International
Investor Relations, Marketing & Communications Forum New York 2024
10 - 11 April 2024,
Convene, 117 W 46th St, New York
Navigating industry changes, trends, and new opportunities
The Investor Relations, Marketing & Communications Forum explores best practices of fundraising, LP relations, branding, communications, and marketing strategies within the private market sector.
Over two days, the largest community of IR and marketing leaders in private equity gathered to discuss the biggest pain points impacting their roles and shared new strategies for overcoming them.
With a rich history spanning almost 20 years this is the must-attend event for IR, marketing, and communications professionals in private equity.
Bring your full team and save
Why you need to attend
Connect & collaborate
Forge valuable connections with your peers through interactive roundtable discussions, engaging panel sessions, and extensive networking opportunities.
Stay informed
Excel in your role and drive success for your firm as you discuss current trends, engage in problem-solving discussions, and uncover actionable takeaways.
Elevate your team
With specific sessions focused on IR, marketing, and communications, your full team will return to the office with an extensive playbook of new strategies.
Fireside chat with Bain Capital
We heard from Bain Capital’s, Partner, Head of Communications & Public Affairs, Ernesto Anguilla as he explored the role of communications in private markets.
Attendees got an inside look into the past, present, and future adaptations for meeting the shifting expectations and demands of investors.
Experts who led the discussion in 2024
2024 attendees included:
What our attendees say about the forum
Kristy DelMuto
LLR Partners
This is the only event for connecting with marketing peers in the private equity industry and I’ve made excellent, year-round contacts from it.
Kelsey Clute
HCI Equity Partners
PEI’s IR and Marketing/Communications Forum is the only conference I have found for the marketing/communications professional specifically within private…
Michelle Ball
HKW, Inc.
I have attended a lot of conferences in my career and this was by far the best conference I have ever attended. Practically every panel left me wanting even mor…
Pre-Event Resources
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.
2024 Sponsors
Supporting Association
Experts who led the discussion in 2024
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.
2024 speakers
John Fitzpatrick
Senior Managing Director and Chief Technology Officer of Alternative Asset Management Technology Blackstone
2024 advisory board
Michelle Noyes
Managing Director, Head of Americas, Alternative Investment Management Association (AIMA)
Connect with fundraising and communications experts
Grow your network by connecting with an expansive community of investor relations, marketing, and communications professionals within private markets and venture capital.
Form lasting and valuable relationships with industry leaders by participating in meaningful discussions throughout the networking-focused agenda.
Networking opportunities
Breakfast meetings and think tanks
Discuss critical issues and exchange insight about curated topics with your peers at the day-one breakfast meetings and invitation-only day-two pre-conference think tanks.
Networking breaks and lunches
Converse with your peers to form lasting connections and discuss solutions to shared challenges during the many designated networking breaks between panels and at lunch.
Interactive workshops
Guided by experts and thought leaders, the working group sessions combine panels with roundtable discussions to spark peer-to-peer engagement around big-picture challenges.
Browse the attendee list
Connect with IR, marketing, and communications professionals
See what attendees said about the forum in 2022
Testimonials
“The event was a fantastic opportunity to meet like-minded individuals, with whom we could share ideas, in an open and safe forum, and learn from each other.”
“Great to hear the perspective of colleagues, share experiences, and learn more about the current landscape and emerging trends.”
“A great conference to meet like-minded peers to discuss the intricacies of investor relations and marketing inside private equity.”
Hotel & venue
Convene
117 W 46th St
New York, NY 10036
We’ve reserved a room block for attendees at The Muse Hotel which is across the street from Convene. Use the link below to secure a hotel reservation.
Covering the topics most important to you
For the last 19 years the forum has established a reputation for keeping its attendees on top of emerging trends and challenges. Through engaging panels, interactive think tanks, working groups, and keynote discussions attendees learned how to:
- Understand trends in fund terms to firm up your LP base
- Diversify your funding base globally with retail and HNW channels
- Attract new investors by leveraging technology
- Manage strategies for telling your story to different investor types
- Strengthen your internal collaboration skills for maximum impact
Agenda
Day 1 - Wednesday 10th
Registration and breakfast
Breakfast Meeting A | Optimize your brand: Working on a rebrand or new brand strategy
- Get the organization on board
- How to tailor stories for
- 1) prospects 2) clients 3) the public
- Investor types
- Action planning (sequence)
- Budget for brand
- Evaluate outcomes and KPIs to measure efficacy
Moderator:
Jack Cohen, Vice President of Content & Engagement, General Catalyst
Panelists:
Kelsey Clute, VP Investor Relations, Arlington Capital Partners
Samantha Hewitt, Director, Investor Relations, Abbott Capital Management
Sarah Grenon, Head of Marketing, North America, Impax Asset Management
Natalya Michaels, Managing Director, Head of Investor Relations, Paine Schwartz Partners
Breakfast Meeting B | Investor Engagement: Manage strategies for telling your story to multiple investor types
- Contrast characteristics different investor types and geographies
- Breakdown needs of investor types
- Maintain brand integrity while tailoring your story
- Discuss how nuances influence where and how to reach different constituencies
Moderator:
Zach Russo, Creative Director, Head of Studio, RF Studio53
Panelists:
Rush Baker, Partner, Head of Investor Relations, Edison Partners
Jillian Hazelton, Head of Marketing & Communications, Bregal Investments
Kathryn Kantarian, Principal, Investor Relations, Freedom 3 Capital
Charlotte Morse, Managing Director, Head of Investor Relations & Marketing, Bridge Investment Group
Charlotte Morse
Managing Director, Head of Investor Relations & Marketing, Bridge Investment Group
Read bioBreakfast Meeting C | Invite only VIP The Role of the Modern Marketer: Leveraging Creativity as a Force for Growth
- Delivering on the promise of value creation to LPs and portfolio companies
- Investing in creative as a point of differentiation
- Navigating today’s marketing challenges and trends with your portfolio companies
Moderator:
Tim Quinn, Executive Vice President, Edelman Smithfield
Panelist:
Allen Mask, Partner, WestCap; Head of CōLab
Opening remarks & chair’s welcome
Keynote: Fireside Chat
Keynote Fireside Chat: A reflection and projection of the role of communications in private markets. Get insights on the challenges inherent to the shifting expectations and demands of private equity and how communication executives must adapt.
Moderator:
Devin Banerjee, Senior Managing Editor, Industry News and Community, LinkedIn
Keynote:
Ernesto Anguilla, Partner, Head of Communications & Public Affairs, Bain Capital
LP Panel: Walk a mile in an investor's inbox
- Hear from actual LPs: What they are looking for and how they choose new managers
- Best practices for communicating with LPs – from the first email to subdocs., make your fund stand out
- What to do when you’re not fundraising – how to build and maintain relationships
- Putting your best foot forward thru your AGM, social media, quarterly reports and more
Moderator:
Tim Flannery, CEO and Co-Founder, Passthrough
Panelists:
Dominic Borrasch, Portfolio Manager, Private Equity, AustralianSuper
Nicola Goll, Portfolio Manager, Head Multi-Managers Private Equity Americas, UBS Asset Management
Cristina Moldovan, Managing Director, Summit Rock Advisors
Eric Newman, Accountant, Treasury Manager and Trustee, City of Stamford
Nicola Goll
Portfolio Manager, Head Multi-Managers Private Equity Americas, UBS Asset Management
Read bioNetworking break
Diversify your funding base: Looking abroad
- Understand which pools of capital are best suited for your strategy and firm
- Navigate challenges as you address regional expectations and regulations
- Vet and manage outside counsel and placement agents
- Identify and conform to nuanced cultural norms
Moderator:
Robyn Slutzky, Partner, Head of Capital Solutions, Arctos
Panelists:
Dominique Ahumada, Head of Capital Partnerships, Lead Edge Capital
Brendan Gover, Vice President, Investor Relations, Slate Asset Management
Lindsey King, Partner and Head of Investor Relations, Crestview Partners
Jacob Shulman, Director of Investor Relations, Oak Hill Capital
Investor Engagement: Leverage technology to prospect and engage new investors
- CRM best practices to manage investor relationships
- Using social media platforms to build brands and engage with investors
- Use data and other information to forecast capital
- Identify what data is most relevant
Moderator:
Meghan Munchoff, Managing Director, Head of Investor Relations, 400 Capital Management
Panelists:
Noreen Crowe, VP of Product Management, Intralinks
Nathan Petersen, Vice President, Investor Relations, Peak Capital Partners
John Polis, COO and CTO, Star Mountain Capital
Jeff Williams, Chief Strategy Officer, Altvia
Networking luncheon
Think tank A: Small-midsize firms (1-4 team members)
- What are the most valuable skillsets and competencies of someone in your role
- Discuss strategies to build lean teams
- Garner allies and collaborate in your firm
- Explore prioritization drivers
- Define and attain your target employee
Facilitator:
Ken MacFadyen, Director, Marketing & Communications, Audax Group
Think tank B: Midsize-large firms (5+ team members)
- Determine whether to use external agents or keep it in house
- Provide career path develop staff’s professional growth accordingly
- Balance team with professionals with disparate backgrounds and skills
- How do you define investor coverage and allocate responsibilities across the team
Facilitator:
Morgan Schmit-Sobeck, Principal, Investor Relations, Clayton, Dubilier and Rice
Think tank C: Thought Leadership: Service Providers
- What works and doesn’t work for positioning your company or yourself as a thought leader
- Recruit top talent
- Meet client needs with the two-way communication between external facing and internal facing functions
Moderator:
Dan Sullivan, Sales Executive, Diligence Vault
Networking break
Determine the narrative for your story
- Convey a unique story
- Create a consistent and transparent message
- Discuss marketing as a critical facet of business development
- Leverage emotion to draw interest and other audience building tips
- Educate to engage through content across mediums
Moderator:
Kate Watts, CEO, Long Dash
Panelists:
Nadine Cannata, Managing Director, Marketing, Northleaf Capital Partners
Katja Gagen, Operating Partner – Marketing & Communications, Playground Global
Annis Steiner, Principal, Marketing and Communications, FTV Capital
Eliza McGrath, Principal, Head of Investor Relations, Hastings Equity Partners
Work smarter: AI’s opportunities, risks and challenges
- Reporting and other use cases
- Survey the market landscape to identify risk and opportunity
- Identify LP questions/concerns and generate strategic responses
Moderator:
Chris Donahoe, Head of AI Strategy, Edelman Smithfield
Panelists:
Rebecca Chia, Head of Business Development and Investor Relations, Atalaya Capital Management
John Fitzpatrick, Senior Managing Director and Chief Technology Officer of Alternative Asset Management Technology, Blackstone
Oren Michaely, Director of AI, Motive Partners
Charlotte Shropshire, Head of Investor Relations, Menlo Ventures
John Fitzpatrick
Senior Managing Director and Chief Technology Officer of Alternative Asset Management Technology Blackstone
Read bioEnhance and protect your firm’s brand and reputation
- Use social media to your advantage
- Do’s and don’ts for working with the media
- Crisis management and messaging
- Counter potential backlash against ESG and DEI
Moderator:
Rachel Hassett, Head of Marketing and Communications, Mill Creek Capital Advisors
Panelists:
Ann Folkman, Chief Marketing Officer, AB CarVal
Emily Schillinger, Senior Vice President of Public Affairs, American Investment Council
Maura Turner, Head of Marketing and Communications, Charlesbank Capital Partners
Emily Victor-Smith, Principal, Investor Relations and Marketing, Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe
Emily Victor-Smith
Principal, Fundraising & Investor Relations, Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe
Read bioInvestor Engagement: Make impactful first impressions
- Key areas for standing out and thriving in this digital era
- Differentiating yourself through your story and brand
- Brand road mapping, website development, digital marketing, and data rooms
Moderator:
Sophie Panarese, Head of Platform & Operations, 186 Ventures
Panelists:
Michelle Daubar, Partner Investor Relations and Communications, Oak HC/FT
Jodi Rubenstein, Managing Director, Investor Relations, GTCR
Britney Hamberg, Principal, Investor Relations & Operations, RC Capital
Daniel Kettner, Head of Consultant Relations, 17Capital
Firm up your LP base: Trends in fund terms
- Align interests through terms
- Impact of the Private Fund Advisor Rule on preferential treatment
- Get the economics of co-invests right
- Discuss examples of side letter agreements
Moderator:
Michael Hong, Partner, Davis Polk & Wardwell
Panelists:
Rebeca Ehrnrooth, Managing Director, Head of Investor Network, Equilibrium
Ryan Hughes, Head of Investor Relations, Stellus Capital
Allan Petersen, Managing Director, Investor Relations, Nautic Partners
Steven Spencer, Chief Legal Officer and Chief Compliance Officer, Siris Capital Group
Steven Spencer
Partner, Chief Legal Officer and Chief Compliance Officer, Siris Capital Group, LLC
Read bioInvestor Engagement: Create content that resonates with new LPs
- Discuss data LPs want and the data that is most valuable to different investor types
- Explore tools and techniques to collect and analyze
- Discuss what formats work best in difference channels
- Consider future possibilities/roles of AI
- Comply with the SEC’s marketing rule
Moderator:
Rich Beecher, Managing Director, Head of Investor Relations, Fundamental Advisors
Panelists:
Andrew Harris, Managing Director, Head of Investor Relations and ESG, Tiger Infrastructure Partners
Britney Potapchuk, Vice President, Head of Marketing Compliance, HarbourVest Partners
Peter Rosenstein, Chief Product Officer, Gen II
Louise Verga, Managing Director, Head of Americas, Dasseti
Andrew Harris
Managing Director, Head of Investor Relations and ESG, Tiger Infrastructure Partners
Read bioCocktail reception
Agenda
Day 2 - Thursday 11th
Continental breakfast
Breakfast Meeting A | Win allies and collaborate internally across your organization
- Tips for treating internal partners as clients
- Convey imperatives and get in step with to C-level, legal, compliance and other teams
- Collaboration is a two-way street- get and use input/feedback
- Consider all stakeholders’ interests when taking on a project
Moderator:
Antonia Schwartz, Head of Investor Relations, Lotus Infrastructure Partners
Panelists:
Catherine Coleman, Head of Investor Relations, WindRose Health Investors
Carla Grace, Investor Relations and Due Diligence, Hines
Tess Sprechman, Head of Investor Relations, AE Industrial Partners
Benjamin Thorndike, Managing Director, Head of Infrastructure Investor Relations, Manulife Investment Management
Benjamin W. Thorndike
Head of Infrastructure Investor Relations, Manulife Investment Management
Read bioBreakfast Meeting B | Investor Relations: Replicate fundraising best practices
- Fundraising is more challenging today than in recent years, learn from veterans of capital formation what’s working and how they are adapting
- Setting realistic fundraising targets and managing expectation of internal stakeholders
- Always be closing – strategies for an effective close
Moderator:
Christopher Ashrafi, Chief Client Officer, InvestorFlow
Panelists:
Richard Lichter, Vice Chair and Founder, Newbury Partners – Bridge
Rich Maass, Managing Director, Investor Relations, Searchlight Capital Partners
Monica Vitoria, Partner, Head of Investor Relations, Stripes
Catherine Warfield, Director, Investor Relations, Warren Equity Partners
Breakfast Meeting C | A democratic revolution? Find success in retail and HNW channels
- Is your firm and fund well suited for individual investors
- Tailoring a fund and fund raising strategy to this segment
- Meet the new gatekeepers and understand the economics of platforms
- The importance of education
Moderator:
Cara Hubbard, Managing Director, Wellington Management
Panelists:
Chelsea Dodge, Head of Investor Relations, Fin Capital
Brianne Lynch, Head of Market Research, EquityZen
Lindsey Swanson, Head of Investor Relations, BBH Capital Partners
Anar Shah, Head of Investor Relations, Lionstone Investments
Think tank A: Investor Relations: Building strategic partnerships with LPs
- What does a strategic partner entail
- Make LP and GP partnerships mutually beneficial
Facilitator:
July Hugen, Head of Investor Relations, TT Capital Partners
Think tank B: Communicating 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
Facilitator
Sarah Tomolonius, Partner, Head of Investor Relations, M13
Think tank C: Consultant Relations
- Best practices when engaging with investment consultants
- Whan to hire a dedicated consultant-relations professional
- Navigate the organization, (e.g., when to engage the research team, field consultants and end clients)
Facilitator:
Sora Monachino, Managing Director, Head of Investor Relations, Victory Park Capital Advisors
Sora Monachino
Managing Director, Head of Investor Relations, Victory Park Capital Advisors, LLC
Read bioNetworking break
Opening Remarks
Brian Anderson, Senior Conference Producer, Private Equity International
Keynote fireside chat: A conversation with investor relations and communications leaders on how they are reaching investors
A conversation with investor relations and communications leaders on how they are reaching investors
Moderator:
Mary Kathtleen (MK) Flynn, Editor-in-Chief, PE Hub & PE Hub Europe
Keynotes:
Mary Armstrong, Managing Director, Global Head of Marketing & Communications, General Atlantic
Jeffrey Kauth, Managing Director, Global Public Affairs, Blackstone
Andrew Tirbeni, Managing Director, Client Relations and Capital Raising, EQT Group
Mary Armstrong
Managing Director, Global Head of Marketing & Communications, General Atlantic
Read bioIntegrate technology for a more efficient organization
- Discover the latest technologies for effective fundraising campaigns
- Identify pre-requisites to integrating technology
- Discuss the dos and don’ts when integrating technology
- Use technology to deal with rise of mandatory reporting requirements
Moderator:
Greg Kaufmann, Director, Gridline
Panelists:
Soo Song, Head of Marketing, WiL (World Innovation Lab)
Dan Sullivan, Sales Executive for the Americas, DiligenceVault
Drake Paulson, VP of Customer Success and Partnerships, Anduin
Sonja Weiss, Associate Vice President, Investor Relations, Instar Asset Management
Host must-attend AGMs
- Determine AGM objectives and align format and content
- Find the right balance of passive and interactive programming
- Debate merits and drawbacks of hybrid and virtual formats
- Goals and methods of following up with participants
- What new technologies do you deploy at your annual meetings?
Moderator:
Mary Adams, CMP, Founder & CEO, Avivant Partners
Panelists:
Dana Goldstein, Managing Director, Head of Investor Relations, Anthos Capital
Colin Hannaway, Managing Director, H.I.G. Capital
Zach Russo, Head of Studio, rf Studio53
Joanna Weiss, Director Investor Relations, Trispan
Ana Yoerg, Vice President, Marketing, At One Ventures
Investor Engagement: Carousel
Following our popular roundtable format, tables will share best practices in two areas. Each table will report back to the whole group the key practices in one category.
The Carousel is a GP-ONLY gathering.
Join your peers for candid discussions in a closed-door setting, with no media, vendors, or service providers in the room. These table-based discussions emphasize quality over quantity by facilitating small-group discussions. All tables will discuss the two topics below
Investor Engagement
Fortify integrity and consistency of your brand
Leverage social media platforms to cultivate new investor relationships
Facilitators:
Alli Murdoff, Partner, Marketing, Section Partners
Brian Anderson, Senior Conference Producer, Private Equity International
Luncheon
End of conference
Make essential connections
Over two days attendees built up their book of contacts while discussing solutions to shared challenges with an expansive community.
Sessions promoting collaboration
Breakfast meetings and think tanks
Cover critical issues and exchange solutions on curated topics with your peers at our breakfast meetings and GP-only think tanks.
Networking breaks
Catch up with your peers to build your network and discuss session takeaways during the many designated networking breaks.
Carousel session
New for 2024! Following our popular roundtable format, the carousel session has two tables sharing best practices in different areas. Each table will then report their findings back to the wider group.
Participants at a glance
“This event is wonderful for networking with professionals who have similar roles doing a mix of investor relations, business development, marketing and communications.
“
Kate Gallego, Operations Manager, CIVC Partners
“The event was well organized and a good combination of some high level, interesting speakers and great networking opportunities amongst the companies attending. I really enjoyed the time to connect with my peers
“
Tracie Kelly, Director of Marketing, Excellere Partners