International
Operating Partners Technology Forum Virtual Experience 2020
1 - 2 December 2020,
Eastern Standard Time (EST) - Virtual Event
Driving technology as a key value creation lever in PE & VC
For ten years, Private Equity International has been the leading organizer of events dedicated to PE and VC value creators, with Forums across the globe in New York, San Francisco, London and Singapore gathering over 500 operating partners annually. PEI is now pleased to bring the Operating Partners Technology Forum to uncover deep dive discussions, strategies and initiatives to achieve value creation through technology.
In an increasingly digital world, the Forum will gather an elite crowd of technology value creators in PE & VC portfolio operations. Our community of operating partners will discuss and debate plans and actions at a crucial time in history to deal with this year’s downturn and reset strategies for growth through technology.
It is the place to meet and get a firm grasp on transformation and innovation initiatives with a concentration of tech & digital operating partners, C-level executives, suppliers & resources all in one setting to discuss strategies in impacting returns at a critical time for portfolio valuations.
Experience the Forum on our virtual platform!
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!
2020 Forum highlights:
- Grasping key technology and digitalization initiatives in working with your portfolio companies through a downturn
- Deep dive invitation-only think tanks in the most important technology focused value creation areas: designed exclusively for PE and VC Operating Partners
- Women in technology operations lunch discussion (invitation-only)
- AI/ML for value creation
- Finding and activating brilliant digital leaders across the operating team and portco leadership team
- Tech due diligence done right
- Advanced analytics – measuring the success of a company, increasing revenue, and scaling the business
- First hand operating partner digital transformation stories and perspectives
- Cost reduction & optimization for technology enabled companies
- How software and AI are changing the future of finance
- Utilizing big data, AI, and workforce analytics for talent acquisition, development, and performance improvement
- Developing a network of third-party tech support to enhance the value creation process
- Agenda track selections tailored exclusively for VC operating partners
- Cybersecurity best practices: do’s and don’ts
Why attend?
Carve your niche in
technology operations
Hear first-hand perspectives on how to further develop your operational skill set by looking at successful PE and VC models.
Learn key technology strategies to create value
Find the right tools and knowledge to deliver successful cross-portfolio initiatives.
Network with top PE
and VC tech value creators
Meet with the largest community of technology operational experts all in one place.
2020 Featured speakers
Download the 2020 digital brochure
- Virtual networking
- Think tanks
- Private Equity sessions
- Venture Capital sessions
- And much more!
2020 attendees included
What our attendees say about the Forum
VP, Operations
Private Equity Fund
Great conference, excellent organization. I recommend this for every experienced, emerging and aspiring Operating Partner in Private Equity and Venture Capital…
Partner and Operational Resource Group Managing Partner
Private Equity Fund
The invite-only think tank provided candid insights into the inner workings of operating partner models across a variety of GPs, from small to mega.
Operating Partner
Venture Capital Fund
This was a great conference and I enjoyed networking with everyone at the event
VP, Operations
Private Equity Fund
Great conference, excellent organization. I recommend this for every experienced, emerging and aspiring Operating Partner in Private Equity and Venture Capital companies.
Discover best practices and ideas at a critical time for portfolio valuations at the industry’s best 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 Technology Forum will work with your host.
Available from anywhere & on-demand for up 6 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 6 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 Technology Forum, you get an active virtual 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.
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 Standard Time (EST)
Agenda
Day 1 - Tuesday 1st
Operating partners portfolio operations breakfast discussion (invitation-only)
This private virtual session is a deep dive on optimizing leadership and cultures for agile organizations. Experts will explore the differences between traditional and agile organization leadership and share best practices for leading hybrid teams – i.e., teams comprised of employees with varying degrees digital savviness. Join us for an in-depth discussion with actionable advice for operating partners on agile leadership and culture.
- Incorporating digital into every aspect of the organization from process to people
- Leading and designing an agile organization; setting the strategy, leading to build engagement, executing, and maintaining focus
- Best practices for hybrid leadership teams, with both digitally savvy and non-digital savvy leaders
- Optimizing an agile organization’s culture
- Advice for leaders who might want to become more digitally savvy
Facilitators:
Ted Bililies, Managing Director and Chief Talent Officer, AlixPartners
Angela Zutavern, Managing Director, AlixPartners
Hosted by:
Invitation-only think tank for full-time operating partners: value creation war room
This closed-door virtual room is a deep dive session into utilizing technology as a key value creation enabler. It is an opportunity to learn and share best practices for operating partners. The think tank will allow you to submit topics to be covered in one of the tech rooms you select:
Room 1: Digital transformations
Facilitators:
Jarrad Berman, Vice President, Digital Transformation, TZP Group
Bruce Kenny, Operating Executive, Evergreen Coast Capital
Parasvil Patel, Principal, Radical Ventures
Room 2: Data analytics
Facilitators:
Simon Jones, Operating Partner, Turnspire Capital Partners
Lisa Weaver-Lambert, Data and Digital Director, Montagu Private Equity
Room 3: Ecommerce
Facilitators:
Kingchih Fan, Operating Partner, The Riverside Company
Ignacio Giraldo, Partner, TPG Growth







PEI’s welcome and opening remarks
Key technology and digital initiatives in working with your portfolio companies through a downturn
- What to do from a technology operations standpoint — how operating partners work differently in different market conditions
- What advice do you offer management with regards to digital/technology value creation initiatives in working through a downturn?
- Understanding the challenges around web-enablement and changes in consumer behavior
- Working with your portfolio companies remotely: how best to manage and communicate with your portfolio
- Transitioning to a virtual workforce: lessons learned
- A hands-on approach to cost optimization, approaching capital intensive projects, escaping the “fixed costs trap”
- Looking at blueprints for businesses to get through the downturn: comparing the 2008 downturn to this year’s crisis
- What is your final piece of advice for minimizing risk brought on by a downturn?
Moderator:
Glenn Engler, EY-Parthenon Global Digital Leader, Americas Strategy and Transactions Digital Strategy Leader, EY
Panelists:
Mark Emery, Partner, Co-Head of the Operations Management Group, The Jordan Company
Neil Kimber, Operating Principal, Accel-KKR
Peter Kuerpick, Technology Operating Partner, Bain Capital
Raj Kushwaha, Managing Director, Operating Partner and Chief Digital Officer, Warburg Pincus
The art of virtual sales: what the sales force of the future will look like
- How COVID-19 has changed the future of selling – no going back to the pre-COVID days
- How virtual selling meets customer needs
- Where might virtual selling apply and where not?
- Capturing the value of virtual: the economic benefits from a successful virtual sales model
- Charting the virtual sales transformation: best practices for implementing virtual sales
- Managing the virtual sales teams: new more effective techniques
Moderator:
Michael Smith, Senior Managing Director, Technology, Media and Telecom Practice, Blue Ridge Partners
Panelists:
Brian Cohen, Operating Partner, Altamont Capital Partners
Bruce Grainger, Operating Partner, Francisco Partners
Kevin Jeon, Director of Revenue Optimization, Peak Performance Group, Summit Partners

Michael Smith
Senior Managing Director, Technology, Media and Telecom Practice, Blue Ridge Partners
Read bio


AI/ML for value creation
- Hype vs reality of AI/ML – what use cases should PE portfolio companies focus on?
- How can PE firms and their portfolio companies identify opportunities to use AI and ML to improve business outcomes?
- Talent challenges – how do PE portfolio companies execute AI/ML use cases without having to hire data scientists?
- How should PE firms think about AI/ML for their own internal operations?
Moderator:
Daniel Burke, Global Lead, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Private Equity, Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Panelists:
Karthik Balu, Technology Advisor, TPG Capital
Richard Poole, Senior Associate and Member of the Portfolio Team, Hg
Technology roadmap in the first 100 days and beyond
- Building the technology strategic roadmap for day 1 and beyond – what are the key strategic considerations?
- Technology strategic roadmap execution – what are some typical challenges and related mitigation strategies?
- Technology’s role in the execution of the broader integration program – how can technology help drive the program toward successful outcomes?
Moderator:
Jody Cordeiro, Director, AlixPartners
Panelists:
Asheesh Gupta, Managing Director, Portfolio Support, Audax Group
Matt Thompson, Senior Vice President, Portfolio Operations, Skyview Capital
Craig Vosburgh, Chief Technical Officer, Strattam Capital
Virtual networking lunch and extended live Q&A
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.
Please join one of the roundtables as a follow-up interactive discussion with extended live Q&A from the panels.
Roundtable 1: Key technology and digital initiatives in working with your portfolio companies through a downturn
Roundtable 2: The art of virtual sales: what the sales force of the future will look like
Roundtable 3: AI/ML for value creation
Roundtable 4: Technology roadmap in the first 100 days and beyond
Track 1 — The transformative potential of data
- Mining and utilizing data throughout the investment process: due diligence, 100-day planning and long-term value creation activities
- Capturing, measuring and tapping the value of experience data — what is it, how do you get it and what to do with it
- Combining with operational data to create a 360-degree value creation strategy
Moderator:
Sean Epstein, Global Head of Private Equity, SAP
Panelists:
Carrie DiLauro, Director, Operations, Hamilton Robinson Capital Partners
Kevin Liu, Director, Techstars Investments
Srinivas Rapthadu, Managing Partner, Private Equity North America, SAP
Track 2 — Rapid contact center transformation to accelerate EBITDA improvements
- Proven mechanisms to speed up traditional approaches to contact center transformation
- Effective shared risk models (fixed price, gain share, fees-at-risk, risk/reward, champion/challenger)
- Learn about the process to achieve these results
- 2 industry case studies including financial results
Moderator:
Milos Djokovic, CEO and Managing Director, Eventus Solutions Group
Panelists:
Casey Kerr, Hyper-Growth Sales Advisor, Bregal Sagemount
Misha Logvinov, Managing Director and Head of IT Strategy, EQT Partners
Track 3 — Unlocking the strategic power of spend
- Stages of procurement transformation and how do they unlock saving and efficiencies
- Power of community insight and the value of analytics
- Immediate impact of leveraged spend on the bottom line
- Hidden savings throughout your entire procurement to pay process
Presenters:
Greg Thomas, General Partner, WestView Capital Partners
Michael van Keulen, Chief Procurement Officer, Coupa
Track 4 — Finding brilliant digital/technology talent: how do you deal with it?
- Overcoming the challenges of scarcity in tech talent – firsthand views on what to do
- Challenges of building and hiring cloud expertise in your companies: how are you dealing with it?
- Key players: leveling up tech know-how across the operating team and portco leadership team
- Leveraging tools to drive hiring across the portfolio
- Activating a pool of experts to support your operating partners to shape the portco journey and unlock EBITDA opportunities
- Building a digital culture at your companies
- Operating model – executing digital initiatives and successfully incorporating digital into your playbook by relying on multiple vendors, technologies, players, and partners
Moderator:
Debbie Millin, Chief Operating Officer, Globalization Partners
Panelists:
David Beuerlein, Operating Partner, Khosla Ventures
Brian Kasser, Talent Partner, Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe
Melissa Mounce, Managing Director, Leadership Talent, GTCR
Milo Sprague, Senior Technology Advisor, FTV Capital





Track 5 — Turning sustainability into a competitive advantage
Across the globe we are seeing increasing awareness of the carbon footprint and environmental impact of businesses and this growing public interest in ethical investing has influenced many private equity funds to incorporate environmental and social goals into their portfolio strategy. As a result, understanding how to operationalize a sustainability program across diverse portfolios has become critical as it adds further complexity to a firm’s discovery, due diligence, and divestiture strategies. In this panel discussion we will explore:
- Why ecosystems are important
- Microsoft’s increasing investments in AI for Earth and the recently launched Planetary Computer and other technical and business efforts intended to drive positive global impact
- Operating partner views in building sustainability programs to learn about the opportunities and challenges in developing these strategies to deliver that competitive advantage and value creation
Moderator:
Gretchen O’Hara, Vice President, US AI & Sustainability Strategy & Partnership, Microsoft
Panelists:
Kirk Hourdajian, Head of ESG & Impact, Vista Equity Partners
Brandon Middaugh, Director, Climate Innovation Fund, Microsoft
Leela Ramnath, Director of ESG, Warburg Pincus
Track 6 — Venture Capital: The rise of the VC operating partner
- What is driving the rise of the VC operating partner? How is the role evolving and what will it look like in 5 years?
- Career pathing and compensation for VC operating partners
- Measuring the value/ROI of operating partners in VC
- VC generalists vs. specialists
- What lessons can VC operating partners learn from their PE counterparts?
- Tech for VC: infrastructure-building at earlier stage companies
- Scaling fast: sharing the secret sauces
- Best practices in VC portfolio operations — looking at profiles/playbooks of VC operating partners and managing the various constituents
- Are there any sector specific nuances to VC operating partner models?
Moderator:
Peter Carroll, Operating Partner, Jump Capital
Panelists:
Travis Bryant, Partner, Head of Founder Experience, Redpoint Ventures
Dale Chang, Operating Partner, Scale Venture Partners
John Hamm, Operating Partner, Khosla Ventures
Joubin Mirzadegan, Go to Market Operating Partner, Kleiner Perkins





Track 7 — Advanced data science and analytics to govern the business
- What new tools are you adopting for portfolio management: best methodology for portfolio company reporting
- Advanced analytics – turning data into revenue & EBITDA
- How is the data team set up and how closely does it work with the management team and investment team?
- Building out the tech infrastructure that helps us dive deeper into data analysis
- What kind of datasets do you use? Which KPIs are worth gathering data for resulting in high impact to the business?
- Using predictive analytics, data integration, and supplemental data lakes to augment decision making
- Monetizing data: how best to impact the performance management & operational improvement processes
Moderator:
John Cacavias, Partner, Liberty Advisor Group
Panelists:
Patrick Beatty, Senior Director, Strategic Product Analytics, Naspers Ventures
Tye Howell, Managing Director of Data & Digital, Blue Point Capital Partners
Michael Recce, Managing Director and Chief Data Scientist, Neuberger Berman
Amanda Widjaja, Head of Data, Norwest Venture Partners (NVP)





Track 8 — Developing a network of third-party tech support to enhance the value creation process
- When to use tech consultants vs build capability in-house: what is your process for evaluating what can be done internally vs. what is better outsourced to a third party?
- Which specialized third-party support is most valuable for opcos?
- Benchmarking: looking at cross-portfolio programs vs. individual portfolio company initiatives
- How to identify, select, and aggregate third-party tech providers
- How to scope projects and manage third parties during the course of a project
- How to leverage your portfolio of noncompetitive companies to form an informal network within your portfolio
- How to hold third parties accountable and how to hold portfolio companies accountable
Moderator:
Richard Sittema, Principal, Grant Thornton
Panelists:
Douglas Chey, Chief Portfolio Technology Officer, Leonard Green & Partners
Michael Frain, Senior Vice President, Shared Services, Warburg Pincus
Chris Kitching, Operating Partner, HighBar Partners
Kiran Rao, Operating Partner, TPG Capital





Track 9 — Venture Capital: Productize your operating platform: Lessons learned building the Costanoa Ventures Operating Platform
- How to use product as an approach to building an operating platform
- Guiding principles that make up an operating platform
- Overview of various programs and lessons learned
- How feedback loops from portfolio companies drive content and continuous improvement
- Getting better alignment with investment partners to measure impact
- Examples and key lessons learned
Presenters:
Martina Lauchengco, Operating Partner, Costanoa Ventures
Jim Wilson, Operating Partner, Costanoa Ventures
Doubling down on cloud transformation — the potential of XaaS and recurring revenue
- Highlight opportunities to leverage cloud, subscription and consumption in software-driven revenue models
- Discuss how these new business models can drive revenue growth, along with potential pitfalls including revenue leakage, customer retention challenges and other inefficiencies in the cloud
- Explore how the application of cloud technologies can help companies scale quickly and improve operational performance
- Explore lessons learned and best practices in managing transitions through revenue mix shift, and the path to XaaS @ scale
- Discuss practical short-term efforts than can help companies drive value
Moderator:
Romit Dey, Partner, PwC Consulting
Panelists:
Alpna Doshi, Operating Partner, Thoma Bravo
Chris Goodall, Technology Advisor, Vitruvian Partners
Misha Logvinov, Managing Director and Head of IT Strategy, EQT Partners
Cici Zheng, Principal, ParkerGale Capital



Chris Goodall
Founder - CG Consultancy and Technology Value Add Pyramid Head, Vitruvian Partners
Read bio

Roundtable discussions: extended interactive live Q&A
Please join one of the roundtables as a follow-up interactive discussion with extended live Q&A from the panels.
Roundtable 1: Advanced data science and analytics to govern the business
Roundtable 2: Developing a network of third-party tech support to enhance the value creation process
The next frontier in value creation: unlocking the digital revolution in private equity
- What makes a great PE operations team in the modern-day tech boom? What makes a great digital operating partner? What will the future of the role look like in an increasingly digital world?
- Best practices in building out an operating team: structures, staffing, & value creation programs
- How to quantify and incentivize operating partner performance: KPIs, goals, and metrics used
- Building out an ecosystem of partners and advisors to leverage technology in the portfolio
- Understanding the unique issues that tech companies face in creating value
- Tech tales — firsthand digital transformation stories
- Buy-and-builds in a digital age: which elements of digital transformations are your highest priority to drive value creation?
- Looking at IT infrastructure, new technologies, and application software upgrades
- The role of the operating partner in portfolio company governance: how do you create buy-in for your value creation plan with management?
- Engaging with portfolio companies to drive initiatives: is your approach autocratic or laissez faire?
Moderator:
Rahul Puri, Global Head – M&A, Private Equity & VC Practice, Oracle NetSuite
Panelists:
David Jones, Operating Partner, Pollen Street Capital
Manek Kapur, Vice President, TMT and Digital Value Creation, Partners Group
Russ Trpkovski, Operating Principal, CVC Capital Partners




Deep dive discussion for operating partners (invitation-only): What is the biggest single change in commercial organizations that will enhance value over the next 18 months
Facilitator:
Michael Smith, Senior Managing Director, Technology, Media and Telecom Practice, Blue Ridge Partners
Hosted by:

Michael Smith
Senior Managing Director, Technology, Media and Telecom Practice, Blue Ridge Partners
Read bioRoundtable discussions: extended interactive live Q&A
Please join one of the roundtables as a follow-up interactive discussion with extended live Q&A from the panels.
Roundtable 1: Doubling down on cloud transformation — the potential of XaaS and recurring revenue
Roundtable 2: Finding brilliant digital/technology talent: how do you deal with it?
Virtual networking reception and extended live Q&A
(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)
Please join one of the roundtables as a follow-up interactive discussion with extended live Q&A from the panels.
Roundtable 1: The transformative potential of data
Roundtable 2: Rapid contact center transformation to accelerate EBITDA improvements
Rountable 3: Unlocking the strategic power of spend
Rountable 4: Turning sustainability into a competitive advantage
Roundtable 5: The next frontier in value creation: unlocking the digital revolution in private equity
Agenda
Day 2 - Wednesday 2nd
Invitation-only think tank for full-time operating partners: value creation war room
This closed-door virtual session is an opportunity to learn and share how to develop your role as an operating partner. The think tank will allow you to submit topics to be covered in the room. It will allow you to select one of the two groups based on your role in PE or VC portfolio operations value creation:
Group A — PE Digital & Technology Operating Partners:
Facilitators:
Jason Friedrichs, Director, Portfolio Operations, Altamont Capital Partners
Raj Kushwaha, Managing Director, Operating Partner and Chief Digital Officer, Warburg Pincus
Group B — VC Operating Partners:
Facilitators:
Jason Miller, Chief Operating Officer, Point72 Ventures
Casey Rovinelli, Growth Director, Portfolio Companies, OMERS Ventures


Raj Kushwaha
Managing Director, Operating Partner and Chief Digital Officer, Warburg Pincus
Read bio

Getting to top quartile of PE firm returns through technology investments at portfolio companies
- Debate: learn whether a prescriptive, playbook approach or a collaborative approach to working with portfolio company leadership is best for a digital transformation
- Adventures in value creation: stories in succeeding and failing in building a great tech stack for top returns
- What do the best private equity firms and operating partners do differently when it comes to portfolio company technology initiatives?
- Learn how best to partner with portfolio company leadership on digital transformations
Moderator:
Jesse Weber, Private Equity Lead, Sage Intacct
Panelists:
Ben Cox, Operating Principal, Sumeru Equity Partners
Brian Jawalka, Principal, Portfolio Operations, Product and Technology, TCV
Scott Tynes, CEO, Consero
Track 10 — The art of the operating deal- tech due diligence done right
- Successful operating partner tech due diligence stories when partnering with deal teams
- Virtual due diligence: assessing management teams/opportunities without meeting face to face
- Pre-deal assessments of the tech leadership team — lessons learned
- Understanding which elements of the operating framework are needed to support the growth objectives
- Technology diligence framework, sourcing — how to think about alternative data sources
- Assessing technology resources, equipment risk and the impact on capital expenditures
- Exploring the use of deeper dive diagnostics after the close — using them to align deal thesis assumptions to close with what you find later
Moderator:
Ragu Bhargava, CEO and Co-Founder, Global Upside
Panelists:
Andrew Hampshire, Chief Technology Officer, Gresham House
Prital Kadakia, General Partner, Serent Capital
David Muhlenkamp, Managing Director, Head of Portfolio Operations, Lindsay Goldberg
Track 11 — Case studies: how have PE portfolio companies used digital transformation as a lever of value creation
Moderator:
Aswatha Amarnath (Amar), Senior Vice President, Strategic Engagements and Sales Strategy, Wipro
Panelists:
Jarrad Berman, Vice President, Digital Transformation, TZP Group
Lucia Soares, Managing Director and Portfolio Chief Information Officer Americas, The Carlyle Group
Track 12 — Technology enablement across your portfolio
- Digital transformation for customer acquisition
- Managing hyper growth during funding rounds
- Cloud migration and consolidation across your portfolio
- Leveraging DEVOPS and SRE culture to increase profits
Moderator:
Stephen McElwee, Director of Business Development, 42 Lines
Panelists:
Gilad G. Amir, Digital Operating Partner, Pollen Street Capital
Casey Kerr, Hyper-Growth Sales Advisor, Bregal Sagemount
Track 13 — Leveraging data driven digital pricing
Moderator:
Adam Echter, Partner, Simon-Kucher & Partners
Panelists:
David Buckley, Operating Partner, General Atlantic
Eddie Hartman, Partner, Simon-Kucher & Partners
Kush Tulsidas, Operating Partner, One Rock Capital Partners
Track 14 — Big data & workforce analytics: looking at the future of human capital with AI on the horizon
- How is AI affecting and going to affect recruiting and developing talent?
- Utilizing workforce analytics to quantify performance improvement across the portfolio
- What tools have you effectively used to analyze 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 and engage your employees
- Utilizing big data to help you win the war for talent
Moderator:
Chris Volney, Senior Director of Client Strategy, Labor Analytics, CBRE
Panelists:
Eric Anderson, Senior Director, M365 Workplace Intelligence, Microsoft
Neel Bhatia, Operating Partner, Talent and ESG, Arcline Investment Management
Susan Clark, General Partner, Portfolio Operations, TCV
John Ouren, Operating Partner, STG Partners





Track 15 — Leveraging technology and predictive insights to optimize and transform global supply chains
- Understand how to streamline technology investments to drive cost savings and efficiencies
- Leverage AI for predictive insights that reduce gross margin inventory return on investments
- Take a wholistic look at your network to develop an optimal IT roadmap and supply chain network strategy
- Understand where to leverage business insights on where to improve the customer experience
- Understand how technology can drive supply chain resilience and improve profitability and more
Moderator:
Jim Barnes, CEO, enVista
Panelists:
Matt Ibbetson, Principal, Ridgemont Equity Partners
Bob Lobley, Operating Partner, Juna Equity Partners
Track 16 — Leveraging software and AI to create value out of the finance function
Recently, over 550 companies have integrated AI into their services and products. AI technology is now setting the stage for increased competitiveness. Finance must be a part of this as well for it to provide value and be relevant. During this session, we will share insights gained from working with numerous CFOs of PE-backed businesses. The discussion will highlight the challenges faced by the modern CFO, why traditional solutions are failing to deliver the value expected of finance organizations and the change CFOs and their finance organizations need to undertake.
- Gain an understanding of the attributes required of the modern CFO and their organization
- Learn more about the overwhelming technology landscape
- Understand how finance is ripe for AI, the ROI it provides and what the future will hold
- Explore Finance as a Service and how it delivers financial clarity, efficiency and scalability
Moderator:
David Appel, Head, Subscription and SaaS Vertical, Sage Intacct
Panelists:
Monica Johnson, Operating Partner and CFO, NGP Capital
Bill Klein, President, Consero Global
Brian Regan, Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer, Spectrum Equity
Andrew Walshe, Head of Portfolio Operations, Sightway Capital





Track 17 — Profit driven digital marketing best practices in an increasingly digital world
- Focusing on profit driven digital marketing channels to drive topline growth
- Data-driven digital marketing strategies to maximize brand growth
- Ecommerce best practices: achieving profitability across digital channels
- Understanding your digital marketing effectiveness in looking at the consumer and customer interaction via technology
Moderator:
Karen Hayward, Managing Partner and CMO, Chief Outsiders
Panelists:
Hubert Dagbo, Portfolio Manager, Development Partners International (DPI)
Faton Gjuka, Operating Principal, Sumeru Equity Partners
Alexandra Lutz, Managing Director, EQT Partners
Track 18 — M&A360™: Creating transformative value through each stage of the investment life cycle
Today’s M&A landscape is value-centric and growing increasingly complex. Private equity firms need data-driven insights and outcome-focused solutions that minimize risk and maximize return on invested capital throughout the transaction life cycle. Here we will focus on:
- Strategy and holistic diligence: financial, IT and cyber as well as synergy planning and cost management to reduce your risk exposure and close the deal with speed and confidence
- Integration, separation and transaction support: identifying and minimizing risks, accelerating transition timelines and minimizing cost variability to ensure the transaction priorities and investment thesis are achieved
- Portfolio optimization: transforming functional leaders and their teams, processes and technologies to support revenue expansion strategies, growth potential of acquisitions and expanded return on investment
- Divest: preparing for an exit with late-stage optimization in key areas in order to maximize enterprise value, improve exit value and increase speed to closing
Presenters:
David Muhlenkamp, Managing Director, Head of Portfolio Operations, Lindsay Goldberg
Dave Noonan, Principal, Head of Private Equity Strategy, RSM
Roundtable discussions: extended interactive live Q&A
Please join one of the roundtables as a follow-up interactive discussion with extended live Q&A from the panels:
RT1 Getting to top quartile of PE firm returns through technology investments at portfolio companies
RT2 The art of the operating deal — tech due diligence done right
RT3 Case studies: how have PE portfolio companies used digital transformation as a lever of value creation
RT4 Technology enablement across your portfolio
RT5 Case Study: Leveraging data driven digital pricing
Women in PE and VC technology operations lunch (invitation-only)
This closed-door virtual room discussion will explore what it’s like being a woman focused on PE & VC technology operations for value creation:
- What are the issues causing a disparity in genders?
- Exploring career paths, development, and how to position yourself as female tech leaders
- Is your firm focused on women’s leadership at technology portfolio companies?
- Recruiting female digital and tech talent: creating a more equal playing field across the operating team and your portcos
- Looking at trends and stats in gender in PE & VC
Facilitators:
Lily Chang, Chief Portfolio Services Officer, Leonard Green & Partners
Carrie DiLauro, Director, Operations, Hamilton Robinson Capital Partners
Angela Zutavern, Managing Director, AlixPartners
Hosted by:
Virtual networking lunch and extended interactive live Q&A
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
Please join one of the roundtables as a follow-up interactive discussion with extended live Q&A from the panels.
Roundtable 1: Big data & workforce analytics: looking at the future of human capital with AI on the horizon
Roundtable 2: Leveraging technology and predictive insights to optimize and transform global supply chains
Rountable 3: Profit driven digital marketing best practices in an increasingly digital world
Roundtable 4: M&A360TM: Creating transformative value through each stage of the investment life cycle
Built by and for operating partners
We source insights from our distinguished line-up of advisors representing a broad variety of private equity and venture capital firms to make sure our agenda addresses the topics integral to modern value creation. Read below to learn more about the advisory board members behind the San Francisco edition of the Operating Partners Forum series.
Tracey Abbott
Industry Value Creation, Portfolio Operations, Partners Group
Dale Chang
Operating Partner, Scale Venture Partners
Paul Ilse
Senior Operating Partner, Francisco Partners Consulting
Prital Kadakia
General Partner, Serent Capital
Kiran Rao
Operating Partner, TPG Capital
Achi Yaffe
Managing Director, Portfolio Operations , GI Partners
Interested in speaking at this year’s Forum? Please contact Marc Mele at marc.m@peimedia.com or call +1 646 581 9295.

Gilad G. Amir
Digital Operating Partner, Pollen Street Capital

Erik Anderson
Senior Director, M365 Workplace Intelligence, Microsoft

David Appel
Head, Subscription and SaaS Vertical, Sage Intacct

Aswatha Amarnath
Senior Vice President, Strategic Engagements and Sales Strategy, Wipro

Karthik Balu
Technology Advisor, TPG Capital

Jim Barnes
CEO, enVista

Patrick Beatty
Senior Director, Strategic Product Analytics, Naspers Ventures

Jarrad Berman
Vice President, Digital Transformation, TZP Group

Dave Beuerlein
Operating Partner, Khosla Ventures

Ragu Bhargava
CEO, Global Upside

Neel Bhatia
Operating Partner, Talent and ESG, Arcline Investment Management

Ted Bililies
Managing Director and Chief Talent Officer, AlixPartners

Travis Bryant
Partner, Head of Founder Experience, Redpoint Ventures

David Buckley
Operating Partner, General Atlantic

Daniel Burke
Global Lead, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Private Equity, Amazon Web Services (AWS)

John Cacavias
Partner, Liberty Advisor Group

Peter Carroll
Operating Partner, Jump Capital

Dale Chang
Operating Partner, Scale Venture Partners

Lily Chang
Chief Portfolio Services Officer, Leonard Green & Partners

Douglas Chey
Chief Portfolio Technology Officer, Leonard Green & Partners

Susan Clark
General Partner, Portfolio Operations, TCV

Brian Cohen
Operating Partner, Altamont Capital Partners

Jody Cordeiro
Director, AlixPartners

Ben Cox
Operating Principal, Sumeru Equity Partners

Hubert Dagbo
Portfolio Manager, Development Partners International (DPI)

Romit Dey
Partner, PwC Consulting

Carrie DiLauro
Director, Operations, Hamilton Robinson Capital Partners

Milos Djokovic
CEO and Managing Director, Eventus Solutions Group

Alpna Doshi
Operating Partner, Thoma Bravo

Adam Echter
Partner, Simon-Kucher & Partners

Mark Emery
Partner, Co-Head of the Operations Management Group, The Jordan Company

Glenn Engler
EY-Parthenon Global Digital Leader, Americas Strategy and Transactions Digital Strategy Leader, EY

Sean Epstein
SVP and Global Head of Private Equity, SAP

Kingchih Fan
Operating Partner, The Riverside Company

Ignacio Giraldo
Partner, TPG Growth

Faton Gjuka
Operating Principal, Sumeru Equity Partners

Chris Goodall
Founder - CG Consultancy and Technology Value Add Pyramid Head, Vitruvian Partners

Michael Frain
Senior Vice President, Shared Services, Warburg Pincus

Bruce Grainger
Operating Partner, Francisco Partners

Asheesh Gupta
Managing Director, Portfolio Support, Audax Group

John Hamm
Operating Partner, Khosla Ventures

Eddie Hartman
Partner, Simon-Kucher & Partners

Andrew Hampshire
Chief Technology Officer, Gresham House

Karen Hayward
Managing Partner and CMO, Chief Outsiders

Kirk Hourdajian
Head of ESG and Impact, Vista Equity Partners

Tye Howell
Managing Director of Data and Digital, Blue Point Capital Partners

Matt Ibbetson
Principal, Ridgemont Equity Partners

Brian Jawalka
Principal, Portfolio Operations, Product and Technology, TCV

Kevin Jeon
Director of Revenue Optimization, Peak Performance Group, Summit Partners

Monica Johnson
Operating Partner and CFO, NGP Capital

David Jones
Operating Partner, Pollen Street Capital

Simon Jones
Operating Partner, Turnspire Capital Partners

Prital Kadakia
General Partner, Serent Capital

Manek Kapur
Vice President, TMT and Digital Value Creation, Partners Group

Brian Kasser
Talent Partner, Welsh, Carson, Anderson and Stowe

Bruce Kenny
Operating Executive, Evergreen Coast Capital

Casey Kerr
Hyper-Growth Sales Advisor, Bregal Sagemount

Michael van Keulen
Chief Procurement Officer, Coupa

Chris Kitching
Operating Partner, HighBar Partners

Neil Kimber
Operating Principal, Accel-KKR

Bill Klein
President, Consero Global

Peter Kuerpick
Technology Operating Partner, Bain Capital

Raj Kushwaha
Managing Director, Operating Partner and Chief Digital Officer, Warburg Pincus

Martina Lauchengco
Operating Partner, Costanoa Ventures

Kevin Liu
Director, Techstars Investments

Bob Lobley
Operating Partner, Juna Equity Partners

Misha Logvinov
Managing Director & Head of IT Strategy, EQT Partners

Alexandra Lutz
Managing Director, EQT Partners

Stephen McElwee
Director of Business Development, 42 Lines

Brandon Middaugh
Director, Climate Innovation Fund, Microsoft

Jason Miller
Chief Operating Officer, Point 72 Ventures

Debbie Millin
Chief Operating Officer, Globalization Partners

Joubin Mirzadegan
Go to Market Operating Partner, Kleiner Perkins

Melissa Mounce
Managing Director, Leadership Talent, GTCR

David Muhlenkamp
Managing Director, Head of Portfolio Operations, Lindsay Goldberg

Dave Noonan
Principal, Head of Private Equity Strategy, RSM

Gretchen O'Hara
Vice President, US AI & Sustainability Strategy & Partnership, Microsoft

John Ouren
Operating Partner, STG Partners

Parasvil Patel
Principal, Radical Ventures

Richard Poole
Senior Associate and Member of the Portfolio Team, Hg

Rahul Puri
Global Head - M and A, Private Equity and VC Practice, NetSuite Oracle

Leela Ramnath
Director of ESG, Warburg Pincus

Kiran Rao
Operating Partner, TPG Capital

Srinivas Rapthadu
Managing Partner, Private Equity North America, SAP

Michael Recce
Managing Director and Chief Data Scientist, Neuberger Berman

Brian Regan
Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer, Spectrum Equity

Casey Rovinelli
Growth Director, Portfolio Companies, OMERS Ventures

Richard Sittema
Principal, Grant Thornton

Michael Smith
Senior Managing Director, Technology, Media and Telecom Practice, Blue Ridge Partners

Lucia Soares
Managing Director and Portfolio Chief Information Officer Americas, The Carlyle Group

Milo Sprague
Senior Technology Advisor, FTV Capital

Greg Thomas
General Partner, WestView Capital Partners

Matt Thompson
Senior Vice President, Portfolio Operations, Skyview Capital

Russ Trpkovski
Operating Principal, CVC Capital Partners

Kush Tulsidas
Operating Partner, One Rock Capital Partners

Scott Tynes
CEO, Consero Global

Craig Vosburgh
Chief Technical Officer, Strattam Capital

Andrew Walshe
Head of Portfolio Operations, Sightway Capital

Lisa Weaver-Lambert
Data and Digital Director, Montagu Private Equity

Chris Volney
Senior Director of Client Strategy, Labor Analytics, CBRE

Jesse Weber
Private Equity Lead, Sage Intacct

Amanda Widjaja
Head of Data, Norwest Venture Partners (NVP)

Jim Wilson
Operating Partner, Costanoa Ventures

Cici Zheng
Principal, ParkerGale Capital

Angela Zutavern
Managing Director, AlixPartners
‘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.
Partner with the Forum
PEI’s Operating Partners Technology Forum unites private equity operating partners and technology value creation experts. This intersection of individuals provides service providers with unique and customized programs to engage in thought provoking content discussions and provides numerous opportunities to connect in one-on-one discussions, roundtable events, and various other networking activities.
To explore how your firm can take a prominent leadership position, contact Lawrence Dvorchik at lawrence.d@peimedia.com or call +1 646 545 4429.