Private Equity
International
International
Operating Partners Forum Europe
May 20-21, 2026
Convene 155 Bishopsgate, London
Harness value creation in a changing market
PEI’s Operating Partners Forums are purpose-built for PE value creators to connect, compare, and address the real challenges of creating and sustaining portfolio company growth.
Participation is carefully vetted and limited to full-time operating partners, senior portfolio operations leaders, and select value creation partners, with the experience designed around small-group, peer-to-peer exchange.
At this critical point in the economic cycle, the Operating Partners Forum Europe unites Europe’s OP community to address value creation under today’s market and execution realities.
“The first and largest event focused on the role of the OP and value creation. Great mix of attendees makes it the best networking event.”
James Markham
Senior Partner Value Creation, Graphite Capital
Transform your operations with collaborative content:
The agenda covers the most prominent functional topics in value creation:
- Agentic AI for value creation: practical use cases across functions
- Exclusive peer-led think tanks: value creation war rooms for operating partners
- Insights on collaboration and alignment with the deal team
- Operating partner–CFO alignment for strategic transformation and impact
- Operating Partner-CEO VCP collaboration and execution
- Building high performance management teams
- Uncover value creation playbooks across all phases of the investment lifecycle
- Firsthand tips and career advice for the current generation of operating partners
- And much more…
Join Europe's leading operating partner community:
What can I expect at an Operating Partners Forum?
Discover new value creation strategies
The content focuses on working with and scaling portfolio companies at a crucial time. Examine the evolution of value creation, steps to develop a world class value creation team, how to optimize CEO relationships, and much more.
Build a valuable network
Connect with industry leaders within all functional areas of value creation in think tanks, interactive workshops, networking breaks, an evening drinks reception, roundtable discussions, and invite-only breakfasts.
Hear from Operating Partners
Collaborate directly with 100+ operating partner speakers on trending topics. Speakers include representatives from Accel-KKR, BlackRock, Goldman Sachs, H.I.G. Capital, OTPP, Permira, STG, and many more.
“You have to keep yourself current and our firms are not academies for becoming better operating partners…The PEI Operating Partners Forum is the only academy that exists for Operating Partners.”
Aaron Miller
Apollo Portfolio Performance Solutions, Apollo Global Management
Speakers
Our 2024 leading advisory board
For more information about next year’s agenda, please contact Brix Sumagaysay at brix.s@pei.group.
View agenda page
Agenda
Day 1 - Wednesday 20th
11:00 - 11:30
Registration and networking
Think Tank Series Day 1 (operating partners only)
11:30 - 12:10
Digital & Technology Operating Partners
11:30 - 12:10
GTM / Sales/ Revenue Growth Operating Partners
11:30 - 12:10
Finance Operating Partners
Plenary
12:15 - 12:30
PEI welcome and chairperson’s opening remarks
12:30 - 13:10
Panel: The legends of value creation — what I wish someone had told me
- Results from a survey of 47 of the world’s most experienced operating partners
- What “tips” do they have for the current generation of operating partners?
- What would these legends have done differently in their careers?
13:10 - 14:10
Networking Lunch
13:10 - 14:10
Lunch Deep Dive session (invitation-only): Scaling revenue through AI-powered commercial and pricing analytics
- Unlocking AI-powered pricing as a strategic advantage: sharing use cases
- Key steps and playbooks for implementation and how to overcome roadblocks
- Future trends in commercial analytics: machine learning and predictive analytics to uncover hidden growth
13:10 - 14:10
Lunch Deep Dive session (invitation-only): Enhancing supply chain operations
- Unlocking supply chain value through operating partner leadership
- From strategy to execution in procurement, manufacturing, and logistics
- Building resilient, scalable supply chains across portfolio companies
Breakout Series 1
14:10 - 14:50
Track 1: The evolving finance function
Steve Jones,
Marc Bielitza
- Leveraging AI and automation to streamline finance processes
- Finance as a business partner driving data-informed decisions
- Using real-time insights and predictive modelling for agility
Moderator: Steve Jones, Managing Director, Accordion
Marc Bielitza, Partner, Deutsche Private Equity
14:10 - 14:50
Track 2: The right model for digital and AI capabilities
Gilad G. Amir,
Michal Karnibad,
Siobhán Nagle
- In-house engineering vs outsourced build vs low-code/no-code solutions
- When partnerships outperform internal teams
- Selecting the right AI stack for efficiency and scale
Gilad Amir, Digital Operating Partner, Pollen Street Capital
Michal Karnibad, Managing Director of Digital Transformation, Mattioli Woods
Siobhán Nagle, Managing Director, Digital Infrastructure EMEA
James Craig, Portfolio Growth Director, GCP
14:10 - 14:50
Track 3: Growing when markets don’t: Creating value in Europe
Peter Colman,
Paul-Louis Andrés,
Beatrice Schulenburg,
Barbara Ellero
- Unlocking organic growth despite macro stagnation
- Commercial and operational levers that still move the needle
- Managing risk while enabling bold growth bets
Peter Colman, Senior Operating Partner – Commercial Excellence, H.I.G. Capital
Paul-Louis Andrés, Operating Partner, Seven2
Beatrice Schulenburg, Associate Portfolio Manager Infrastructure Equity, Allianz Global Investors
Barbara Ellero, Partner, Head of Private Debt, Anthilia Capital Partners
Beatrice Schulenburg
Associate Portfolio Manager Infrastructure Equity, Allianz Global Investors
Read bio
Breakout Series 2
14:50 - 15:30
Track 4: Cash excellence and financial discipline in PE-backed companies
Johannes Brunner,
Matt J. Baird,
Will Harman
- Cash as the primary indicator of operational health
- Forecasting, liquidity, and working capital improvements
- Protecting cash in periods of disruption and complexity
Johannes Brunner, Operating Director, Finance & Operations, FSN Capital
Matt Baird, MD – Operations & Strategy, OMERS
Will Harman, Former Global Margin Expansion Lead, Apax Partners
14:50 - 15:30
Track 5: Supply chain resilience & operations intelligence
Simon Hardy,
Alisha Peterle
- Mapping dependencies and monitoring systems to improve decision-making
- Reshoring, dual-sourcing, and inventory/logistics optimization without margin loss
- Using data and AI for supply chain agility
Simon Hardy, Head of Portfolio Operations, Attestor Capital
Alisha Peterle, Operating Partner, KKR
14:50 - 15:30
Track 6: Generative AI in the commercial function
Maria Orlowski,
Alpesh Doshi
- High-impact GenAI use cases across the commercial function
- How Operating Partners assess GenAI ROI and vendor choices for revenue growth and margin expansion
- Embedding GenAI into commercial workflows
Maria Orlowski, Partner, Value Creation, GTO Partners
Martin Jacobsson, Operating Partner, Nordic Capital
Alpesh Doshi, Managing Partner, Redcliffe Capital
Jawad Bhatti, Operating Partner, AnaCap
15:30 - 15:50
Networking coffee
Breakout Series 3
15:50 - 16:30
Track 7: Using portfolio talent management to accelerate growth and transformation
Claire Hogg
- Talent mapping, performance tracking, and capability building
- Incentive design aligned with value creation priorities
- Using data and AI to improve talent decisions
Claire Hogg Vice President, General Atlantic
Tahira Raja, Operating Principal – Talent, InvestIndustrial
Ruby Biring, Head of Talent, Livingbridge
15:50 - 16:30
Track 8: Procurement value creation in the age of AI
Christian Schmehl,
Jose de Ochoa,
Fiona Satchell
- Driving savings through strategic sourcing and supplier management
- Leveraging suppliers to support new products and processes
- Ensuring resilient, ethical, and sustainable supply chains
Christian Schmehl, Managing Partner, Hypax
Jose De Ochoa, Operating Partner, Private Equity, Public Investment Fund (PIF)
Fiona Satchell, Senior Managing Director, Three Hills
15:50 - 16:30
Track 9: Commercial due diligence: uncovering playbooks for long-term growth
Marine Diot,
Peter Colman,
Brendon Kortekaas
- Breaking down key steps operating partners must take in DD of commercial operations
- Understanding how commercial diligence is directly linked to post deal value creation, starting from day one
- How to apply generative AI to uncover commercial risks and opportunities
Marine Diot, Associate Director, EQT Group
Peter Colman, Senior Operating Partner – Commercial Excellence, H.I.G. Capital
Brendon Kortekaas, Head of Value Creation, Pictet
Tim van Delden, Managing Partner & Founder, HPE Growth
Plenary
16:30 - 17:10
Panel: Making AI real: Moving from pilots to measurable portfolio impact
Alex Kesseler,
Jamaria Kong,
Camilla Dolan
- Agentic AI in action: The next frontier of portfolio value creation across functions
- Unlocking value during diligence, accelerating VCP execution to drive business outcomes, and derisking delivery
- Scaling agentic AI responsibly with accelerated time-to-impact through governance, data foundations, and operating model shifts across portcos
Alex Kesseler, Partner – Performance Improvement , Antin Infrastructure Partners
Marcel Brinkman, Operating Partner BGIF, GIP, Blackrock
Jamaria Kong, Managing Director, Towerbrook Capital Partners
Camilla Dolan, General Partner, Eka Ventures
Welcome Reception and Dinner
17:30 - 20:30
Networking reception and dinner at Ginger Lily, Pan Pacific
Located within just a short walking distance from our event venue, Ginger Lily will provide a relaxed and exclusive setting to deepen connections made earlier in the day, meet fresh faces, and exchange ideas. Join fellow Operating Partners and select industry leaders for an evening of curated cocktails, inspired small plates, and engaging conversation. This reception & dinner is the perfect capstone to an energizing day.
Agenda
Day 2 - Thursday 21st
07:30 - 09:25
Registration and breakfast
Think Tank Series Day 2
08:00 - 08:40
Heads of value creation: team leaders
Matthias Täubl
Matthias Taubl, Partner, Aurelius
08:00 - 08:40
New and emerging operating partners (1-2 years in PE)
08:00 - 08:40
Advanced operating partners (3+ years in PE)
Breakfast Deep Dive
08:40 - 09:20
Operating partner/deal team dynamics
Grayden Reece-Smith
- Collaboration models and communication practices
- Aligning priorities and decision-making processes
- Optimizing performance through effective team dynamics
Grayden Reece-Smith, Investment Principal, Aurelius Investment Advisory
08:40 - 09:20
Measuring & showcasing OP performance
- Methods for tracking and measuring outcomes
- Effective ways to showcase performance to stakeholders
- Linking performance results to strategic impact
08:40 - 09:20
Navigating extended hold periods: what you need to know
- Using predictive analytics to reduce extended hold periods
- Impact of extended hold periods on your role and how you’ve responded
- Key value-creation levers during extended holds
- How the firm, management teams, and CEO engagement evolve in extended holds and your role in it
- Effect of extended holds on transformation investment and portco strategy
Plenary
09:25 - 09:30
Chairperson’s welcome
09:30 - 10:10
Panel: Optimizing value creation: from due diligence to the first 100 days
Rachel Barton,
Alex Kesseler,
Selim Loukil,
Lorenzo Levi
- Identifying key value creation levers and creating a 100-day actionable roadmap
- Clarifying roles, tightening forecasting, and setting clear performance metrics
- Balancing urgent fixes with structural changes for scalable growth
Moderator: Rachel Barton, Global Private Equity Lead, Accenture
Alex Kesseler, Partner – Performance Improvement , Antin Infrastructure Partners
Selim Loukil, Managing Director, Advent
Lorenzo Levi, Managing Director and Operating Partner, Private Equity, Europe, La Caisse
10:10 - 10:50
Panel: Deal partner views – aligning with operating partners
Deborah Green,
Francesca Giacoppo,
Suzana Perić,
Alexandra Tixier
- Integrating OPs early in diligence and investment hypothesis development
- Cross-functional teaming models and decision-making clarity
- Governance structures that accelerate the deal cycle
Deborah Green, Head of Asset & Transaction Management, UK, Redevco
Francesca Giacoppo, Investment Manager, Kartesia
Suzana Perić, Managing Director, Oaktree Capital Management
Alexandra Tixier, Co-Head Development Finance & Impact Credit, Allianz Global Investors
10:50 - 11:20
Networking coffee break
Breakout Series 4
11:20 - 12:00
Track 10: Unlocking trapped cash across multi-country portfolio companies
- How to quickly prioritise trapped cash across multi-country portfolio companies
- Driving working capital improvements at scale while keeping management aligned
- Integrating a tax workstream into value creation initiatives to optimise the tax shield
11:20 - 12:00
Track 11: Cybersecurity and digital resilience in a higher-risk environment
Riccardo Basile,
Victoria Brown
- What every portco must do to avoid catastrophic breaches
- Balancing security investments with insurance realities
- How operating teams build a portfolio-wide security posture
Riccardo Basile, Operating Partner, Permira
Victoria Brown, Partner, General Counsel, AnaCap
11:20 - 12:00
Track 12: Upgrading management teams and closing capability gaps
Keith Beattie,
Adriana Oller
- Assessing leadership quality in the first 100 days
- When to coach and when to replace
- Structuring leadership development for value creation
Keith Beattie, Operating Partner, Astorg
Tim Cochrane, Partner, Head of FPP, Montagu
Adriana Oller, Partner & Founder, Resilience Partners
Breakout Series 5
12:00 - 12:40
Track 13: Bridging GTM and finance for operational alignment
Christian Schmehl
- Aligning sales and marketing with finance for better operational decisions
- Improving forecasting and resource allocation through cross-functional collaboration
- Enhancing performance tracking to drive revenue and profitability insights
Mikael Castelluccio, Portfolio Director, Charterhouse
Christian Schmehl, Managing Partner, Hypax
Jawad Bhatti, Operating Partner, AnaCap
12:00 - 12:40
Track 14: Driving practical AI impact in HR and talent across the portfolio
Claire Hogg,
Cilian Jansen Verplanke,
Lisa Telford
- Where does AI deliver real value in recruiting, workforce planning and performance?
- How portfolio companies use AI to improve hiring quality, speed, engagement, and retention
- Enabling HR AI adoption with simple tools, clear ownership, and lightweight governance
Claire Hogg Vice President, General Atlantic
Cilian Jansen Verplanke, Partner, Head of Investor Relations, Karmijn Capital
Lisa Telford, Partner, Montagu
Sean Clay, Operating Partner, Triton Partners
12:00 - 12:40
Track 15: Advanced pricing strategies in European markets
Ada Pham,
Nick Day,
Jean-François Willame
- Localisation vs standardisation of pricing strategies
- Cultural buying dynamics across EU markets
- Lessons from mid-market vs mega-cap pricing execution
Ada Pham, Assistant Director, Inflexion
Nick Day, Operating Partner – European Private Equity, Investcorp
Jean-Francois Willame, Operating Partner, Patrizia Infrastructure
12:40 - 13:30
Lunch Deep Dive session (invitation-only): The operating partner’s role in achieving exit readiness
- Building operational maturity and governance early
- Exit expectations in today’s market
- What “exit-ready” looks like in practice
Guillaume de Montchalin, Partner – Elevate, Portfolio Performance, Eurazeo
12:40 - 13:30
Lunch Deep Dive session (invitation-only): Operating partner – CFO alignment
- Strengthening collaboration between operating partners and CFOs for strategic impact
- Aligning financial planning with operational execution to drive growth
- Enhancing decision-making through shared insights and performance metrics
12:40 - 13:30
Networking lunch break
Breakout Series 6
13:30 - 14:10
Track 16: Unlocking AI-adept leadership talent for the portfolio
Ilinca Rosetti,
Phil Carrivick,
Jean-François Willame
- Skills, mindsets, and behaviours required to lead AI-enabled organizations
- Identifying, developing, and attracting AI-ready leadership across the portfolio
- How AI-savvy leaders drive adoption, governance, and measurable value
Ilinca Rosetti, Operating Partner, JC Flowers & Co
Phil Carrivick, Independent Operating Partner, CVC
Jean-Francois Willame, Operating Partner, Patrizia Infrastructure
13:30 - 14:10
Track 17: Operating Partner-CEO dynamics: alignment and VCP execution
Stewart Higginson,
Ramon de la Sota
- Defining roles and collaboration: Best practices for aligning operating partners and CEOs
- Leadership, strategy, and execution in PE-backed companies
- How operating partners support VCP execution and overcome challenges
Marko Maschek, Partner & Co-Founder, Marondo
Stewart Higginson, Operating Partner, Njord Partners
Ramon de la Sota, Founder and Operating Partner, Parlementia Capital Partners
14:10 - 14:50
LP panel: What LPs really look for in value creation capabilities
Ralph Friedwagner,
Rachel Farrell
- How LPs assess value creation capabilities during fund diligence
- What LPs expect to see in operating partner infrastructure and governance
- How value creation track records influence re-ups and fund sizing
Ralph Friedwagner, Operating Partner, CDPQ
Courtenay Durbridge, Portfolio Manager, PPF
Rachel Farrell, Director of Public and Private Markets, Nest
Sophie Gilbert, Director, Allianz Global Investors
14:50 - 16:00
Closing reception
Cultivate your operating partner community
Cultivate a professional community that extends beyond the Forum in operating partner exclusive networking events.
Connect with the brightest leaders in cross-functional value creation to exchange ideas, solve challenges, and benchmark strategies to improve your day-to-day operations.
Operating Partners Forum Europe Welcome Reception and Dinner
Wednesday, 20 May, 2026
5:30 – 9:00 pm
Venue: Ginger Lily
Located within just a short walking distance from our event venue, Ginger Lily will provide a relaxed and exclusive setting to deepen connections made earlier in the day, meet fresh faces, and exchange ideas. Join fellow Operating Partners and select industry leaders for an evening of curated cocktails, inspired small plates, and engaging conversation. This reception and dinner is the perfect capstone to an energizing day.
Operating Partners Forum Europe Day 2 Networking Reception
Thursday, 21 May, 2026
15:00 – 16:00
After two days of insight-packed sessions and high-level discussions, join us for a networking reception. This is your opportunity to relax, recharge, and reconnect with peers, speakers, and industry leaders in a more informal setting. Enjoy curated cocktails, light bites, and engaging conversation as you continue the dialogue and forge valuable new relationships. Whether you’re deepening connections made earlier in the day or meeting fresh faces, this reception is the perfect capstone to an energizing day at the conference.
Deep Dive Breakfasts (operating partners only)
Wednesday, 20 May, 2026
8:40 – 9:20
These discussions will focus on specific strategies in value creation and allow you to share your views and learn key insights from peers.
Value Creation Lunch Discussions (invitation-only)
Wednesday, 20 May, 2026 / Thursday, 21 May, 2026
13:10 – 14:00 / 12:40 – 13:20
These closed-door lunch discussions will explore key challenges and opportunities across PE value creation.
Sessions designed for collaboration
Think Tanks
Put your heads together with other operating partners to examine niche areas of value creation. With crowd-sourced discussion topics, these peer-led sessions will provide personalized takeaways.
Pre-Event Resources
Connect with the largest European community of expert operating partners
PEI’s Operating Partners Forums are a unique blend of networking, collaboration and thought leadership between private equity operating partners, portfolio operations teams and sponsors. Each venue is custom designed to encourage conversation about value creation best practices, relationship building and knowledge sharing across functional areas on the most pressing issues facing their investment and portfolio companies. Access to the Forum is limited to operating partners/value creation experts from private equity firms and sponsoring firms.
For more information on ways to engage with PEI’s Operating Partners community, please contact Lawrence Dvorchik at lawrence.d@pei.group or call on +1 (646) 545-4429
