Private Equity
International
International
Operating Partners Forum New York
October 29-30, 2025
Convene Brookfield Place, 225 Liberty, New York
The largest global event for private equity value creation
Join the world’s leading PE firms to uncover the best methods to deliver cross-functional portfolio optimization at a critical time.
Connect with 500+ operating partners in exclusive networking opportunities and collaborative sessions to uncover the future of PE value creation.
Optimize your portfolio companies
Hear first-hand perspectives on how to further develop your operational efficiencies.
Network with top value creators
Connect with the largest global community of private equity operating partners.
Empower your operating team
Find the right tools and knowledge to create cross-functional value.
Agenda highlights
Our unique agenda offers extensive networking activities, plus interactive working groups, think tanks, panels, breakfasts, and lunch discussions. The agenda is carefully curated to feature the most prominent functional areas in value creation. Highlights include:
- Heads of value creation/team leaders’ insights
- Practical and functional use cases for AI in PE
- The growing importance of operating partners: showcasing and measuring performance
- Future functional levers across the entire investment lifecycle
- AI’s impact on the Operating Partner-Deal team dynamic and the future of PE
- And much 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
Connect with a global community of functional specialists
How does your firm compare?
The 2025 Operating Partners Compensation Survey will provide a temperature check of the market and across team makeup, compensation, incentive packages, and more.
The 2025 Operating Partners Technology Value Creation Survey revealed how firms are engaging with tech as well as what’s working (and what isn’t) in digital value creation.
Speakers
Kush Tulsidas
One Rock Capital Partners
It is a fantastic place to network with top operating talent in PE and learn the cutting edge work that their firms are doing to create value. I highly recommen…
Greg J. Pappas
Berkshire Partners
The Operating Partners Forum is the foremost event where the largest ecosystem of operating partners, suppliers and resources gather annually.
Nicole Weil
Kelso & Company
“The content is relevant for my role and I get to meet the smartest people in the industry.”
Our unique agenda offers interactive working groups, think tanks, panels, breakfast and lunch discussions. The agenda is carefully curated to feature the most prominent functional areas of value creation.
If you are interested in a speaking role please contact Marc Mele at marc.m@pei.group.
View agenda page
Agenda
Pre-conference events - Tuesday 28th
17:30 - 19:30
Pre-Event Welcome Reception (invitation-only for operating partners)
Venue: Gitano NYC, Waterfront, Pier 17, Seaport, New York
Join the operating partners attending the New York Forum at our opening grand reception. Exchange valuable insights with your peers in a relaxed setting and build your connections before the conference kicks off.
19:30 - 21:00
Pre-Event Dinners (invitation-only for operating partners)
Venue: Tin Building, 96 South St, New York, NY
Join us for private networking-style dinners designed exclusively for team leaders, functional specialist and generalist operating partners attending the NY Forum. You will receive an invite to select the dinner that best represents your role:
Heads of Value Creation – Team Leaders Dinner (invitation-only)
GTM, Sales and Revenue Growth Operating Partners Dinner (invitation-only)
Technology and Digital Operating Partners Dinner (invitation-only)
Finance Operating Partners Dinner (invitation-only)
Generalist Operating Partners Dinner (invitation-only)
Supply Chain and Procurement Operating Partners Dinner (invitation-only)
Human Capital Operating Partners Dinner (invitation-only)
Agenda
Conference - Wednesday 29th
07:30 - 09:10
Registration and breakfast
Think tank series 1 (invitation-only for operating partners)
07:45 - 08:30
Think tank 1 | Human Capital/Talent Operating Partners
These closed-door discussions will allow you to learn and share best practices of successful operating partners with your peers. Please select one of the rooms:
07:45 - 08:30
Think tank 2 | GTM, Sales & Revenue Growth Operating Partners
These closed-door discussions will allow you to learn and share best practices of successful operating partners with your peers. Please select one of the rooms:
07:45 - 08:30
Think tank 3 | Digital & Technology Operating Partners
These closed-door discussions will allow you to learn and share best practices of successful operating partners with your peers. Please select one of the rooms:
07:45 - 08:30
Think tank 4 | Finance Operating Partners
These closed-door discussions will allow you to learn and share best practices of successful operating partners with your peers. Please select one of the rooms:
07:45 - 08:30
Think tank 5 | Heads of Value Creation: Team Leaders
These closed-door discussions will allow you to learn and share best practices of successful operating partners with your peers. Please select one of the rooms:
Breakfast deep dive series 1 (invitation-only for operating partners)
08:30 - 09:10
Breakfast deep dive discussion 1 | The global workforce advantage: unlocking margin expansion through operational talent hubs
This deep dive breakfast session designed solely for operating partners will allow the audience to join an interactive discussion with designated expert facilitators.
- Leveraging operational hubs, not just delivery centers to scale with effective capability and governance
- Sharing metric-driven outcomes (% cost reduction, % faster delivery)
- Talent models for finance, legal ops, marketing ops, customer experience
- Use cases for global teams that drive strategic advantage
08:30 - 09:10
Breakfast deep dive discussion 2 | Leveraging AI for GTM commercial acceleration and value creation
This exclusive breakfast discussion invites operating partners to unlock commercial acceleration and enterprise value through AI. Share practical strategies and tackle the crucial decision of selecting the right AI tools—AI-supported, AI-native, or Agent-first—to maximize workflow productivity and impact. We’ll focus on:
- AI-driven strategy & planning: utilizing AI insights for enhanced account planning and strategic effectiveness across BDR, Rep, & SE roles
- Optimizing PLG/PLS via GTM engineering: understanding AI’s role in supporting the emerging Go-to-Market (GTM) engineer to scale product-led growth/sales (PLG/PLS)
- Intelligent marketing & demand gen: applying AI for data-driven marketing campaigns, precise demand generation, and effective content distribution strategies
08:30 - 09:10
Breakfast deep dive discussion 3 | The GenAI security dilemma: from shadow tools to deepfakes — what every operating partner needs to know
As Generative AI reshapes the landscape of dealmaking, operations, and value creation, it also opens the door to a rapidly evolving threat environment. From shadow AI tools quietly introduced by teams to the leakage of sensitive data into public LLMs, the risks are real—and growing. Emerging threats such as prompt injections, hallucinations, and deepfakes further blur the line between innovation and exposure. In this closed-door breakfast session, Operating Partners with decades of operational rigor will engage in a strategic, interactive dialogue on:
- The new cyber-attack surface GenAI creates across portfolio companies
- Shadow AI: how unmanaged AI tools are entering the enterprise through the back door
- Data exposure risks: what’s being inadvertently fed into LLMs—and how to stop it
- Emerging threats: from deepfakes influencing public narratives to adversarial prompt attacks on internal systems
- Securing innovation: practical frameworks for AI governance, vendor diligence, and employee enablement
08:30 - 09:10
Breakfast deep dive discussion 4 | Accelerating change in year one: sharing notes on top priorities and challenges to drive long-term value
This deep dive breakfast session designed solely for operating partners will allow the audience to join an interactive discussion with designated expert facilitators.
- Adaptability as a driving force in value creation: responding/reacting quickly and effectively to challenges within key functions
- How do you build change in a 1-year period across culture, tech, integrations, and upscaling the C-suite? How do you build it without breaking it?
- How have your playbooks evolved throughout the years to deliver change more swiftly in year one?
- Dissecting the everyday journey in year one: what does a week, month, and quarter look like for an operating partner? How do you prioritize what you are focusing on?
- What are the dos and don’ts in driving change via communication/engagement with the company acquired, advising C levels and meeting teams? How do you actually build trust?
- Sharing specific examples of systems/implementations that were rolled out to scale faster
08:30 - 09:10
Breakfast deep dive discussion 5 | Playbooks to leverage the buying power for your portcos
This deep dive breakfast session designed solely for operating partners will allow the audience to join an interactive discussion with designated expert facilitators.
- How do I determine the true aggregate value of my portfolio vis-à-vis it’s purchasing power?
- What purchasing models are realistic (or not)?
- How do I accommodate the changing value of my portfolio as companies enter and exit my portfolio?
- What types of contracting challenges will I have and how can I make those a win-win-win for my portcos, my vendors, and me?
Plenary
09:10 - 09:30
PEI’s welcome and chairperson’s opening remarks
09:30 - 10:10
Panel 1 | The legends of value creation — what I wish someone had told me
- What words of advice did we hear from the 50 most experienced operating partners?
- What would these operating partners have done differently in their careers?
- What is easier/harder about being an operating partner today?
09:30 - 10:10
Panel 2 | TPG case study: how operating partners align and deliver value creation with CFOs
- A CFO’s POV: What does great collaboration look like with PE Ops partners?
- Leveraging cross-functional PE Ops to level-up high impact initiatives
- Effecting transformational change while maintaining bandwidth to run a high-performing organization
- Finance function playbooks: carve outs, org design and build, FP&A build, M&A, systems optimization
- First-time CFO support and mentoring
10:10 - 10:50
Panel 3 | AI’s impact on Operating Partner-Deal team dynamics and the future of PE
- How is the role of the operating partner and deal partner evolving with the rise in application and implementation of AI in PE?
- How will AI impact future dynamics between operating and deal teams? How can it improve synergies and alignment?
- Will the role of the operating partner continue to rise in importance in the age of AI?
- Dissecting future alignment of goals, incentives, joint ownership and deal outcomes
- Execution is the Alpha: why AI-enabled operators will define the future of PE
10:10 - 10:50
Panel 4 | Heads of value creation views: what does excellence looks like in an operating partner and portfolio operations team?
- Comparing operating partner models, teams, structures, and ecosystems
- How did you build your team? What roles and functions make up your team? Is your team still growing?
- What does great look like in an operating partner? What are the skills and traits you look for?
- How are you measuring and showcasing individual and team performance?
- How do you best support your operating team members?
- What will the structure and model of operating partner teams look like in future?
10:50 - 11:20
Networking break
11:20 - 12:00
Panel 5 | An inside look into the evolution of the operating partner role across the lifecycle
- Sharing the latest playbooks in due diligence, first 100 days to a year, hold, and exit
- How has your playbook changed and evolved in each key phase of the lifecycle? How do you foresee it changing/evolving in future?
- What are the biggest challenges in each key phase of the lifecycle?
- How are you measuring operating partner performance across the lifecycle?
- How is the operating partner role growing in importance? Can you share specific examples of this across the lifecycle?
11:20 - 12:00
Panel 6 | The future of value creation: practical AI use cases across functions
- What is it that operating partners need to understand about AI? What are you doing that is innovative when it comes to AI for your function?
- Showcasing use cases from commercial, product, finance, and AI operating partners
- How have things rapidly evolved in terms of AI practical use cases for your function within the last 18 months?
- What comes next in looking at how AI will best be deployed specifically for your function and across functions?
- How is AI adding value for PE firms investing across industries and throughout the deal cycle?
- How best to staff-up for AI-driven growth
12:00 - 12:40
Panel 7 | Unlocking value creation in extended hold periods
- What are the biggest challenges in your role as an operating partner when dealing with extended hold periods? What have you done to address these challenges?
- What are the causes and market uncertainties that are most impacting the PE industry with extended hold periods?
- How are extended hold periods impacting your human capital strategies? How are they impacting other key functional areas at your portcos?
- How are you engaging with your constituents in extended hold periods: LPs, management teams, investment partners: what questions/concerns are you most often hearing?
- What makes you feel you are moving in the right direction and making progress to bring your companies to market?
12:00 - 12:40
Panel 8 | The rise of Agentic AI-led value creation in operations
- What makes AI Agentic and how is it different from regular AI?
- Real examples of how Agentic AI can streamline processes, reduce costs, and improve productivity across all portco operations
- How are operating partners using agentic AI to optimize value creation? How will Agentic AI impact VCPs in future?
- What are the biggest challenges associated with adoption of Agentic AI? How do you deal with pushback at your portcos?
- Case study examples of leveraging Agentic AI to drive multiples
Interactive working group series 1 (for operating partners only)
12:40 - 13:20
Interactive working group 1 | Progressive approaches to hiring and assessing tech talent at your companies
This session designed solely for operating partners will allow the audience to join an interactive discussion with designated facilitators.
- Cutting through the noise: what strategies and tactics are best practices for diagnosing tech talent needs and effectively addressing them?
- Recruiting C-suite tech executives: When is it time to level-up your tech or product leader? What does good look like? How do you manage C-suite tech hiring differently with technical and non-technical CEOs?
- What are best practices for back-channeling/referencing C-suite candidates?
- How are you assessing tech talent and tech executives?
- What talent strategies are PE-backed businesses leveraging to support large scale digital transformation? What are the benefits/trade-offs of these approaches: blended (contractor) teams, full-time offshoring (part of all), re-skilling/up-leveling, managed service agreements, others?
- With the dawn of AI, how are labor force and tech skill set requirements changing? What Buildnewly created tech roles are you seeing at your companies?
12:40 - 13:20
Interactive working group 2 | Driving topline revenue: end-to-end customer experience to optimize marketing, sales and customer success
This session designed solely for operating partners will allow the audience to join an interactive discussion with designated facilitators.
- What it really means to have a shared methodology and common language across Marketing, Sales, and Customer Success
- Identifying and using the right technology to improve sales & marketing efficiency and serve customers more effectively
- What are the biggest challenges and opportunities for operating partners when working with CMOs and CROs
- Customer experience: how to optimize customer experience management and master the customer journey
- Measurement and analytics: how are you tracking your marketing performance and the effectiveness of marketing spend?
- Beyond the theory: operating partners share firsthand transformation stories to drive topline growth and scale your business
12:40 - 13:20
Interactive working group 3 | Beyond theory: sharing practical examples of transformative, AI-enabled business models
This session designed solely for operating partners will allow the audience to join an interactive discussion with designated facilitators. AI isn’t just an optimization tool – it’s a launchpad for step-function growth and disruptive new business models. Here we’ll explore and share how companies are moving beyond incremental gains and using AI to enable transformative value capture. Through practical examples that apply to PE investors and operators uncovering:
- Approaches for identifying where AI can drive the greatest impact across the portfolio
- How AI is enabling new business models and enhanced cost structures
- Examples of P&L transformation, focused on scenarios where AI has changed cost structures, accelerated innovation, and reshaped go-to-market activities
- Lessons from the front lines: what works, what doesn’t, and how to ensure AI drives meaningful ROI
12:40 - 13:20
Interactive working group 4 | Working with founder-led company CEOs: operating partner insights
This session designed solely for operating partners will allow the audience to join an interactive discussion with designated facilitators.
- Tips and tricks of partnering with legacy teams and implementing change management
- How do you best leverage founder strengths to drive and accelerate the VCP? What does your engagement and support model look like?
- Uncovering and assessing the strengths and weaknesses that set founders apart in working with PE
- How are the challenges and playbooks different in working with founder led companies?
- How do you best manage cultural and operational transitions at founder led companies?
- How do you deal with pushback and founder CEO blind spots to ensure alignment?
12:40 - 13:20
Interactive working group 5 | The fundamentals of value creation: most urgent challenges and high impact opportunities
This session designed solely for operating partners will allow the audience to join an interactive discussion with designated facilitators.
- Getting the fundamentals right: what is driving value and portco performance today?
- Practical tools to accelerate growth and resiliency (across Ops, SC, process, people)
- What are your biggest concerns as an operating partner? How is uncertainty affecting your value creation plan?
- What are you mainly verifying and validating in your assessments? How well are your assessments run? What improvements are you seeing that are mostly needed?
- How are you monitoring progress of your implementations? How are you establishing leading indicators?
- How are you sustaining improvements when there is momentum all the way through exit?
Lunch
13:20 - 14:20
Networking Lunch
13:20 - 14:20
Lunch discussion 1 (invitation-only for operating partners) | Unlocking advanced pricing strategies: how are you thinking about it?
This closed-door deep dive lunch discussion designed solely for operating partners will focus on strategic areas to enhance value.
13:20 - 14:20
Lunch discussion 2 (invitation-only for operating partners) | A deep dive into market dynamics: employee benefits program optimization
This closed-door deep dive lunch discussion designed solely for operating partners will focus on strategic areas to enhance value.
- Marketplace dynamics from a buyer’s perspective
- Industry Insights
- Common misconceptions explained
- Shifting control back to the buyer
- Top 5 levers to save money while maintaining a “do-no-harm” approach
- Maintaining control through plan governance
Breakout series 1
14:20 - 15:00
Track 1 | Building high-performance teams: alignment, accountability, and results
The median holding period for PE-backed portfolio companies is 5.8 years–an all-time high. In addition, market instability has slowed momentum. As a result, operating partners are being called to play a more sustained role in value creation, with a greater emphasis on building high-performance teams that can sustain momentum, adapt to evolving strategies, and deliver consistent results over a longer investment horizon.
- Examining how operating partners assess team dynamics, design effective org structures, and implement strategies that support long-term value creation
- Sharing actionable approaches—from aligning leadership around a shared vision to instilling operational discipline and fostering cross-functional collaboration—that unlocks performance at every level
- How do you build alignment between management teams and the PE firm’s value creation plan? How does your strategy change over a multi-year investment horizon? What happens when that horizon gets extended?
- What tools or frameworks have you found most effective for improving team performance and accountability?
- How can operating partners influence culture without overstepping or undermining leadership?
- How do you evolve team composition and leadership capabilities during periods of rapid growth, transformation, or pre-exit preparation?
14:20 - 15:00
Track 2 | Office of the CFO optimization: key drivers for M&A and exit readiness success
In an uncertain economic landscape, the Office of the CFO plays a pivotal role in driving value across the investment lifecycle from new platforms to merger integration along with exit readiness. A well-optimized CFO function is critical to ensure strategic alignment, operational efficiency, and financial exit readiness with five key topics we will touch on:
- Post-deal strategic alignment (value creation blueprinting, KPI and metric standardization and financial operating model stand up)
- Data and reporting infrastructure and finance-enabled AI/ML automation
- Finance integration including system & process and talent retention
- Operational efficiency (process rationalization, automation and managed services)
- Additional value creation efforts (margin visibility ahead of QofE process, stress-testing adjusted EBITDA and working capital optimization)
14:20 - 15:00
Track 3 | Case study: From vision to impact — Agentic AI creating value in the field
- What it takes to get started quickly in weeks —from identifying the right use cases to launching and scaling implementations
- How portfolio companies are evolving from basic AI strategies to holistic strategic approaches including ecosystems to grow topline revenue
- How companies are achieving customer impact quickly, with real success stories showing speed to value from pilot to production and measurable ROI
14:20 - 15:00
Track 4 | Beyond the basics: rethinking due diligence in carve-outs
In a carve-out, nothing is plug-and-play. What once passed as standard diligence—financials, tax, legal, HR, IT—suddenly becomes a high-stakes puzzle of stranded costs, transition risks, and operational stand-up. The complexity is real, and the margin for error is razor-thin:
- Breaking down how diligence must evolve to meet the demands of carve-outs
- From mapping separation workstreams to deciding what stays in-house vs. what gets outsourced
- Explore how top firms build speed, clarity, and execution readiness into the diligence process—starting from day one
14:20 - 15:00
Track 5 | Procurement value creation in the age of AI
- Identifying value creation opportunities from imperfect data in hours, not weeks
- Using AI as a lever to drive measurable cost savings (not just productivity gains)
- Impact of AI on negotiations given that vendors are reducing their cost base with automation
- Rapidly transforming procurement functions with AI (real-world use cases)
Breakout series 2
15:00 - 15:40
Track 6 | The rise of AI operating partners – strategic necessity or nice to have?
As AI transforms industries at an unprecedented pace, private equity firms are grappling with a critical question: should they bring on a dedicated AI Operating Partner? This panel will explore the evolving role of AI in portfolio company operations, the impact AI OPs are delivering, and whether AI leadership should be a standalone role or embedded within the Digital Operating Partner function. Join top industry experts as they share real-world examples, best practices, and strategic considerations PE firms must weigh when integrating AI expertise into their operating playbook.
- When does it make sense to hire an AI Operating Partner?
- How are AI OPs driving measurable impact across portfolio companies?
- Is AI a specialized function or best embedded within a broader Digital OP role?
- Lessons learned from firms leading the charge in AI-driven value creation
15:00 - 15:40
Track 7 | Optimizing your commercial value creation engine in the first 100 days
15:00 - 15:40
Track 8 | Case study: Driving value creation and mitigating AI cyber risk
- Minimize AI risk in PE with a holistic cybersecurity approach
- Leverage technology for competitive advantage, security, and value creation
- Uncover practitioner first-hand insights and cyber war stories
15:00 - 15:40
Track 9 | The future finance function: AI transformations for the office of the CFO
- How are CFOs now utilizing AI at your portfolio companies?
- Where should CFOs start to deploy and implement AI across phases?
- How are finance operating partners most effectively utilizing AI for the function?
- How will the role of the CFO change in future in the age of AI?
- Sharing real world use cases: unlocking AI for FP&A, budgeting, forecasting, and better decision making
15:00 - 15:40
Track 10 | Driving pre-exit value creation: an operating partner’s guidebook
Preparing a portfolio company for exit requires a clear understanding of its operational strengths and weaknesses. This panel discussion will dissect strategies to enhance company value ahead of a sale:
- Aligning operational improvements with exit timelines
- Setting your companies up for success: operating partners share lessons learned from recent exits
- Which initiatives are you mainly focused on in preparing for exit 2 years out? Which key levers work best to accelerate pre-sale value?
- How are you working with management teams in preparation for exit: challenges and opportunities
- From data to value: leveraging operational analytics for exit readiness
- Sharing dos and don’ts you should understand as you prepare for exit
15:40 - 15:50
Coffee break
Breakout series 3
15:50 - 04:30
Track 11 | Talent as a key value creation lever to unlock growth and transformation
- Where has talent been a real unlock for growth or transformation?
- How are you thinking about leadership talent as part of your value creation strategy?
- What does “the right leadership” look like today?
- What strategies are working to retain top talent post-acquisition? How are you aligning incentives with long-term value creation?
- How are firms structuring internal talent teams to support portfolio companies? What’s the ROI of having dedicated talent partners?
15:50 - 16:30
Track 12 | AI-powered commercial and pricing analytics: driving smarter, faster, and more profitable decisions
- Real-time commercial analytics and AI-powered data exploration: looking beyond traditional methods
- The strategic advantage of AI-powered pricing: sharing success stories
- Steps and best practices for implementation and how to overcome challenges
- Uncovering end-to-end commercial automation: unifying pricing, sales, and marketing into cohesive, automated workflows as a forward-thinking business
- Future trends in commercial analytics: machine learning, predictive analytics, and more
15:50 - 16:30
Track 13 | The future of Operating Partner-CTO alignment and execution
- Do future technologies like AI change the skills that a CTO needs?
- How do these changes alter the role of operating partners? How is the CIO/CTO role evolving? How are skills and responsibilities changing? What makes a great portco CTO?
- A CTO’s POV: what does great collaboration look like with PE operating partners?
- What are the keys to success in bringing these new technologies and at what stage of the deal cycle should you consider beginning the journey?
15:50 - 16:30
Track 14 | Pharmacy/healthcare cost impact on EBITDA: providing solutions to CFOs
- 96% of CFOs/CEOs are concerned about long-term cost implications of pharmacy
- How to control pharmacy spend by limiting influence of PBMs
- Breaking the cycle of broker/vendor/HR dysfunction
- Provide CFOs alternative, independent sources to guide decision making on #2 P&L spend category
15:50 - 16:30
Track 15 | Identifying the data metrics that matter to maximize value throughout the lifecycle
With case studies of recent success stories in supporting data-led exits across multiple sectors, this discussion will cover:
- Identifying key operational metrics that influence valuation: how starting with what’s needed at exit drives better decision making throughout the investment lifecycle
- How data can build a bridge between the investment case and value creation and operational realities
- The metrics that matter to all the key players, and how using high quality information can align every team member in making data-driven decisions from value creation to execution
- Using data to tell a business’s equity story, and drive strategies on where to invest time, money and effort
- Why AI is going beyond the metrics of retention, customer growth and lifetime value to enable more agile and profitable decisions
Breakout series 4
16:30 - 17:10
Track 16 | Recruiting and empowering AI-adept leadership for the portfolio
- Recruiting a Chief AI Officer vs AI-adept functional leaders at your portfolio companies
- What newly created AI roles are you seeing at your portcos?
- How do you identify appropriate skillsets and traits needed in such a new and fast-moving field? What does great look like?
- Monitoring performance and fostering AI talent across companies and across functions in the portfolio
16:30 - 17:10
Track 17 | Maximizing value creation planning early in the hold period: key steps
- Best practices in transitioning from due diligence to portfolio execution
- How are 100-day plans changing and evolving? What are you mainly focused on in the first 100 days?
- How are you setting up your companies for success with the right people, processes, and tech?
- What does effective alignment and engagement with management teams look like to implement the plan early on? Can you share some practical examples?
- What are the biggest challenges and roadblocks you have encountered? How did you overcome them?
16:30 - 17:10
Track 18 | Tech due diligence playbooks: guidelines from pre-deal to first 100 days implementations
16:30 - 17:10
Track 19 | Bridging the gap: unifying GTM and finance for operational excellence
This session explores how aligning Go-To-Market (GTM) and Finance functions can unlock trapped value in portfolio companies. By breaking down silos between sales, marketing, and finance, operating partners can drive more accurate forecasting, reduce revenue leakage, and enhance working capital efficiency.
- Identifying common disconnects between GTM and Finance in PE-backed companies
- Strategies for integrating CRM and ERP data for holistic insights
- Real-world examples of improved EBITDA through functional alignment
- Tools and technologies facilitating this unification
16:30 - 17:10
Track 20 | First 100 days of a cost transformation program – how to set your program up for success
- Key success factors
- How to level set with key executives
- Stories from the first 100 days and how successful elements were reflected in the results
End of day 1
17:10 - 18:30
Grand reception
Agenda
Conference - Thursday 30th
07:45 - 09:15
Registration and breakfast
Think tank series 2 (invitation-only for operating partners)
07:45 - 08:30
Think tank 1 | New Operating Partners (1-2 years in PE)
These closed-door discussions will allow you to learn and share best practices of successful operating partners. Select one of the rooms:
07:45 - 08:30
Think tank 2 | Advanced Operating Partners (3+ years in PE)
These closed-door discussions will allow you to learn and share best practices of successful operating partners. Select one of the rooms:
07:45 - 08:30
Think tank 3 | Senior Operating Partners (10+ years in PE)
These closed-door discussions will allow you to learn and share best practices of successful operating partners. Select one of the rooms:
Breakfast deep dive series 2 (invitation-only for operating partners)
08:30 - 09:10
Breakfast deep dive discussion 6 | Leadership matters: unique coaching guidelines for transformation and impact
This breakfast deep dive discussion designed solely for operating partners will allow you to join an interactive discussion with designated facilitators.
- How would you define successful leadership? What are key qualities of the most impactful leaders at your companies?
- What can operating partners do to improve their influence when it comes to coaching?
- Leadership during times of disruption: sharing challenges and successful approaches
- What are key differences and similarities in working with different leaders across sectors?
- What does the next generation of leaders look like? How are you approaching their development?
08:30 - 09:10
Breakfast deep dive discussion 7 | The commercial model of the future
This breakfast deep dive discussion designed solely for operating partners will allow you to join an interactive discussion with designated facilitators.
08:30 - 09:10
Breakfast deep dive discussion 8 | Due diligence in the age of AI: a new paradigm
Traditional due diligence methods are being transformed by AI and machine learning. This breakfast deep dive session examines how these technologies provide deeper insights during the DD phase, leading to more informed investment decisions.
- Limitations of traditional DD approaches vs. AI-led DD
- How AI enhances data analysis for better risk assessment
- Sharing successful and practical stories of using AI in DD: how does AI enhance deal sourcing? How does AI in DD set you up for success throughout the lifecycle?
- How is the role of the operating partner and deal partner evolving with the application of AI in DD?
- Future trends in due diligence practices
08:30 - 09:10
Breakfast deep dive discussion 9 | Alignment to deliver value creation with CFOs: operating partner views
This breakfast deep dive discussion designed solely for operating partners will allow you to join an interactive discussion with designated facilitators.
- Sharing views on how portfolio company CFOs can be more proactive and aligned with PE on the VCP
- What makes a great portco CFO? What is top of mind for CFOs nowadays? Where do CFOs need the most support?
- What are the biggest challenges for your finance function and CFOs given the longer hold periods?
- As an operating partner, how are you bridging the expectation gap with your CFOs? What does a successful CFO-operating partner partnership look like?
- What does your finance playbook like to achieve alignment on timelines and goals?
- Sharing practical examples of success stories and initiatives to scale companies
08:30 - 09:10
Breakfast deep dive discussion 10 | Operating team composition: results of the 2024 McKinsey operating partner group survey
This breakfast deep dive discussion designed solely for operating partners will allow you to join an interactive discussion with designated facilitators.
- Providing statistics on the size and composition of operating partner teams
- Reviewing the roles operating partner teams play in value creation
- What is the right way to construct a value creation practice that is effective: how is it evolving and changing
- What will operating partner teams look like in the future?
Plenary
09:15 - 09:20
Chairperson’s welcome
09:20 - 10:00
Keynote: Top trends that will shape private equity in the coming years
10:00 - 10:40
LP views of the operating partner and value creation in PE
10:40 - 11:00
Networking break
11:00 - 11:40
Investment partner perspectives: key insights for operating partners
- How are you most effectively working with your operating partners? What are the biggest challenges when it comes to achieving alignment?
- What are best practices in working together from diligence into year one
- What makes a great operating partner? What are the biggest operating partner dos and don’ts?
- How can operating partners give deal teams the edge in the bidding process?
- How can operating partners help investment teams maximize returns for LPs
- As a deal partner, what keeps you up at night and what can operating partners do to help?
11:40 - 12:20
The portco CEO perspective: what operating partners need to know
- How would you define a great operating partner?
- What do operating partners need to do to build trust with the CEO and what is the most effective engagement model with the CEO?
- What are the most important and common dos and don’ts for operating partners?
- How can operating partners help you the most? What areas do you need the least help with?
- As CEOs what are you doing most effectively do deliver the value creation plan across the lifecycle?
12:20 - 12:30
Break
Interactive working groups series 2 (for operating partners only)
12:30 - 13:10
Interactive working group 6 | The latest on broad-based employee ownership across organizations: comparing results
This session designed solely for operating partners will allow the audience to join an interactive discussion with designated facilitators.
- Understanding the lay of the land: how you should be thinking about offering and rolling out shared ownership to employees
- Comparing shared ownership programs that have helped companies improve employee engagement, attract and retain talent, and drive operational improvements
- Showcasing how shared equity participation and building a culture of ownership can align the interests of investors and workers to drive better outcomes for all
- Aligning the executives and the board on LTI program implementations
- Measuring its impact so far with an eye to the future and what comes next in PE
12:30 - 13:10
Interactive working group 7 | Operating partner-LP dynamics: dos and don’ts
This session designed solely for operating partners will allow the audience to join an interactive discussion with designated facilitators.
- How are you showcasing value creation and operating partner performance to LPs?
- How to best engage with your LPs: how do you build trust? How do you effectively communicate with them? Can you share success stories from previous meetings?
- What are the biggest don’ts you need to be aware of as an operating partner interacting with LPs?
- What are the most common questions/concerns that you hear from your LPs and how do you address these?
- How are you engaging with your LPs during extended hold periods?
12:30 - 13:10
Interactive working group 8 | Power pairing: unlocking value through the CIO-CFO partnership
A strong partnership between CFOs and CIOs is crucial for operating partners striving to scale portfolio companies and maximize returns. This session explores how a strong CIO-CFO partnership can become a powerful lever for value creation across portfolio companies. Whether you’re navigating a carve-out, scaling a platform, or preparing for exit, this session will equip you with the insights to unlock the full potential of your tech and finance leadership:
- How the CIO and CFO work together: things the CFO has to think about in working with the CIO
- From aligning technology investments (inclusive of AI) with financial strategy to driving digital transformation and operational efficiency, this collaboration is pivotal to accelerate growth and enhance enterprise value
- Featuring real-world case studies and actionable insights into how Operating Partners can foster this critical alliance
- Learn how to assess the maturity of CIO-CFO dynamics, identify red flags, and implement frameworks that ensure both roles are strategically aligned to deliver measurable outcomes
12:30 - 13:10
Interactive working group 9 | Showcasing and measuring operating partner performance comparing scorecards
This session designed solely for operating partners will allow the audience to join an interactive discussion with designated facilitators.
12:30 - 13:10
Interactive working group 10 | Management team performance and assessments across the investment lifecycle
This session designed solely for operating partners will allow the audience to join an interactive discussion with designated facilitators.
- How Operating Partners work with management teams to drive the VCP across the lifecycle
- Firsthand examples of achieving a transparent and aligned relationship to create growth
- Exploring the challenges of dealing with disagreements and a resistant management team
- Helping the team to go from running a business to think about growing a business
- How are you tracking performance? What KPIs are you looking at?
- What makes a great executive? What makes a great executive team?
Lunch
13:10 - 14:00
Networking lunch
13:10 - 14:00
Lunch discussion 3 (invitation-only for operating partners) | Rediscover “brilliance at the basics:” elevating your end-to-end supply chain & operations with intelligence
In today’s uncertain market and rapidly evolving landscape, it’s more important than ever to focus on fundamentals you can control. While AI is transforming industries, true step-change value still relies on experienced human operators who understand how to navigate supply chain challenges, adapt and execute.
- Blending human expertise with AI and advanced analytics, PE-backed companies to unlock faster EBITDA impact, strengthen resilience, and drive sustainable performance improvement, faster than ever before
- Provoking ideas and ultimately providing a clear, actionable, end-to-end approach across the plan-buy-make-move-fulfill value chain — delivering measurable results, not just theoretical insights
13:10 - 14:00
Lunch discussion 4 (invitation-only for operating partners) | Operating partner perspectives: how to create alignment and synergies with investment partners
This closed-door deep dive lunch discussion designed solely for operating partners will focus on strategic areas to enhance value.
- The synergistic potential of linking operating partners with deal partners: how to match your style with your investor’s needs
- What not to do as an operating partner when working with investment partners
- How to showcase the value you bring to the table as an operating partner
- Uncovering how to deal with frictions and challenges
- How do you best support your deal teams: sharing specific examples that build trust
Breakout series 5
14:00 - 14:40
Track 21 | How operating partners collaborate across functions to deliver the VCP: sharing what’s real and actionable
14:00 - 14:40
Track 22 | Personalizing and refining your GTM playbooks
14:00 - 14:40
Track 23 | Comparing tech and digital operating partner models across the lifecycle
14:40 - 15:00
PEI presents the 2nd annual operating partners compensation survey results
Discover the latest figures in operating partner compensation for 2025 across functional areas, models, AUM, seniority levels, and more.
End of conference
15:00 - 15:05
Closing remarks
Build your operating partner community
Expand your relationships and build a lasting network with our operating partner exclusive networking events.
Connect with leaders in value creation to share ideas, solve challenges, and benchmark strategies that will level up your day-to-day operations.
Operating Partners Forum New York Welcome Reception (invitation-only)
Tuesday, October 28
Gitano NYC
Exchange valuable insights with your peers in a relaxed setting and build your connections before the conference kicks off.
Operating Partners Forum New York Networking Dinners (invitation-only)
Tuesday, October 28
Tin Building
Join us for one of seven private sit-down dinners, split by functional area, designed exclusively for operating partners attending the Forum.
Day 1 Grand Reception
Wednesday, October 29
Our grand reception will allow you to chat and get to know your operating partner peers at the end of the first day of the Forum. Hear what is on everyone’s mind after a full day of valuable insights.
Breakfast Discussions
Wednesday and Thursday, October 29-30
Share your views and learn from peers about specific value creation levers in five intimate discussions exclusively for operating partners.
Lunch Discussions
Wednesday and Thursday, October 29-30
These closed-door conversations, exclusively for operating partners, will explore key strategies for your portcos and PE firms to enhance value.
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.
Interactive Working Groups
Hear how your peers are navigating specific value creation levers. These interactive discussions, facilitated by our expert speaking faculty, will provide a closer look at specific cross-functional topics.
Pre-Event Resources
For speaking opportunities, contact Marc Mele at marc.m@pei.group or call +1 646 581 9295.
Engage with the largest operating partner community
Private Equity International’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 event 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 investment and portfolio companies. Access to the Forum is limited to value creation experts from private equity firms and sponsors.
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
