Private Equity
International
International
Investor Relations, Marketing & Communications Forum San Francisco 2023
20 - 21 September 2023,
Parc 55, San Francisco
Maximize your firm's fundraising potential
The Investor Relations, Marketing & Communications Forum: San Francisco connects leading professionals within private markets and venture capital to discuss changing markets.
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.
Perspectives for IR, marketing, and communications professionals
With industry-leading speakers on sessions covering key investor relations, marketing, and communications topics, your entire team will leave the forum with a clearer picture of the future of their role within private equity and venture capital.
Marketing and communications professionals
Leverage your position in the market to exceed your firm’s fundraising goals.
Investor relations professionals
Discover your ideal investor personae and set the foundation for positive relationships.
Why attend the forum?
Improve your strategy
Industry thought-leaders will discuss emerging trends and best practices to improve your investor relations, marketing, and branding strategies.
Overcome your challenges
This year’s forum features exclusive keynotes, panels, roundtable discussions, networking opportunities, and a newly-added workshop on day two to help answer your most pressing questions.
Build your network
Consult with your peers to discuss significant day-to-day pain points, the changing fundraising landscape, and how to differentiate your firm from the rest.
Developing a solid crisis communications strategy
General Catalyst’s VP of Brand & Communications, Sue Kwon, leads a conversation on creating a proactive communication strategy during a crisis.
Sue will discuss:
- How to establish brand pillars while keeping all decisions consistent with your firm’s values
- Promoting transparency in your communications with LP’s
- Having an adequate plan in place to ensure a crisis can be handled quickly and effectively
- And more…
Key agenda themes
This year’s agenda was built through consultation with influential IR and marketing leaders in private markets and venture capital.
The topics covered provide relevant information to impact processes and practices within firms, such as:
- Lessons learned from the SVB collapse
- The growing class of non-traditional investors and sources of capital
- The new politics of private investing
- And more…
New for 2023!
Build customer engagement strategies to raise capital
Join us on day 2 of the Forum for the Private Equity Customer Engagement Workshop. Through roundtable discussions you’ll hear new strategies to identify sources of capital and build strong relationships with investors.
You’ll leave the workshop with:
- Strategies to create a consistent brand strategy
- A better understanding of how to leverage technology
- Knowledge on creating reports compliant with the Marketing Rule
- And more…
2022 attendees included:
2023 speakers include:
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.
2023 Agenda
Download the agenda to see the timely and relevant topics that 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.
View agenda page
Agenda
Day 1 - Wednesday 20th
Registration
08:00 - 09:00
Registration – Breakfast
Pre-conference breakfast meetings | Get geared up for the conference at one of our concurrent breakfast meetings. These meetings will be more interactive than traditional panel discussions. They will start with a 15-minute panel discussion to set the stage and will be followed by a 30-minute interactive Q&A session between the panelist and audience members.
08:00 - 09:00
The new politics and changes for private investing
Jeff Mills,
Rob Kaufman,
Tom Pierce
- How will last month’s new rules and amendments from the SEC change LP relations?
- How might the world of private investing change over the next two years?
- What are the practical implications of politics to investor relations, marketing & communications teams?
Moderator:
Jeff Mills, Managing Director, Fundraising and Investor Relations, Gryphon Investors
Speakers:
Rob Kaufman, Head of Investor Relations, Linse Capital
Tom Pierce, Partner, CFO, CCO, Sorenson Capital
Opening remarks & chair's welcome
09:00 - 09:15
Opening remarks & chair's welcome
Tiffany Davis
Chairperson:
Tiffany Davis, Director, Sofinnova Investments
Plenary sessions
09:15 - 10:00
Keynote - Real-time crisis communications
Sue Kwon,
Lawrence Aragon
- 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
10:00 - 10:50
New investor personae - non-traditional investors
Jennifer Stroud,
Karen Heidelberger,
Ann Lee Steinberg,
Olga Serhiyevich
- 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
Karen Heidelberger
Partner, Chief Partnership and Communications Officer, Deerfield Management
Read bio
Networking
10:50 - 11:20
Networking coffee break
Plenary sessions
11:20 - 12:10
Designing your investor experience – Content, AGM and beyond
Tim Flannery,
Mary E. Adams, CMP,
Chelsea Dodge,
Amy Holmes,
Alycia Simons
- How will the “democratization” of private investing shape the investor experience, from prospect to AGM?
- What are the types of content and content strategies that engage your investor base?
- How do you leverage your firm’s brand, and the personal brands of your firm’s leadership, to design and plan a meaningful and effective AGM?
Moderator:
Tim Flannery, Co-founder and CEO, Passthrough
Speakers:
Mary E. Adams, CMP, Founder & CEO, Avivant Partners
Chelsea Dodge, Head of Investor Relations, Fin Capital
Amy Holmes, Senior Vice President, Marketing and Communications, Fengate Asset Management
Alycia Simons, Manager of Investor Relations, Mercato Partners
Networking luncheon
12:10 - 13:10
Networking luncheon
Plenary sessions
13:10 - 14:00
Careers in investor relations, marketing and communications in the private investment industry
Sarah Abboud,
Andrea Chrysanthou,
Kathlika Fontes,
Cindy Mesaros,
Gretchen Robinson
- How can private investment firms tap non-traditional talent pools to advance their fundraising, branding, and communications goals?
- What are the skillsets and competencies most sought after in today’s private IR and marcomms departments?
- Where are the most exciting opportunities for professional growth in IR and marcomms in the private investment industry?
- How to ensure talent in leadership with succession planning with enhanced internal opportunities for professional growth
Moderator:
Sarah Abboud, Director of Marketing & Communications, VMG Partners
Speakers:
Andrea Chrysanthou, Vice President, TAS
Kathlika Fontes, Director of Investor Relations, Grain Management
Cindy Mesaros, Head of Marketing and People, Foresite Capital
Gretchen Robinson, Director, Capital Formation, GI Partners
Fundraising think tank sessions: Our think tanks are GP ONLY gatherings. Join your peers for candid discussions in a closed-door setting, with no media, vendors, or service providers in the room.
14:00 - 15:00
Think tank A | Venture capital (GP ONLY)
- How are venture capital firms faring in today’s competitive fundraising landscape?
Facilitator:
Debbie Liao, Partner, Investor Relations, Battery Ventures
14:00 - 15:00
Think tank B | Growth equity (GP ONLY)
Jessica Schmitt
- How are growth equity firms faring in today’s competitive fundraising landscape?
Facilitator:
Jessica Schmitt, Director, Investor Relations, Arrowroot Capital Partners
14:00 - 15:00
Think tank C | Middle-market buyout (GP ONLY)
Chelsea Reichard
- How are middle-market buyout firms faring in today’s competitive fundraising landscape?
Facilitator:
Chelsea Reichard, Vice President, Fundraising, Bow River Capital
Networking
15:00 - 15:30
Networking refreshment break
Breakout sessions
15:30 - 16:20
Breakout session: Marketing & communications | Rebrand strategies
Ira Berg,
Mike Marderosian,
Soo Song,
Jamie Viggiano ,
Hillá Watkins
- Considering the when and the why of a corporate rebrand
- Identifying the most impactful changes
- Internal communication and getting firmwide buy-in
- Ensuring a seamless rollout across all channels
Moderator:
Ira Berg, Managing Director, Business Consulting & Advisory Services, Ext Marketing
Speakers:
Mike Marderosian, Vice President, 50 South Capital
Soo Song, Head of Marketing, WiL (World Innovation Lab)
Jamie Viggiano, Chief Marketing Officer, Fuel Capital
Hillá Watkins, Chief Marketing Officer, Scale Venture Partners
Ira Berg
Managing Director, Business Consultancy & Advisory Services (U.S.), Ext. Marketing
Read bio
15:30 - 16:20
Breakout session: Investor relations | Adapting to the current fundraising environment
Jeff Mills,
Gina Bauman,
Jimmy Carrion,
Laura Fahrney,
Allan Petersen
- What is the current landscape like?
- Accelerated pace of capital deployment and fundraising
- Increased demands on reporting
- Extreme competition
- What areas of the fundraising process are you being forces to evolve/adapt?
Moderator:
Jeff Mills, Managing Director, Fundraising and Investor Relations, Gryphon Investors
Speakers:
Gina Bauman, Head of Capital Formation, Cota Capital
Jimmy Carrion, Senior Vice President, Investor Relations, Lloyd Jones
Laura Fahrney, Partner, Investor Relations, Ridgemont Equity Partners
Allan Petersen, Managing Director, Investor Relations, Nautic Partners
Plenary sessions
16:25 - 17:15
Scaling up your IR & marketing and communications tech stack
Jeff Williams,
Michelle Chao,
Anne Gherini,
Sarah Mattina,
Avery Williams
- How do you assess your firm’s IR & marcomms technology needs?
- How do you assess the capabilities of various tools and professionals to create a plan to scale up your tech stack (on a budget)?
- How do you get buy-in from your firm’s leadership?
Moderator:
Jeff Williams, Chief Strategy Officer, Altvia
Speakers:
Michelle Chao, Head of Investor Relations, Bertram Capital
Anne Gherini, CMO, Sierra Ventures
Sarah Mattina, former Marketing & Communications Director, Venture Forward
Avery Williams, Head of Investor Relations & Marketing, Healthquest Capital
Cocktail reception
17:15 - 18:15
Cocktail reception
Agenda
Day 2 - Thursday 21st
Continental breakfast
08:00 - 09:00
Continental breakfast
Pre-conference breakfast meetings | Get geared up for the conference at one of our concurrent breakfast meetings. These meetings will be more interactive than traditional panel discussions. They will start with a 15-minute panel discussion to set the stage and will be followed by a 30-minute interactive Q&A session between the panelist and audience members.
08:00 - 08:45
Will AI impact fundraising in private markets?
Hye Kyung (HK) Lee,
Laura Deitz,
Jessica Hoffman Brennan,
Oren Michaely
- Survey the market landscape to identify risk and opportunity
- Make sequencing activities more efficient for a win
- Identify LP questions/concerns and generate strategic answers/responses accordingly
- Hear other use cases for AI tools
Moderator:
Hye Kyung (HK) Lee, Chief Solutions Officer, InvestorFlow
Speakers:
Laura Deitz, Investor Relations Principal, Northgate
Jessica Hoffman Brennan, Partner, Head of Strategy & Investor Relations, Kohlberg & Company
Oren Michaely, Director of AI, Motive Partners
Think tank sessions | Our think tanks are GP ONLY gatherings. Join your peers for candid discussions in a closed-door setting, with no media, vendors, or service providers in the room.
08:45 - 09:30
Think tank A | Marketing & communications (GP ONLY)
Peter Delevett
What are the unique challenges faces by marketing & communications professionals working in the private investment industry today, and what are the solutions your peers are finding to be most effective in overcoming those challenges?
Facilitator:
Peter Delevett, Director of Communications, National Grid Partners
08:45 - 09:30
Think tank B | Investor relations (GP ONLY)
Matt Lien
How is the role of investor relations changing in a highly competitive fundraising environment? Including, what are the pros and cons of placement agents and how do global versus regional placement agents measure up.
Facilitator:
Matt Lien, Director, Investor Relations, Longwater Opportunities
Chair's opening remarks
09:30 - 09:40
Chair's opening remarks
Tiffany Davis
Chairperson:
Tiffany Davis, Director, Sofinnova Investments
Keynote interview
09:40 - 10:30
Keynote fireside chat: Use meaningful metrics and make them matter
Lawrence Aragon,
Mark Barnhill
- Setting strategic goals to know what success looks like
- What KPI’s are relevant to brand authenticity?
- Scorecard metrics that matter when it comes to DEI and ESG
- Measuring success broadly: tangible and intangibles
Moderator:
Lawrence Aragon, West Coast Bureau Chief, PEI Group
Keynote:
Mark Barnhill, Partner, Platinum Equity
Networking
10:30 - 11:00
Networking coffee break
Breakout sessions
11:00 - 12:00
Breakout session: How to define and measure IR success
Catherine Chen,
Kelly Golden,
Lindsay Grider,
Brian Kriebel
- What KPIs are you tracking?
- Does your CRM help track whether specific investors have switched firms or funds?
- Conducting investor studies/surveys
- How to continue building on success
Moderator:
Grace Kim, Managing Director, Fundraising and Investor Relations, The Riverside Company
Speakers:
Catherine Chen, Vice President, Investor Relations, FFL
Kelly Golden, Director of Investor Relations, G2 Venture Partners
Lindsay Grider, Global Head of Fundraising and Investor Relations, Levine Leichtman Capital Partners
Brian Kriebel, Managing Director, HighBar Partners
Lindsay Grider
Global Head of Fundraising and Investor Relations, Levine Leichtman Capital Partners
Read bio
11:00 - 12:00
Breakout session: Future-proofed ESG & DEI
Nick Condie,
Tanya Loh,
Amrita Mainthia ,
Lisa Parks
- In states where ESG and DEI investing have become politicized, how can your firm’s branding reflect a non-political, “dollars and sense” approach to these concepts?
- How do you work with your firm’s management to establish who “owns” ESG & DEI and how can this be reflected in your firm’s branding?
- How do you plan for the next ESG or DEI-related crisis?
Moderator:
Nick Condie, Senior Account Executive, SS&C Intralinks
Speakers:
Tanya Loh, Chief Marketing Officer, Forgepoint Capital
Amrita Mainthia, Vice President, Investor Relations, General Catalyst
Lisa Parks, Head of Investor Relations, Base Ventures
Luncheon
12:00 - 13:00
Luncheon
Private Equity Customer Engagement Workshop
13:00 - 17:00
Private Equity Customer Engagement Workshop
The Private Equity Customer Engagement Workshop will equip you with strategies to identify new sources of capital and build strong relationships with investors.
13:00 - 13:10
Opening remarks
Plenary session
13:10 - 13:50
Private equity customer engagement: making the right first impression
Stephanie Bednar,
Devin Banerjee,
Tiffany Davis,
Jon Hoffman,
Natalie Yates
- What is private equity customer engagement?
- Managing its customers’ expectations through digital, mobile and social experiences.
- Being proactive in telling your own story
- Why is customer engagement becoming a top priority?
- Key areas of focus for standing out and thriving in this digital era
- Brand road mapping, website development and digital marketing, data visualization, and presentation and sales collateral design
Moderator:
Stephanie Bednar, Principal, Capital Formation Group, H.I.G. Capital
Speakers:
Devin Banerjee, Sr. Managing Editor, Industry News & Community, Linkedin
Tiffany Davis, Head of Investor Relations, Sofinnova Investments
Jon Hoffman, Managing Director, Investor Relations, Rhône Group
Natalie Yates, Head of Business Development and Investor Relations, Vance Street Capital
Roundtable discussions | 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.
14:00 - 15:00
Roundtable 1 | Brand road mapping
Jennifer Janson,
Hadley Wilkins
- 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
Facilitators:
Jennifer Janson, Director of Communications, OMERS Ventures
Hadley Wilkins, VP, Communications, Atomic
14:00 - 15:00
Roundtable 2 | Designing compelling and compliant marketing materials, reports, and data visualizations
Jason Jerista,
Tracie Kelly
- 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 (e.g., gross vs. net profits in portfolio performance reporting)
- Tools and techniques for data visualization: data collection, analysis, distribution
Facilitators:
Jason Jerista, Managing Director, Investor Relations, LLR
Tracie Kelly, Director of Marketing, Excellere Partners
14:00 - 15:00
Roundtable 3 | Using technology to prospect, attract and retain investors
Nancy Katz
- 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
Facilitators:
Anne Gherini, CMO, Sierra Ventures
Nancy Katz, Senior Director of Investor Relations, Costanoa Ventures
14:00 - 15:00
Roundtable 4 | Executing your next AGM
Mary E. Adams, CMP,
Katie Riester
- 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
Facilitators:
Mary E. Adams, CMP, Founder & CEO, Avivant Partners
Katie Riester, Partner, Felicis Ventures
Networking break
15:00 - 15:20
Networking break
Roundtable discussions
15:20 - 16:20
Roundtable 1 | Brand road mapping
Jennifer Janson,
Hadley Wilkins
- 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
Facilitators:
Jennifer Janson, Director of Communications, OMERS Ventures
Hadley Wilkins, VP, Communications, Atomic
15:20 - 16:20
Roundtable 2 | Designing compelling and compliant marketing materials, reports, and data visualizations
Jason Jerista,
Tracie Kelly
- 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 (e.g., gross vs. net profits in portfolio performance reporting)
- Tools and techniques for data visualization: data collection, analysis, distribution
Facilitators:
Jason Jerista, Managing Director, Investor Relations, LLR
Tracie Kelly, Director of Marketing, Excellere Partners
15:20 - 16:20
Roundtable 3 | Using technology to prospect, attract and retain investors
Nancy Katz
- 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
Facilitators:
Anne Gherini, CMO, Sierra Ventures
Nancy Katz, Senior Director of Investor Relations, Costanoa Ventures
15:20 - 16:20
Roundtable 4 | Executing your next AGM
Mary E. Adams, CMP,
Katie Riester
- 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
Facilitators:
Mary E. Adams, CMP, Founder & CEO, Avivant Partners
Katie Riester, Partner, Felicis Ventures
Plenary session
16:20 - 17:00
Closing panel: Bringing it all together: marketing and branding for deal flow
Zoe Guttendorf,
Shernaz Daver,
Kimberley Kasper,
Kelly Lassing,
Ryan Parker
- What motivates founders today and how to increase your firm’s deal flow?
- How to leverage your firm’s brand to draw in founders to your portfolio
- How to design the founder experience as an expression of your firm’s brand
Moderator:
Zoe Guttendorf, Head of Marketing and Investor Relations, Artis Ventures
Speakers:
Shernaz Daver, Operating Partner and CMO, Khosla Ventures
Kimberley Kasper, Chief Marketing Officer, Strattam Capital
Kelly Lassing, Head of Marketing and Communications, Energize Ventures
Ryan Parker, Chief Marketing Officer, Trivest Partners
End of conference
17:00 - 17:00
End of conference
2023 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.
Sarah Abboud
Director of Marketing and Communications, VMG Partners
Sarah Abboud is the Director of Marketing & Communications at VMG Partners, marking the first person to fill such a role at the firm. Prior to joining VMG, she oversaw communications at The Pill Club for two and a half years, led communications f… Read full bio
Mary E. Adams, CMP
Founder & CEO, Avivant Partners
Mary is the founder and Founder & CEO, Avivant Partners, a recognized leader in meetings, events, and association management since 2004. With nearly two decades of experience as a Certified Meeting Professional (CMP), Mary’s expertise includes a… Read full bio
Lawrence Aragon
West Coast Bureau Chief & Editor of Venture Capital Journal, PEI Group
Lawrence Aragon is an award-winning business journalist who writes about venture capital and private equity. As West Coast Bureau Chief, he is one of PEI Group’s senior editorial decision-makers and works closely with the Editorial Director US, the G… Read full bio
Devin Banerjee
Sr. Managing Editor, Industry News & Community, LinkedIn
Devin Banerjee is a senior managing editor at LinkedIn, leading a team of journalists and community managers covering key industries such as finance, technology and health care for LinkedIn's membership of 1 billion professionals. Prior to joining Li… Read full bio
Mark Barnhill
Partner, Platinum Equity
Mark Barnhill manages functions connected to capital raising, fund administration, investor relations and corporate and external affairs for Platinum Equity, Platinum Equity Capital Partners and related investments, including the Detroit Pistons Bask… Read full bio
Gina Bauman
Head of Capital Formation, Cota Capital
Gina Bauman joined Cota Capital in 2022 as Head of Capital Formation. She brings extensive fundraising, investor relations, and marketing experience to the firm. Gina joined Cota after her thirteen-year tenure at IVP, a later-stage venture capital an… Read full bio
Stephanie Bednar
Principal, Capital Formation Group, H.I.G. Capital
Stephanie Bednar is a Principal in the Capital Formation Group at H.I.G. Capital where she focuses on investor relations efforts across the firm’s existing funds and Limited Partner relationships. Prior to joining H.I.G., Stephanie was a Director at… Read full bio
Ira Berg
Managing Director, Business Consultancy & Advisory Services (U.S.), Ext. Marketing
Ira is responsible for the strategic growth and servicing of Ext. Marketing’s U.S. operations in advising clients across the full spectrum of alternative strategies, including hedge funds, private equity and venture capital firms, with their firms’ m… Read full bio
Jimmy Carrion
Senior Vice President, Investor Relations, Lloyd Jones
As senior vice president of investor relations for Lloyd Jones, Jimmy Carrion brings years of solid business development experience to raise capital for the firm's acquisitions and developments. In this role, Jimmy is responsible for building and mai… Read full bio
Michelle Chao
Head of Investor Relations, Bertram Capital
Michelle began her private equity career over a decade ago at Bertram Capital sourcing and assessing new investment opportunities. Michelle currently leads investor relations at Bertram where she focuses on fundraising, marketing, and communicating w… Read full bio
Catherine Chen
Vice President, Investor Relations, FFL Partners
Catherine Chen joined FFL Partners in 2016 and leads investor relations. Previously, she worked at Goldman Sachs as an analyst in the Alternative Investments and Manager Selection group in New York, focused on private equity. During this time she wor… Read full bio
Andrea Chrysanthou
Vice President, Brand and Communications, TAS
Andrea Chrysanthou is one of Canada’s premier media relations experts, a multiple award-winning communicator and an educator with more than a decade of experience in communications. She is currently the Vice President of Brand and Communications at T… Read full bio
Nick Condie
Senior Account Executive, Intralinks (an SS&C company)
Nick is a Senior Account executive at Intralinks, an SS&C company, and brings over a decade of experience helping alternative investment firms analyze and implement business critical software systems across accounting, operational, and investor r… Read full bio
Shernaz Daver
CMO and Operating Partner, Khosla Ventures
Shernaz is an Operating Partner and CMO at Khosla Ventures, with a track record of building brands and scaling operational teams across a range of businesses from frontier technology and life sciences to consumer and enterprise companies. Previously,… Read full bio
Tiffany Davis
Head of Investor Relations, Sofinnova Investments
Tiffany is Head of Investor Relations at Sofinnova Investments. She is responsible for investor communications, marketing initiatives, and leads fundraising efforts for the venture team. Prior to joining Sofinnova, Tiffany worked with the Senior Mark… Read full bio
Laura Deitz
Investor Relations Principal, Northgate
Laura Deitz has over 15 years of global experience in fundraising, marketing and client servicing. Laura currently serves as an Investor Relations Principal for Northgate Capital, where she plays a leading role in managing Northgate’s investor outrea… Read full bio
Peter Delevett
Director of Communications, National Grid Partners
Peter leads communications for NGP. He leads content and media relations, advises on events and brand strategy and helps portfolio companies navigate the noisy world of PR. Before joining National Grid Partners, Peter was Director of Global Marketing… Read full bio
Chelsea Dodge
Director of Investor Relations, Fin Capital
Chelsea is a Director of Investor Relations at Fin Capital, where she is responsible for supporting the firm’s client relationships and fundraising activities. Prior to joining Fin Capital, Chelsea was most recently a Vice President on the Investor R… Read full bio
Laura Fahrney
Partner, Ridgemont Equity Partners
Laura is a Partner of the firm and leads Ridgemont’s investor relations, fundraising and limited partner co-investment activities. She also co-leads the firm’s ESG & DEI Governing Committee. Prior to joining Ridgemont in 2013, Laura led investor… Read full bio
Tim Flannery
Co-founder and CEO, Passthrough
Tim Flannery is the Co-founder & CEO of Passthrough. Prior to Passthrough, Tim was a leader at Carta's Investor Services business. Tim started his career at JPMorgan's Private Equity Fund Services and Chief Investment Office before launching a mi… Read full bio
Kathlika Fontes
Director of Investor Relations, Grain Management
Ms. Fontes is the Director of Investor Relations at Grain Management, responsible for developing and maintaining relationships with Limited Partners and their advisors and leading capital development processes. Prior to Grain, Ms. Fontes was at StepS… Read full bio
Anne Gherini
CMO, Sierra Ventures
Anne Gherini is Sierra Ventures Chief Marketing Officer. She is focused on building the Sierra brand, powering new avenues of deal flow, and supporting the Sierra Ventures portfolio. Before Sierra, Anne was the CMO of an early-stage venture capital f… Read full bio
Kelly Golden
Director of Investor Relations, G2 Venture Partners
Kelly Golden is Head of Investor Relations at G2 Venture Partners. Prior to joining G2, Kelly was an Executive Director at UBS where she spent nine years on the Capital Introduction team in the Prime Brokerage division. At UBS, Kelly was responsible… Read full bio
Lindsay Grider
Global Head of Fundraising and Investor Relations, Levine Leichtman Capital Partners
Lindsay Grider currently serves as the Global Head of Fundraising and Investor Relations for Levine Leichtman Capital Partners. She was hired in 2022 to spearhead the firm’s global fundraising efforts and is responsible for building and scaling a glo… Read full bio
Zoe Guttendorf
Head of Marketing and Investor Relations, ARTIS Ventures
Zoe Guttendorf is the Head of Marketing and Investor Relations at ARTIS Ventures focused on investing in early stage founders at the intersection of tech and medicine, or TechBio. She currently serves as a Board Observer for Affect Therapeutics, a di… Read full bio
Karen Heidelberger
Partner, Chief Partnership and Communications Officer, Deerfield Management
Karen Heidelberger is a Partner and Chief Partnership and Communications Officer, and joined the Firm in 2002. She is responsible for relationships with investors, partner companies, academic institutions and other interested parties. In her role, Ms… Read full bio
Jon Hoffman
Managing Director, Head of Investor Relations, Rhône Group
Mr. Hoffman joined Rhône in 2014 and became a Managing Director in 2018. He oversees Rhône’s investor relationships, marketing and public relations activities, as well as global fundraising efforts. Prior to joining Rhône, Mr. Hoffman was a Partner a… Read full bio
Jessica Hoffman Brennan
Partner, Head of Strategy & Investor Relations, Kohlberg & Company
Jessica Hoffman Brennan is a Partner and Head of Strategy and Investor Relations at Kohlberg, a $10 billion private equity investment management firm. Prior to joining Kohlberg in 2022, Ms. Brennan spent 9 years as a Partner and Managing Director of… Read full bio
Amy Holmes
Senior Vice President, Marketing and Communications, Fengate Asset Management
Amy Logan Holmes is responsible for Fengate’s brand, marketing and communications. She leads the firm’s marketing and communications team, and works closely with our executive team, our investors, project partners, investor relations, and three busin… Read full bio
Jennifer Janson
Director of Communications, OMERS Ventures
Jennifer supports OMERS Ventures’ portfolio of 60+ companies with any PR and reputation-related needs, in addition to driving brand awareness of OMERS Ventures globally, and leading all stakeholder communications. Jennifer has a 23-year track record… Read full bio
Jason Jerista
Managing Director, Investor Relations, LLR Partners
Jason Jerista is the Managing Director of Investor Relations at LLR Partners. With more than $5 billion raised across six funds, LLR provides capital for growth, recapitalizations, and buyouts to technology and healthcare companies. Jason joined LLR… Read full bio
Kimberley Kasper
Chief Marketing Officer, Strattam Capital
Kimberley Kasper joined Strattam as Chief Marketing Officer in 2018 after serving as an Executive Advisor for two years. In this role, Ms. Kasper provides strategic guidance and marketing leadership across the Strattam portfolio. Previously, Kimberle… Read full bio
Nancy Katz
Senior Director, Costanoa Ventures
Nancy has 30 years of experience in investor relations, fundraising, marketing, communications and general management across a range of alternative asset classes. She joined Costanoa in 2019 to lead the firm’s Investor Relations and fundraising effor… Read full bio
Rob Kaufman
Head of Investor Relations, Linse Capital
Rob Kaufman is the Head of Investor Relations at Linse Capital. Prior to joining Linse, Rob was on the investor relations team at FTV Capital, The JBG Companies (now JBG SMITH) and Hellman & Friedman. Rob began his career in the portfolio managem… Read full bio
Tracie Kelly
Director of Marketing, Excellere Partners
Tracie brings over 19 years of private equity marketing, communications, and origination experience. As the Director of Marketing Tracie leads the day-to-day execution of Excellere's marketing and communications strategies and overall brand strategy.… Read full bio
Brian Kriebel
Managing Director, HighBar Partners
Brian Kriebel joined HighBar Partners from SNH Capital Partners where he led capital raising and business development. Prior to SNH, Mr. Kriebel was a Principal at Blackstone where he was involved in raising capital for its private investment funds a… Read full bio
Sue Kwon
Vice President of Brand & Communications, General Catalyst
As a TV news veteran, Sue won multiple Emmy and Associated Press awards for her technology and business reporting. She served as the ConsumerWatch reporter for the CBS News affiliate station in San Francisco. Her 20-year career in TV included reporte… Read full bio
Kelly Lassing
Head of Marketing & Communications, Energize Ventures
As Head of Marketing & Communications, Kelly leads external communications efforts for Energize and supports the portfolio via our marketing platform function. She is also responsible for LP engagement and the firm’s events program. Kelly brings… Read full bio
Hye Kyung (HK) Lee
Chief Strategy Officer, InvestorFlow
HK has more than 15 years of experience working with private equity and other alternative assets managers to evolve their fund operating models from early stages, through IPOs, and corporatization of the General Partners. She is an operational strate… Read full bio
Debbie Liao
Partner, Investor Relations, Battery Ventures
Debbie is a partner on Battery’s IR team. She works day-to-day with the firm’s long-term investors while establishing and building lasting relationships with sophisticated new investors around the world. Debbie has nearly 10 years of experience in th… Read full bio
Matt Lien
Director of Investor Relations, LongWater Opportunities
Matt joined LongWater in April 2022 as Director of Investor Relations. Matt started his career in higher education in athletics rules compliance at The University of South Dakota and Oklahoma State University before transitioning into a fundraising r… Read full bio
Tanya Loh
Chief Marketing Officer, Forgepoint Capital
Tanya Loh is responsible for Forgepoint’s brand, marketing, events, and communications and helps its portfolio accelerate growth. A seasoned operator and company builder, Tanya has brought to market new businesses from concept to launch, profitabilit… Read full bio
Amrita Mainthia
VP, Investor Relations, General Catalyst
Amrita Mainthia is VP of Investor Relations at General Catalyst, based in San Francisco. As part of the IR team at GC, Amrita focuses on building and nurturing relationships among the LP community, investment team and portfolio companies. Previously,… Read full bio
Mike Marderosian
Vice President, 50 South Capital
Mike Marderosian is a Senior Vice President in the Private Equity Group for 50 South Capital. He is responsible for fundraising, investor relations and business development within the group. He also sources and analyzes primary, secondary and co-inve… Read full bio
Sarah Mattina
former Marketing & Communications Director, Venture Forward
Prior to her current role, Sarah served as the Marketing & Communications Director of Venture Forward, the National Venture Capital Association’s 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to expanding diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts within the ventu… Read full bio
Cindy Mesaros
Head of Marketing and People, Foresite Capital
Cindy Mesaros joined Foresite Capital, a healthcare and life sciences venture capital firm with approximately $3.5 billion in assets under management, in 2017 to oversee marketing and communications. She brings more than 20 years of experience in bra… Read full bio
Oren Michaely
Director of Artificial Intelligence, Motive Partners
Who is Oren? Oren is the Director of AI at Motive partners. He is an AI researcher and innovator with a background in building and integrating AI into real-world products. Prior to joining Motive, Oren worked at Microsoft, where he worked on the Micr… Read full bio
Jeff Mills
Partner, Global Head of Investor Relations, RCF
Jeff holds a B.S. degree in Mathematical Economics from the United States Military Academy at West Point and an M.B.A from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. After graduating from the United States Military Academy, Jeff served in th… Read full bio
Ryan Parker
Chief Marketing Officer, Trivest Partners
Ryan Parker is Chief Marketing Officer at Trivest Partners, where he is working to redefine “brand building” within private equity. He has pioneered the integration of systems and processes to modernize firm communications, improve design facility, a… Read full bio
Lisa Parks
Head of Investor Relations, Base Capital
Lisa Parks is a dynamic and accomplished partner at Base Ventures, where she leads the firm's efforts in investor relations and strategic capital raising. She joined the team in 2015 after working as an early-stage venture capitalist at Three Bridges… Read full bio
Allan Petersen
Managing Director, Investor Relations, Nautic Partners
Allan Petersen is a Managing Director at Nautic Partners responsible for Investor Relations. Allan first joined Nautic Partners in 2001 as part of the investment staff, before rejoining the firm in 2012 to focus on investor relations and operations.… Read full bio
Chelsea Reichard
Vice President, Fundraising, Bow River Capital
Chelsea Reichard is Vice President of Fundraising & Investor Relations for Bow River Capital, where she plays a leading role in raising capital across Bow River’s lower-middle market investment platforms: private equity, private credit, software… Read full bio
Katie Riester
Partner, Felicis Ventures
Katie is a Partner at Felicis and leads Investor Relations and Fund of Funds Investing. Katie has been part of the LP community since 2002. She was one of Felicis' first investors through her role at SVB Capital, and brings more than 20 years of vent… Read full bio
Gretchen Robinson
Director, Capital Formation-Business Development, GI Partners
Gretchen Robinson is a Director on the Capital Formation-Business Development team at GI Partners. She is focused on the firm’s investor relations and marketing initiatives. Prior to joining GI Partners, Gretchen was Vice President of Investor Relati… Read full bio
Jessica Schmitt
Head of Investor Relations, Arrowroot Capital
Jessica is the Head of Investor Relations at Arrowroot Capital, a global growth equity firm providing transitional capital to healthy, growing SaaS companies that are under-resourced and need capital for growth-related initiatives. Prior to joining A… Read full bio
Olga Serhiyevich
Head of Investor Relations, Village Global
Olga Serhiyevich is the Head of Investor Relations at Village Global, an early stage VC backed by the world’s leading entrepreneurs like Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, Sara Blakely, and Reid Hoffman. Prior to joining Village Global, Olga sp… Read full bio
Alycia Simons
Manager of Investor Relations, Mercato Partners
Aly is the Manager of Investor Relations for Mercato Partners, where she is responsible for maintaining and enhancing investor partnerships and cultivating relationships with potential future investors. She integrates her efforts with the investment,… Read full bio
Soo Song
Head of Marketing, WiL (World Innovation Lab)
Founded in 2014, WiL (World Innovation Lab) is a venture capital firm that partners with leading global corporations and government entities in Japan and Asia. With offices in Palo Alto, California, and Tokyo, the firm’s mission is to serve as a brid… Read full bio
Ann Lee Steinberg
Head of Investor Relations, NFX
Ann Lee Steinberg is the Head of Investor Relations at NFX. She most recently was a Partner at Sentinel Dome Partners, an investment management firm in San Francisco that she joined on the ground floor and where she helped to build the business. Prio… Read full bio
Jennifer Stroud
EVP, Bay Area Head, Financial Communications and Capital Markets, Edelman
Jennifer Stroud advises clients of public and private companies in various industries on strategic communications, including corporate and financial public relations, transaction communications, and investor relations. Select alternative investment e… Read full bio
Jamie Viggiano
Chief Marketing Officer
Jamie Viggiano is Fuel Capital’s Chief Marketing Officer. In this role, Jamie supports the firm's marketing and communications as well as IR efforts and helps the portfolio companies with a host of marketing needs - from brand development to PR and g… Read full bio
Hillá Watkins
Chief Marketing Officer, Scale Venture Partners
Hillá is the Chief Marketing Officer at Scale Venture Partners, an early-stage venture capital firm focused on intelligent business software. Prior to Scale, Hillá was VP of Brand Marketing at Pendo, where she grew the brand, along with the company,… Read full bio
Hadley Wilkins
VP, Communications, Atomic
Hadley is a seasoned leader with over two decades of experience building some of the world's most innovative and disruptive brands. She runs communications and marketing at venture studio Atomic, the $350 million fund that starts companies across ind… Read full bio
Avery Williams
Head of Investor Relations & Marketing, HealthQuest Capital
Avery joined HealthQuest in 2022 to lead Investor Relations and Marketing. Prior to joining HealthQuest, Avery was the Senior Director of Investor Relations & Corporate Development at HealthQuest portfolio company, Everly Health. There she oversa… Read full bio
Jeff Williams
Chief Strategy Officer, Altvia
Jeff Williams started with Altvia in 2011, bringing with him deep technical understanding and industry experience as an Associate at a leading Fund-of-Funds, Greenspring Associates. Through his tenure, Jeff has worked extensively with Altvia's intern… Read full bio
Natalie Yates
Head of Business Development & Investor Relations, Vance Street Capital
Natalie Yates is the Head of Business Development and Investor Relations for Vance Street Capital, responsible for overseeing the firm’s marketing, deal origination efforts, and investor activities including fundraising, communications, and relations… Read full bio
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
Parc 55, San Francisco
55 Cyril Magnin St
San Francisco, CA 94102
All forum sessions will take place at the Parc 55, San Francisco.
We’ve reserved a room block for attendees. Please book your room before Friday, September 15.
Advisory board
Stephanie Bednar
Principal, Capital Formation Group, H.I.G. Capital
Stephanie Bednar is a Principal in the Capital Formation Group at H.I.G. Capital where she focuses on investor relations efforts across the firm’s existing funds and Limited Partner relationships. Prior to joining H.I.G., Stephanie was a Director at… Read full bio
Tiffany Davis
Head of Investor Relations, Sofinnova Investments
Tiffany is Head of Investor Relations at Sofinnova Investments. She is responsible for investor communications, marketing initiatives, and leads fundraising efforts for the venture team. Prior to joining Sofinnova, Tiffany worked with the Senior Mark… Read full bio
Tiffany Huynh
Chief Marketing Officer, Taurus Investment Holdings, LLC
As CMO, Tiffany is responsible overseeing and executing on the firm’s overall marketing/brand and communications strategy. With more than a decade of full stack marketing experience, Tiffany has worked across multiple industries, recognizing the need… Read full bio
Jason Jerista
Managing Director, Investor Relations, LLR Partners
Jason Jerista is the Managing Director of Investor Relations at LLR Partners. With more than $5 billion raised across six funds, LLR provides capital for growth, recapitalizations, and buyouts to technology and healthcare companies. Jason joined LLR… Read full bio
Jennifer Zimmerman
Chief Marketing Officer, General Catalyst
Jennifer joined General Catalyst 2 years ago as the firm's first Chief Marketing Officer, and she has been instrumental in helping define the firm's mission, values and distinctive 'agent's of change' positioning. She is responsible for helping to cr… Read full bio
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
Taking place on day two, the Private Equity Customer Engagement Workshop will equip you with strategies to identify new sources of capital and build strong relationships with investors.
Through roundtable discussions, we’ll cover 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. This year’s forum will ensure that you have an effective marketing and communications strategy that is backed by a solid brand.
Join us for 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 dedicated to your most pressing needs.
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
Reach your fundraising goals
With the growing class of non-traditional investors, it can be difficult to find the right investors for your firm. This year’s forum will help you define your ideal investor persona, improve your relationships with them, create an engaging investor experience, and much more.
Join us for 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 happening at this 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.
