Private Equity
International
International
Operating Partners Forum Virtual Experience 2020
14 - 16 October 2020,
Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) - Available Anywhere
The largest global event for private equity value creators
Now in its tenth year, Private Equity International’s Operating Partners Forum: Virtual Experience is the world’s largest event dedicated to industry professionals focused on best practices in private equity portfolio operations and value creation.
The operating partner community will come together at a crucial time in history to discuss and debate plans and actions in dealing with this year’s downturn and reset strategies for growth post-crisis. Join the largest community of operating partners to discuss key initiatives and ideas at a critical time for portfolio valuations in impacting fund returns.
Extensive opportunities to network, compare best practices, build new relationships and influence the future of the field make this an event not to be missed.
Explore all the benefits of a virtual pass
Watch our guided video for a preview of what you can expect at this year’s virtual conference.
Features include:
» Watch anytime, anywhere
» Schedule 1-to-1 or private group meetings
» On-Demand access for 12 months
» Live Q&A, polling and surveys
» And so much more!
Agenda at a glance
Our 2020 agenda is being carefully curated to feature the most prominent functional areas in value creation for your portfolio companies. Click the headings below for a snapshot of some of the top features you’ll find in the agenda:
Value Creation
- 5 invitation-only think tank selections for operating partners: 1) advanced/seasoned operating partners, 2) emerging operating partners, 3) human capital operating partners, 4) digital operating partners, 5) finance operating partners
- How operating teams work best with investment teams
- Operating partner models post COVID-19: how will your team adapt to the changes in the environment?
- Assessing risks and actions portfolio companies have taken in response to the coronavirus crisis
- Interactive discussions to select in key value creation areas: Digitalization, Human capital, Salesforce effectiveness, Supply chain & procurement, Finance, Data analytics, Digital marketing & e-commerce, Cost improvement
- How operating partners and PE firms are working with their portfolio companies in the midst of this year’s crisis
- How to drive value creation initiatives in the aftermath of the downturn
- CEO perspectives in looking at turnarounds, distressed situations, and driving transformations
Technology
- Digital transformations in the time of COVID-19: how things will change and what does the future hold
- AI and robotic automation for value creation
- Dissecting cost structures and customer interaction via technology to get revenues back to where they were
- Advanced data science to govern the business throughout the investment life-cycle
- Cybersecurity and resiliency
- Transforming your business with cloud economics
Human Capital
- Operating Partners Human Capital Forum: A half day dedicated to human capital portfolio operations best practices
- Big data & workforce analytics: looking at the future of human capital
- What will the future role of the human capital operating partner look like?
- Utilizing technology & best resources for talent acquisition
- Integrating culture for success
- Transitioning to a virtual workforce
- Human capital best practices adopted during this year’s crisis
Supply Chain & Procurement
- Navigating supply chain disruptions and post-COVID best practices
- Impact of technologies and today’s fast paced e-commerce on your supply chain
- Supply chain cost optimization: individual company vs. cross-portfolio programs
- Procurement transformations in the first 100 days
Finance
- How software and AI are changing the future of finance
- How can PE best support portco CFOs?
- Transforming finance from a cost-center into a value-creation engine
- CFO reporting and resourcing best practices
Advance ends Friday, August 28 – book now to save $200:
450+
attendees
200+
companies
160+
speakers
3
full days of content
Do you have the right value creation resources in place to make the case when investors come calling?
Create the most operationally efficient portfolio companies
Hear first-hand perspectives on how to further develop your operational efficiencies by looking at successful models.
Network with 450+ top value creators
Meet with the largest community of operational experts in one place over 3 days.
Learn key strategies for cross-portfolio initiatives
Find the right tools and knowledge to create value.
2020 Speakers include:
A sample of who you could meet:
Past Attendee Testimonials
The Operating Partners Forum is a fantastic 2 days where thought leaders share best practices and key learnings in a collaborative and transparent fashion. I al…
I find this conference the best way to network with my peers in the operating partner community. The quality of attendees and dialog is outstanding and always h…
For a new Operating Partner in PE the conference was an invaluable accelerator in my learning process of the key challenges and opportunities in the space.
The Operating Partners Forum is a fantastic 2 days where thought leaders share best practices and key learnings in a collaborative and transparent fashion. I always come away from the event with new Ideas that I can put into action to deliver value back to my firm.
I find this conference the best way to network with my peers in the operating partner community. The quality of attendees and dialog is outstanding and always helps me do my job better.
This event includes the Operating Partners Human Capital Forum
The Operating Partners Human Capital Forum on October 14th brings together an elite crowd of top human capital value creators and operating partner specialists to help drive human capital as a key value creation lever.
For speaking opportunities, contact Marc Mele at marc.m@peimedia.com or call +1 646 581 9295.
*Please Note: All session times listed are Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)
View agenda page
Agenda
Day 1 - Wednesday 14th
Invitation-only think tank
09:30 - 10:25
Human capital operating partners think tank (invitation-only)
Invitation-only think tank for full-time PE and VC operating partners and talent partners. This closed-door virtual room will allow you to learn and share best practices in human capital, talent management and recruiting operations. It will uncover this year’s new challenges in human capital. The think tank will allow you to submit topics to be introduced by the facilitators and discussed in the room.
Room 1
Room 2
Operating Partners Human Capital Forum: Plenary sessions
10:25 - 10:30
PEI’s welcome and opening remarks
10:30 - 11:10
Talent recruitment best practices in the post COVID-19 world and beyond
- Recruiting talent during and after COVID-19: how companies will recruit talent differently from different parts of the world
- Transitioning to virtual workforce recruitment: utilizing the hottest technology & state of the art resources for talent acquisition, assessment & development
- How AI and big data can help you win the talent war
- Profit through people: what recruiting processes are generating returns
- What is the biggest hinderance to recruiting top tier talent in your portfolio companies nowadays?
- Evaluating and selecting search firms
- What levels in the organization does your PE firm get involved in talent and leadership selection?
11:10 - 11:50
A spotlight on culture — critical steps for PE firms and their portcos to successfully execute strategy
- Getting smart about cultural assessments: using today’s tools during the due diligence and post deal periods
- Grasping the complex interplay between leadership, talent, corporate culture, and investment strategy
- What beliefs, values, and behaviors should senior leaders embody to transform cultures
- Assessing leaders’ speed and ability in executing strategy defined by the PE sponsor
- Understanding which elements of a company’s culture should be sustained and which must change to support the investment thesis
- Understanding forces and trends that are transforming businesses in a digital and virtual world
Functional breakouts I
11:50 - 12:20
Track 1: Transitioning to a virtual workforce: leveraging unified communications
- What is unified communications and why it is important
- The future of work: understanding how to take an onsite workforce and put them in ideal conditions to work remotely via virtual platforms
- How portfolio company executives are working/communicating in the current environment and what works best
- Operating partner stories: how to help manage your portfolio via cloud communications
- Cloud communications in a global, mobile workplace: integration with core cloud business systems
- How can your PE firm and portfolio companies best leverage these technologies to improve communications and operations while also cutting costs?
11:50 - 12:20
Track 2: Workforce analytics: uncovering initiatives in people data science
- Key perspectives in understanding the role of data in a post pandemic world
- Utilizing workforce analytics to quantify performance improvement across the portfolio: what tools have you used to effectively analyse team dynamics and make comparisons of management capability across your assets
- Innovations in “people data science” to uncover hidden patterns in data to make you reconsider how you pay, retain, incentivize, and engage your employees
- People assessment best practices during the due diligence phase
- Leadership assessments: getting leadership right and understanding governance as a key value creation lever
Functional breakouts II
12:20 - 12:50
Track 3: Tackling diversity and inclusion at your portfolio companies
- What is holding PE back from achieving diversity?
- What are you doing at your companies to tackle diversity and open dialogue? What specific initiatives/programs have you taken that were successful?
- How are companies leveraging data to augment their efforts with portfolio companies?
- KPIs for diversity: measuring effectiveness
- Diversity and leadership: what can be done better? How are you thinking about diversity of boards?
12:20 - 12:50
Track 4: Exploring talent growth opportunities within carve-out deals internationally
- Uncovering the top challenges associated with carve-outs in onboarding and keeping talent on an international scale
- Looking at roadblocks when onboarding new employees in countries where their company does not have an established entity and isn’t registered to run payroll
- How to cut down complexity and notorious lag time while staying compliant
Operating Partners Human Capital Forum: Plenary session
12:50 - 13:20
How to recruit brilliant CFOs, and unleash the OP–CFO–CEO partnership
- What makes an ideal private equity CFO?
- What does the CFO role in portfolio companies look like today?
- How to identify and attract in-demand CFOs
- How can PE best support portco CFOs?
- How to partner with CFOs effectively; CFO-CEO-OP partnerships
Invitation-only women’s lunch
12:50 - 13:50
Women in PE & VC portfolio operations lunch (invitation-only)
- What are the issues causing a disparity in genders?
- Exploring career paths, development, and how to position yourself as female leaders
- Is your firm focused on women’s leadership at portfolio companies?
- Does your company have any specific programs, leadership coaching and assessments geared towards promoting women’s leadership?
- Are there any changes in recruiting that will create a more equal playing field?
- Looking at trends and stats in gender in PE & VC
Sponsored by:
Virtual networking
13:20 - 13:50
Virtual networking lunch
Please use this time as an opportunity to connect with conference attendees and sponsors via the video chat function one-on-one or as a small group
Operating Partners Forum: Plenary sessions
13:50 - 14:30
The unique challenges of managing revenue growth during the COVID-19 era
- Understanding shifts in customer demand caused by COVID-19
- Focusing on customers that will be “winners” since they are most likely to drive volume growth
- Managing and supporting virtual sales organizations
- Rethinking the structure and economics of your go-to-market model
- Retaining and attracting the best talent
- Dissecting the economics and ROI of selling
- Operating partner and CEO lessons learned in different industries
14:30 - 15:00
Due diligence done right: uncovering opportunities in a challenging year
- New challenges: assessing management teams/opportunities without face to face
- Understanding where the opportunities lie in looking at distressed investments and the future of economic growth
- How are operating teams working effectively with investment teams?
- Cost savings identification practices in due diligence
- Understanding what to expect for valuations and the unique advantages to go after
- Coming out of the crisis, how do you think PE’s behavior will change across strategy/deal making, portfolio diversification, extent of due diligence?
Functional breakouts III
15:00 - 15:30
Track 5: Navigating the supply chain in today’s waters
- Sharing supply chain disruption stories and post-COVID best practices
- How will the global supply chains of your portfolio companies change? What are the business implications?
- Supply chain cost optimization: individual company vs. cross-portfolio programs
- What has been the main focus of your companies’ supply chain programs? How have your companies used supply chain cost savings to drive growth?
- Leveraging technology & data to enhance your global supply chain process in today’s fast paced e-commerce world
- Strategic sourcing strategies to be most effective in your sector
15:00 - 15:30
Track 6: Optimizing private equity carve-outs: key steps to achieve full potential
Carve-out transactions can be very rewarding for private equity firms, but they require special skillsets and key steps to execute efficiently in minimizing risk. The panel will discuss key practices and pitfalls to avoid when doing carveouts:
- Negotiating and structuring faster transitional services agreements (TSA)
- Determining the back-office requirements for the business: hiring key IT and finance back office services
- Performing a gap analysis of what is included/excluded from the transaction
- Developing 100-day plans outlining detailed steps to execute the transaction
- Leveraging internal resources and third-party advisors for smooth and profitable execution
- Finalizing the stabilization of the business to operate as a standalone and generate returns
Operating Partners Forum: Plenary session
15:30 - 16:10
Top trends that will shape private equity in the coming years
- Identifying and discussing the emerging trends and disruptive factors that will have the largest impact on private equity in the coming years
- Estimating when these changes may really begin to take effect and the severity of their impact across various industries
- Providing guidance on how private equity companies can adapt to these imminent changes and utilize unconventional strategies to stay ahead
Deep dive invitation-only discussion
15:30 - 16:10
Birds of a feather deep dive discussion: Pricing strategy (invitation-only)
Hosted by:
Virtual networking
16:10 - 17:10
Virtual networking reception
Please use this time as an opportunity to connect with conference attendees and sponsors via the video chat function one-on-one or as a small group
Agenda
Day 2 - Thursday 15th
Invitation-only think tanks
10:00 - 11:00
Think tanks for full-time operating partners: value creation war room (invitation-only)
This closed-door virtual room will allow you to learn and share best practices of successful operating partners. The think tank will allow you to submit topics to be covered in looking at best value creation practices and the toughest challenges operating partners face daily. It will allow you to select one of the rooms based on how long you have been a PE/VC operating partner:
Room 1: Advanced/Seasoned Operating Partners
Room 2: Emerging Operating Partners
Operating Partners Forum: Plenary sessions
11:00 - 11:40
Navigating the crisis and its long-term effects: how PE operating groups are taking on the challenge
- How are PE firms helping their portfolio companies? How operating partners/PE firms are working with their portfolio companies in the midst of this year’s crisis
- Crisis response strategies — tackling the challenge: global recession, severe liquidity impact, vendor management, and effects on workforce and customers
- What is essential? What is non-essential? What cash levels are needed to run the business?
- New strategies for cost reduction in a post covid-19 world to bolster cash positions
- Understanding how to position your companies for growth taking advantage of the current environment
- What key factors across your portfolio have lessened the damage caused by COVID 19? Has government support been an eligible resource?
- How long do future growth plans need to be put on hold? How can you leverage speed to more effectively make-up for lost time?
- Driving value creation initiatives in the aftermath of the downturn: blueprints/playbooks for downturns and the years following it: comparing this year to 2008
- What sectors will be the winners and losers over the next five years? What is the impact to investments in different industries? How should long-term owners position themselves?
11:40 - 12:20
The future of value creation and the operating partner model
- Analyzing the operating partner model post-COVID: how will the value creation recipe change? Will the operating partner role in PE grow in numbers/importance? Will operating partners with distressed/turnaround experience become more relevant?
- With the re-set of the current market’s growth curve, how do you generate more benefit from operational capability going forward? Does the focus shift while the market recovers?
- Discussing firms’ different approaches in looking at the movement from generalist to specialists and the growing relevance of technology, digital marketing and ecommerce
- How will the operating partner role evolve as more opportunities exist on both diligence and value creation with regard to turnaround/distressed business
- Looking at where growth is to be achieved and how we better link operational capability and growth
12:20 - 12:50
What makes an effective portfolio company CEO?
- CEOs: what to look for, how much control is given to them, what are the qualities and characteristics needed from them
- Elevating successful CEOs and their management teams who lead businesses
- How are CEOs dealing with this year’s crisis? What will be needed from CEOs in the aftermath of COVID 19 and the years to come?
- Leading organizations and people through significant change
- Operating partner-CEO alignment best practices
Deep dive invitation-only discussion
12:20 - 13:00
Birds of a feather deep dive discussion: Climbing back up the revenue ladder — structuring a more effective revenue recovery plan (invitation-only)
Hosted by:
Virtual networking
12:50 - 13:30
Virtual networking lunch
Please use this time as an opportunity to connect with conference attendees and sponsors via the video chat function one-on-one or as a small group
Functional breakouts IV
13:30 - 14:00
Track 7: Developing a successful ecommerce and digital marketing strategy in an increasingly digital world
- Focusing on digital sales transformations and profit driven digital marketing channels to drive topline growth and scale your business
- Data-driven digital marketing strategies to maximize brand growth
- Key insights in demand generation, voice of customer, messaging, and content creation
- Understanding your digital marketing effectiveness in looking at the consumer and customer interaction via technology
- Pivoting your strategy with ecommerce: shifting product lines, achieving direct profitability across digital channels
- Driving value through digital B2B and B2C
13:30 - 14:00
Track 8: Key success factors in turnarounds to go from distressed to transformation
- Understanding warning signs and weaknesses early on to develop your strategy
- Sharing successful turnaround war stories: dos and don’ts in troubled situations
- How can operating partners work with management teams to enact an effective turnaround plan?
- Focusing on a viable business with growth potential and the workforce of the future
- Utilizing data-driven analysis in your turnaround strategy
- CEO perspectives in looking at turnarounds, distressed situations, and driving transformations
Functional breakouts V
14:00 - 14:30
Track 9: Advanced data science and analytics: turning data into revenue & EBITDA
- Portfolio management new tools: best methodologies for portfolio company reporting
- How do you help a company become more data-oriented?
- Using predictive analytics, data integration, and supplemental data lakes to augment decision making
- Applying growth KPIs and ongoing metrics in different stages
- What has been the biggest challenge in collecting the “right” data? How are you dealing with it?
- How is the data team set up and how closely does it work with the management team and investment team?
- Monetizing data: how best to impact the performance management & operational improvement processes
14:00 - 14:30
Track 10: Portfolio company case study
Functional breakouts VI
14:30 - 15:00
Track 11: Customer experience
14:30 - 15:00
Track 12: Portfolio company case study
Functional breakouts VII
15:00 - 15:30
Track 13: Procurement transformations in the first 100 days
15:00 - 15:30
Track 14: Uncovering hidden value of digital: developing a more rigorous value creation hypothesis in due diligence
Operating Partners Forum: Plenary session
15:30 - 16:10
Moving businesses from transactional to recurring models
COVID-19 is accelerating recurring models as the multiples on businesses with recurring revenue are becoming more attractive to private equity. Here we will uncover:
- Best practices in moving businesses from transactional to recurring models
- Keeping your recurring revenue stream: understanding what your future product will look like and how to price it
- Building recurring relationships: key strategies for pricing, getting the sales organization involved, utilizing software, cross-selling and up-selling
Deep dive invitation-only discussion
15:30 - 16:10
Birds of a feather deep dive discussion for operating partners (invitation-only)
Hosted by:
Virtual networking
16:10 - 17:10
Virtual networking reception
Please use this time as an opportunity to connect with conference attendees and sponsors via the video chat function one-on-one or as a small group
Agenda
Day 3 - Friday 16th
Invitation-only think tanks
10:00 - 11:00
Think tanks for full-time operating partners: value creation war room (invitation-only)
This closed-door virtual room will allow you to learn and share best practices of successful operating partners. The think tank will allow you to submit topics to be introduced by the facilitators and discussed in the room. It will allow you to select one of the two rooms:
Room 1 Digital & Technology Operating Partners
Room 2 Finance Operating Partners
Operating partners portfolio operations breakfast
10:00 - 11:00
Operating partners portfolio operations breakfast (invitation-only)
Hosted by:
Functional breakouts VIII
11:00 - 11:40
Track 15: Leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning for value creation
- Highlights of value creation journeys leveraging analytics and AI/ML to drive business outcomes
- Best practices for identifying opportunities inside the private equity portfolio to leverage AI/ML
- Examining opportunities to adopt AI/ML to support value creation
11:00 - 11:40
Track 16: How to build value through finance
- Outsourced finance as a service (FaaS) vs. in-house model
- Compressing time to value when upgrading ERP systems and common mistakes
- Playbook approach to value creation in finance vs. more flexible/collaborative approaches
Functional breakouts IX
11:40 - 12:20
Track 17: Accelerating digital transformations to drive investment value
- Digital transformations in the time of COVID-19: how transformations have accelerated and what does the future hold
- Digital transformation: what to do in the first 60-100 days
- Digital workplace transformation and product transformation stories in the time of corona
- Leveraging intelligent automation to optimize process efficiency and improve operating margins
- Building new digital and technology solutions to drive out costs, improve performance and drive EBITDA growth
- How can PE firms utilize innovative technologies that return near-term, sustainable investment value without getting stuck in a never-ending cycle of transformation projects?
11:40 - 12:20
Track 18: Case Study — EBITDA growth through healthcare cost reduction
- Can your portcos improve employee engagement while simultaneously eliminating wasted spend?
- How can your HR/CFO execs break the cycle of medical spend creep?
- Can portcos change the model of health insurance to improve outcomes, employee satisfaction and drive EBITDA?
Functional breakouts X
12:20 - 13:00
Track 19:
12:20 - 13:00
Track 20:
Operating Partners Forum: Plenary session
13:00 - 13:30
LP views of operating partners and portfolio value creation initiatives
- How LPs view and value GPs using operating partners at a critical time
- Looking at the current and future landscape of fundraising and how it will affect operating partners
- How do LPs diligence operating partners and value creation?
- LP views and demands in looking at differences in operating partners models and how they are applied
- Are LP views of operating partners/value creation influencing how PE utilizes operating partners?
- What could the industry do better according to LPs: what do LPs expect to see in future
Virtual networking
13:30 - 14:30
End of conference & virtual networking lunch
Please use this time as an opportunity to connect with conference attendees and sponsors via the video chat function one-on-one or as a small group
Speakers
Ted Bililies
Managing Director and Chief Talent Officer, AlixPartners
• Internationally recognized expert on leadership and organization development • Founded AlixPartners’ transformative leadership practice in 2014, advising global CEOs, their boards, and private equity investors • Serving nearly three decades as a bu… Read full bio
Kelly Carlson
Managing Director, Head of Talent, STG Partners
Kelly Carlson is Managing Director, Head of Talent with STG, where she is leading the firm’s talent efforts, working across the portfolio to attract CEOs and executive leadership teams to drive results. Kelly’s mandate includes the curation of a CEO… Read full bio
Jim Corey
Managing Partner, Blue Ridge Partners
Jim is co-founder of Blue Ridge Partners and serves as the firm’s managing partner. For 35 years he has assisted companies in North America, Europe and Asia accelerate profitable revenue growth. Jim has advised over 250 companies on revenue-related i… Read full bio
Melissa Dickerson
Chief Financial Officer and Managing Director, Operations, Genstar Capital
Melissa Dickerson is the Chief Financial Officer and Managing Director, Operations of Genstar Capital, responsible for finance & accounting, regulatory compliance, risk management, technology and administration. She joined Genstar in 2004. During… Read full bio
Todd Goffman
General Counsel, Globalization Partners
Todd Goffman joined Globalization Partners in January 2020. He has more than 24 years of legal experience, including nearly 20 years as General Counsel of innovative, growth private and public companies, in addition to expertise in human resources, f… Read full bio
Melissa Mounce
Managing Director, Leadership Talent, GTCR
Melissa joined GTCR in 2019 as a Managing Director—Leadership Talent and manages the identification and recruitment of Leaders StrategyTM CEOs and management teams. Prior to joining GTCR, Melissa was the Principal of Human Capital at Baird Capital. S… Read full bio
Allie Nava
Advisor, Amazon AWS Private Equity
Allie is a senior strategic business development leader with Amazon AWS Private Equity, working with investors and their portfolio companies on portfolio value creation, digital modernization, and innovation leveraging AWS and Amazon. Prior to joinin… Read full bio
Dayton Ogden
Head of Talent and Recruiting, Summit Partners
Dayton works with Summit’s portfolio companies and investment teams to identify and recruit high-impact senior executives and board members. Prior to Summit, Dayton ran the CTPartners practice serving venture capital and growth equity clients and the… Read full bio
Andy Pickens
Principal, Apollo Portfolio Performance Solutions, Apollo Global Management
Coming soon..
Mark Sotir
President, Equity Group Investments
As President, Mark oversees all aspects of EGI. He focuses on maximizing and sustaining the value of the firm’s investment portfolio, and on optimizing Sam’s network. With nearly 20 years of board and CEO experience, Mark employs his leadership insid… Read full bio
Sugath Warnakulasuriya
Managing Director, Thalamus Labs
Sugath is a highly-regarded, hands-on strategist and business builder focused on digitally-enabled value creation for industrial and services companies. He is a former McKinsey & Co consultant and Entrepreneur with a 25+ track record of identifyi… Read full bio
Andrew Wilson
Vice President, Private Equity and M&A, Global Upside
Andrew has extensive experience in mergers, acquisitions, and spin-offs. He spent 10 years with PwC, working primarily in their M&A practice for the consumer goods, heavy engineering, and steel making industries. He worked on the client-side as a… Read full bio
Partner with the Forum
The Operating Partners Forum 2020 will offer a unique opportunity for organizations to raise their profile by meeting with the largest gathering of private equity value creators across two days of sessions.
For exclusive sponsorship packages for 2020, contact Lawrence Dvorchik at lawrence.d@peimedia.com or call +1 646 545 4429.
See below for the 2020 sponsors confirmed so far:
PLATINUM
LEAD
SPONSORS
SUPPORTING ASSOCIATIONS
MEDIA PARTNERS
HOST PUBLICATION
Location
Convene
117 W 46th St,
New York, NY 10036
Hotel accommodations will be available through the Kimpton: Muse Hotel, 130 W. 46th Street, New York, New York 10036 at a special conference rate. Rooms are available on first-come-first-serve basis. Last day to book at the special rate ends on September 11, 2020.
Pre-Event Resources
Value creation in 5 charts
No one said that creating lasting value was easy – especially in a struggling company. PEI’s Operating Partner Forums discuss all aspects of value creation, from harnessing technology to leveraging human capital to boost operations. More than 200 operating partners attended the New York edition in October 2019, sharing their views on key aspects of value creation as highlighted in our most recent poll below.
Forum Highlights
- Interactive roundtables focused on key value creation areas: digitalization & technology, human capital, leadership, sales & go-to-market strategy, pricing, cost reduction, procurement and more
- The Operating Partners Human Capital Forum: A half day dedicated to operating partner specialists in human capital
- Women in private equity portfolio operations breakfast
- Operating partner-CEO alignment and how to get leadership right
- CEO perspectives in looking at accelerating growth and driving transformations
- How to deal with turnarounds and distressed situations
- How to drive top line value creation initiatives and engage with portfolio companies
2019 Agenda
Topics discussed over the 2 day forum last year included…
- What makes a great operating partner?
- Best practices for talent acquisition and development
- Operating partner perspectives and insights on digital transformation and its impact
- Cybersecurity and resiliency: what to do if it happens to your business?
Our Expert Keynotes
Mark Sotir
President
Equity Group Investments
Paul Carbone
President and Managing Partner
Pritzker Private Capital
Leading private equity value creators attended, including:
What Our Attendees Had to Say
Kelly Carlson,
STG Partner
The Operating Partners Forum is a fantastic 2 days where thought leaders share best practices and key learnings in a collaborative and transparent fashion. I al…
Geoffrey Baird
LLR Partners
I find this conference the best way to network with my peers in the operating partner community. The quality of attendees and dialog is outstanding and always h…
For a new Operating Partner in PE the conference was an invaluable accelerator in my learning process of the key challenges and opportunities in the space.
Kelly Carlson,
STG Partner
The Operating Partners Forum is a fantastic 2 days where thought leaders share best practices and key learnings in a collaborative and transparent fashion. I always come away from the event with new Ideas that I can put into action to deliver value back to my firm.
Geoffrey Baird
LLR Partners
I find this conference the best way to network with my peers in the operating partner community. The quality of attendees and dialog is outstanding and always helps me do my job better.
Cory Eaves
Operating Partner
General Atlantic
Jim Howland
Managing Director and Head of Portfolio Operations
Morgan Stanley Capital Partners
Georgette Kiser
Operating Executive
The Carlyle Group
Michael Kohlsdorf
President
Francisco Partners Consulting
Michael Song
Managing Director, Portfolio Operations
Providence Equity
Steven Siwinski
Operating Partner
High Road Capital Partners
‘Record demand’ for operating partners: Survey
As GPs seek to boost portfolio company value, they are under pressure to reduce costs and increase efficiencies as operational issues become increasingly complex and LPs push for lower fees.
Operating partner roles are the fastest-growing positions in private equity this year, driven by a sharper focus on deploying capital raised in 2016 and 2017. Executive search firm Heidrick & Struggles is experiencing “record demand” for operating partners among private equity firms, according to its 2019 North American Private Equity Operating Professional Compensation Survey, which received responses from 217 private equity operating professionals.
Head of talent, chief financial officer for portfolio operations, and generalist operating partner roles were the top operating professional searches. Increasingly complex operational issues in portfolio companies coupled with LPs insisting on lower fees puts pressure on GPs to reduce costs and increase operational efficiencies.
Two evolutions have taken place in recent years, Jonathan Goldstein, regional managing partner, Americas for Heidrick & Struggles’ private equity practice and the report’s co-author, told Private Equity International. Private equity firms are hiring operating partners earlier in their careers, contrary to the previous trend of hiring semi-retired or retired professionals. What’s more, operating partners have proven their worth, driving private equity firms to build out their operating professionals’ ranks and add mid-level and junior operating professionals as well.
Base-level salaries and bonuses for operating roles more than doubled from 2016. Successful operating partners had a mix of consulting and operations experience and previous private equity exposure, according to the report.
Almost 87 percent of operations professionals had no prior relationship with the manager or with its portfolio companies, showing that “private equity firms were expanding their search beyond their network pools to seek talent”, Goldstein told PEI.
Compensation details
Base-level salaries and bonuses for operating professionals did not change significantly from 2017 to 2018; 68 percent of respondents received base-level salary increases of $50,000 or less in 2018. Likewise, 48 percent of respondents reported a higher bonus in 2018 than 2017.
“Change in compensation is not indicative of one thing or the other,” Goldstein said. “Bonuses are driven by increases in AUM, where the fund might be in its lifecycle and the individual’s own progression at the firm.”
Operating partners are eligible for carried interest, usually calculated on a whole-fund basis. Most respondents did not get warrants or options in the portfolio companies they oversaw. Only 43 percent of senior/executive advisors and 29 percent of general partners received warrants or options, and the average warrant participation for these two groups was $2.4 million and $2.6 million, respectively.
Most respondents were not eligible for direct equity participation except at the firm and general partner level. Almost all respondents said they had co-investment rights, according to the report.
Almost 41 percent of respondents said their cash compensation was funded by fund management fees, while 15 percent said their firms used only portfolio company oversight fees and 12 percent said their firms used time billed directly to portfolio companies. The remaining third of respondents said their firms used a mix of two or more funding methods.
Poll: the Operating Partner role in driving value creation
No one said that creating lasting value was easy – especially in a struggling company. PEI’s Operating Partner Forums discuss all aspects of value creation, from harnessing technology to leveraging human capital to boost operations. More than 200 operating partners attended the New York edition in October 2019, sharing their views on key aspects of value creation as highlighted in our most recent poll below.
Our 2020 agenda is being carefully curated to feature the hottest topics in the industry today from digitization and AI to supply chain disruptions and procurement transformations. Click the headings below for a snapshot of some of the top features you’ll find on the agenda:
Value Creation
- 4 invitation-only think tanks exclusively for operating partners: 1) advanced/seasoned operating partners, 2) emerging operating partners, 3) human capital operating partners, 4) digital operating partners
- How operating teams work best with investment teams
- Operating partner models post COVID-19: how will your team adapt to the changes in the environment?
- Assessing risks and actions portfolio companies have taken in response to the coronavirus crisis
- Interactive value creation roundtables to select in key value creation areas: Digitalization, Human capital, Salesforce effectiveness, Supply chain & procurement, Finance, Data analytics, Digital marketing & e-commerce, Cost improvement
- How operating partners and PE firms are working with their portfolio companies in the midst of this year’s crisis
- How to drive value creation initiatives in the aftermath of the downturn
- CEO perspectives in looking at turnarounds, distressed situations, and driving transformations
Technology
- Digital transformations in the time of COVID-19: how things will change and what does the future hold
- AI and robotic automation for value creation
- Dissecting cost structures and customer interaction via technology to get revenues back to where they were
- Advanced data science to govern the business throughout the investment life-cycle
- Cybersecurity and resiliency
- Transforming your business with cloud economics
Human Capital
- A full day dedicated to best practices in human capital portfolio operations
- Finding brilliant digital/technology talent
- Big data & workforce analytics: looking at the future of human capital
- What will the future role of the human capital operating partner look like?
- Utilizing technology & best resources for talent acquisition
- Integrating culture for success
- Transitioning to a virtual workforce
- Human capital best practices adopted during this year’s crisis
Supply Chain & Procurement
- Navigating supply chain disruptions and post-COVID best practices
- Impact of technologies and today’s fast paced e-commerce on your supply chain
- Supply chain cost optimization: individual company vs. cross-portfolio programs
- Procurement transformations in the first 100 days
Finance
- How software and AI are changing the future of finance
- How can PE best support portco CFOs?
- Transforming finance from a cost-center into a value-creation engine
- CFO reporting and resourcing best practices
Our 2020 agenda is being carefully curated to feature the hottest topics in the industry today from digitization and AI to supply chain disruptions and procurement transformations. Click the headings below for a snapshot of some of the top features you’ll find on the agenda:
Value Creation
- 4 invitation-only think tanks exclusively for operating partners: 1) advanced/seasoned operating partners, 2) emerging operating partners, 3) human capital operating partners, 4) digital operating partners
- How operating teams work best with investment teams
- Operating partner models post COVID-19: how will your team adapt to the changes in the environment?
- Assessing risks and actions portfolio companies have taken in response to the coronavirus crisis
- Interactive value creation roundtables to select in key value creation areas: Digitalization, Human capital, Salesforce effectiveness, Supply chain & procurement, Finance, Data analytics, Digital marketing & e-commerce, Cost improvement
- How operating partners and PE firms are working with their portfolio companies in the midst of this year’s crisis
- How to drive value creation initiatives in the aftermath of the downturn
- CEO perspectives in looking at turnarounds, distressed situations, and driving transformations
Technology
- Digital transformations in the time of COVID-19: how things will change and what does the future hold
- AI and robotic automation for value creation
- Dissecting cost structures and customer interaction via technology to get revenues back to where they were
- Advanced data science to govern the business throughout the investment life-cycle
- Cybersecurity and resiliency
- Transforming your business with cloud economics
Human Capital
- A full day dedicated to best practices in human capital portfolio operations
- Finding brilliant digital/technology talent
- Big data & workforce analytics: looking at the future of human capital
- What will the future role of the human capital operating partner look like?
- Utilizing technology & best resources for talent acquisition
- Integrating culture for success
- Transitioning to a virtual workforce
- Human capital best practices adopted during this year’s crisis
Supply Chain & Procurement
- Navigating supply chain disruptions and post-COVID best practices
- Impact of technologies and today’s fast paced e-commerce on your supply chain
- Supply chain cost optimization: individual company vs. cross-portfolio programs
- Procurement transformations in the first 100 days
Finance
- How software and AI are changing the future of finance
- How can PE best support portco CFOs?
- Transforming finance from a cost-center into a value-creation engine
- CFO reporting and resourcing best practices
Our 2020 agenda is being carefully curated to feature the hottest topics in the industry today from digitization and AI to supply chain disruptions and procurement transformations. Click the headings below for a snapshot of some of the top features you’ll find on the agenda:
Value Creation
- 4 invitation-only think tanks exclusively for operating partners: 1) advanced/seasoned operating partners, 2) emerging operating partners, 3) human capital operating partners, 4) digital operating partners
- How operating teams work best with investment teams
- Operating partner models post COVID-19: how will your team adapt to the changes in the environment?
- Assessing risks and actions portfolio companies have taken in response to the coronavirus crisis
- Interactive value creation roundtables to select in key value creation areas: Digitalization, Human capital, Salesforce effectiveness, Supply chain & procurement, Finance, Data analytics, Digital marketing & e-commerce, Cost improvement
- How operating partners and PE firms are working with their portfolio companies in the midst of this year’s crisis
- How to drive value creation initiatives in the aftermath of the downturn
- CEO perspectives in looking at turnarounds, distressed situations, and driving transformations
Technology
- Digital transformations in the time of COVID-19: how things will change and what does the future hold
- AI and robotic automation for value creation
- Dissecting cost structures and customer interaction via technology to get revenues back to where they were
- Advanced data science to govern the business throughout the investment life-cycle
- Cybersecurity and resiliency
- Transforming your business with cloud economics
Human Capital
- A full day dedicated to best practices in human capital portfolio operations
- Finding brilliant digital/technology talent
- Big data & workforce analytics: looking at the future of human capital
- What will the future role of the human capital operating partner look like?
- Utilizing technology & best resources for talent acquisition
- Integrating culture for success
- Transitioning to a virtual workforce
- Human capital best practices adopted during this year’s crisis
Supply Chain & Procurement
- Navigating supply chain disruptions and post-COVID best practices
- Impact of technologies and today’s fast paced e-commerce on your supply chain
- Supply chain cost optimization: individual company vs. cross-portfolio programs
- Procurement transformations in the first 100 days
Finance
- How software and AI are changing the future of finance
- How can PE best support portco CFOs?
- Transforming finance from a cost-center into a value-creation engine
- CFO reporting and resourcing best practices
Our 2020 agenda is being carefully curated to feature the hottest topics in the industry today from digitization and AI to supply chain disruptions and procurement transformations. Click the headings below for a snapshot of some of the top features you’ll find on the agenda:
Value Creation
- 4 invitation-only think tanks exclusively for operating partners: 1) advanced/seasoned operating partners, 2) emerging operating partners, 3) human capital operating partners, 4) digital operating partners
- How operating teams work best with investment teams
- Operating partner models post COVID-19: how will your team adapt to the changes in the environment?
- Assessing risks and actions portfolio companies have taken in response to the coronavirus crisis
- Interactive value creation roundtables to select in key value creation areas: Digitalization, Human capital, Salesforce effectiveness, Supply chain & procurement, Finance, Data analytics, Digital marketing & e-commerce, Cost improvement
- How operating partners and PE firms are working with their portfolio companies in the midst of this year’s crisis
- How to drive value creation initiatives in the aftermath of the downturn
- CEO perspectives in looking at turnarounds, distressed situations, and driving transformations
Technology
- Digital transformations in the time of COVID-19: how things will change and what does the future hold
- AI and robotic automation for value creation
- Dissecting cost structures and customer interaction via technology to get revenues back to where they were
- Advanced data science to govern the business throughout the investment life-cycle
- Cybersecurity and resiliency
- Transforming your business with cloud economics
Human Capital
- A full day dedicated to best practices in human capital portfolio operations
- Finding brilliant digital/technology talent
- Big data & workforce analytics: looking at the future of human capital
- What will the future role of the human capital operating partner look like?
- Utilizing technology & best resources for talent acquisition
- Integrating culture for success
- Transitioning to a virtual workforce
- Human capital best practices adopted during this year’s crisis
Supply Chain & Procurement
- Navigating supply chain disruptions and post-COVID best practices
- Impact of technologies and today’s fast paced e-commerce on your supply chain
- Supply chain cost optimization: individual company vs. cross-portfolio programs
- Procurement transformations in the first 100 days
Finance
- How software and AI are changing the future of finance
- How can PE best support portco CFOs?
- Transforming finance from a cost-center into a value-creation engine
- CFO reporting and resourcing best practices
Our 2020 agenda is being carefully curated to feature the hottest topics in the industry today from digitization and AI to supply chain disruptions and procurement transformations. Click the headings below for a snapshot of some of the top features you’ll find on the agenda:
Value Creation
- 4 invitation-only think tanks exclusively for operating partners: 1) advanced/seasoned operating partners, 2) emerging operating partners, 3) human capital operating partners, 4) digital operating partners
- How operating teams work best with investment teams
- Operating partner models post COVID-19: how will your team adapt to the changes in the environment?
- Assessing risks and actions portfolio companies have taken in response to the coronavirus crisis
- Interactive value creation roundtables to select in key value creation areas: Digitalization, Human capital, Salesforce effectiveness, Supply chain & procurement, Finance, Data analytics, Digital marketing & e-commerce, Cost improvement
- How operating partners and PE firms are working with their portfolio companies in the midst of this year’s crisis
- How to drive value creation initiatives in the aftermath of the downturn
- CEO perspectives in looking at turnarounds, distressed situations, and driving transformations
Technology
- Digital transformations in the time of COVID-19: how things will change and what does the future hold
- AI and robotic automation for value creation
- Dissecting cost structures and customer interaction via technology to get revenues back to where they were
- Advanced data science to govern the business throughout the investment life-cycle
- Cybersecurity and resiliency
- Transforming your business with cloud economics
Human Capital
- A full day dedicated to best practices in human capital portfolio operations
- Finding brilliant digital/technology talent
- Big data & workforce analytics: looking at the future of human capital
- What will the future role of the human capital operating partner look like?
- Utilizing technology & best resources for talent acquisition
- Integrating culture for success
- Transitioning to a virtual workforce
- Human capital best practices adopted during this year’s crisis
Supply Chain & Procurement
- Navigating supply chain disruptions and post-COVID best practices
- Impact of technologies and today’s fast paced e-commerce on your supply chain
- Supply chain cost optimization: individual company vs. cross-portfolio programs
- Procurement transformations in the first 100 days
Finance
- How software and AI are changing the future of finance
- How can PE best support portco CFOs?
- Transforming finance from a cost-center into a value-creation engine
- CFO reporting and resourcing best practices
Discover best practices and ideas at a critical time for portfolio valuations at the industry’s first virtual event for private equity value creators
All sessions, idea forums and interactive meetings are uniquely designed to solve your toughest challenges during the covid-19 crisis & beyond.
See for yourself how the Operating Partners Virtual Forum will work with your host.
Available from anywhere & on-demand for up 12 months.
Leading thought-provoking operating partner experts — all NEWLY updated!
Without ever leaving the comfort and security of your home, you can enjoy ALL the 100 + value creation experts sharing their practical guidance. Plus, you can participate in audience Q&A, polls, and download content and papers with just a few clicks
You also get:
- Built-in calendar to create your own daily schedule so you don’t miss your favorite sessions
- Automated reminders
- Polling and surveys
- On-demand playback gives you access to sessions for up to 12 months
Network & build key relationships
Online networking can never replace face-to-face interaction, but done right, it can provide a very effective way for people to build their professional relationships and knowledge. At an in-person event, you get 2 days of engagement. With the Operating Partners Virtual Forum, you get a 365-day community.
Take advantage of these benefits:
- Attendee and Operating Partner directories: Use our searchable directory of our delegates, solution providers and speakers, so you can quickly find the right people and companies to connect with.
- Private messaging: Reach out privately and directly online (without having to expose email and phone number to “the world”)
- Virtual Meet-ups: Pre-schedule multi-person video conferences or one on one type meetups, allowing you to connect and talk about topics of interest.
Meet with the country’s leading solution providers in our virtual tradeshow
Just like any convention, you have the opportunity to meet with exhibitors and sponsors, browse the trade show, and chat with solution providers. You get all these features without ever stepping outside your front door. A searchable keyword index helps attendees you find the exhibitors and sponsors who are most relevant.
Other features include:
- Virtual tradeshow: See what solutions and ideas exhibitors and sponsors provide to help you better serve your employees and your members.
- Automated reminders
- Online meetings with exhibitors: Easily “request information” from exhibiting companies and share your information similar to having your badge scanned at a live event.
