilitated.
Affinity Group Meetup - Venture Capital/Growth Equity
We’re providing space for you to connect with participants who are more like you.
Meetup with a subset of forum participants who have the same challenges and opportunities because they meet the same criterion as you (e.g., asset class, number of funds, and job title). These meetups are for open networking and will not be facilitated.
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
Moderator
Lindsay Grider, Global Head of Fundraising and Investor Relations, LLCP
Panelists
Stacey Leanos, Partner, Fundraising and Investor Relations, Glynn Capital
David Hunter, Managing Director and Head of Investor Relations, The Cynosure Group
Ryan Ponsford, Principal, Akili Capita
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
Katherine Vu, Head of Investor Relations, Glendon Capital Management
Nicole Vernese Dempter, Managing Director, Investor Relations & Product Development, Crow Holdings
Sarah Kulka, Head of Marketing, Rockpoint
Lauren Hubbert, Head of Investor Solutions, Brookfield Asset Management
Nicole Vernese
Managing Director, Investor Relations & Product Development, Crow Holdings Capital
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
Moderator
Chris Anderson, SVP Operations, Altvia
Panelists
Morgan Finnell, Head of Investor Relations, Evolution Capital Partners
Taylor Long, Vice President, Capital Raising/Investor Relations, SoLA Impact
Yair Riemer, Head of Investor Relations, Upfront Ventures
Dean Shu, CEO and Co-founder, Arphie
What really matters to investors when you’re not fundraising
- Hear investor expectations for their GP relationships
- Hear best practices for AGMs that educate, engage and resonate
- How, what and how often they want to hear from you
- Put your best foot forward through your social media, quarterly reports and more
Moderator
Stephanie Bednar, Principal, Capital Formation Group, H.I.G. Capital
Panelists
Jefferson Stone, Founder and Managing Partner, Barrel Rate Capital
Wyatt Geiger, Principal, Pathway Capital Management
David Martus, Managing Director, Investor Relations, GSSG Solar
Thomas Terrats, CEO & Co-founder, Vessel
Cocktail Reception
Agenda
Day 2 - Thursday 26th
Continental breakfast
The evolution of secondary markets and portfolio finance
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
Moderator
Antonia Korduba, Principal, Director of Investor Relations, G Squared
Panelists
Amy Nelson, Chief Strategy Officer, Rethink Capital Partners
Ruben Tinajero, Vice President, Fundraising and Investor Relations, Gryphon Investors
Derek Bunting, Managing Director, Head of North America, Arcano Partners
Link your IR and marketing functions and responsibilities
- Explore at communication’s 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
- Identify and communicate with your audiences with IR and communications working in concert
Moderator
Sarah Kulka, Head of Marketing, Rockpoint
Panelists
Amanda Stewart, Global Head of Investor Relations & Fundraising, Alvarez & Marsal Capital
Lindsay Mehta, Director, Investor Relations & Marketing, JMI Equity
Kenya Williams, Managing Director and Real Estate Product Specialist, Oaktree Capital
Nancy Katz, Senior Director, Costanoa Ventures
Kenya Williams
Managing Director and Real Estate Product Specialist, Oaktree Capital Management L.P.
Read bioCarousel: 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.
Brian Anderson, Senior Conference Producer, Private Equity International
Jeff Mills, Partner, Partner, Head of Investor Relations, Madrona
Networking Break
Affinity Group Meetup - Emerging Managers (Fund 1-3)
We’re providing space for you to connect with participants who are more like you.
Meetup with a subset of forum participants who have the same challenges and opportunities because they meet the same criterion as you (e.g., asset class, number of funds, and job title). These meetups are for open networking and will not be facilitated.
Affinity Group Meetup - Managing Director/Director
We’re providing space for you to connect with participants who are more like you.
Meetup with a subset of forum participants who have the same challenges and opportunities because they meet the same criterion as you (e.g., asset class, number of funds, and job title). These meetups are for open networking and will not be facilitated.
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
Facilitator
Yoni Riemer, Managing Director, IR and Corporate Development, Peak Rock Capital
James Brenner, Senior Investor Relations Professional, Triton Partners
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
Michelle Klonsky Nemon, Vice President, Investor Relations, Varsity Healthcare Partners
Gabby Yang, VP of Finance and CCO, Red Iron Group
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
Nicole Vernese Dempter, Managing Director, Investor Relations & Product Development, Crow Holdings
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
Moderator
Dana Goldstein, Managing Director, Head of Investor Relations, Anthos Capital
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
Ash Jaidev, Director, Investor Relations, Kohlberg & Company, LLC
The future of AI: How it is shaping LP relations and communications in the present
- Hear use cases that show what can be done today as compared to the future possibilities
- Discuss internal process vs LP engagement uses
- Prepare for challenges and opportunities are at hand
- Know cybersecurity and privacy concerns
Moderator
Sarah Tomolonius, Partner, Head of Investor Relations, M13
Panelist
Andie Taylor, Partner, Investor Relations, Andreessen Horowitz
Thomas Buley, Founder and CEO, Sightglass
Justin Guthrie, Chief Strategy Officer/Chief Financial Officer, Blueflame AI
Valery Talma, Managing Director – Investor Relations and Capital Formation, Jolt Capital
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?
Moderator
Michael O’Neill, Director, Fundraising, NewSpring
Betsy Sylvester, Managing Director, Head of Client Management, Castlelake
Jessica Schmitt, Head of Investor Relations, Waud Capital Partners
Lauren Goodman, Vice President, Capital Formation Operations, Pennybacker Capital
Jeremy Ebie, Founder and Managing Partner, Phoenix Infrastructure Group
Forum Ends
2024 speakers
Have a topic you would like to discuss at next year’s Forum? Contact Brian Anderson at brian.a@pei.group to discuss speaking opportunities.
Matthew Pedley
Senior Managing Director, Head of Institutional Client Solutions in the Americas, Blackstone
Kenya Williams
Managing Director and Real Estate Product Specialist, Oaktree Capital Management L.P.
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
2024 venue
All 2024 forum sessions took place at the Westin San Diego Bayview.
400 W Broadway
San Diego, CA 92101
2024 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.