International
CFOs & COOs Forum New York All Access
9 - 10 June 2021,
Eastern Time (ET) - Virtual, Available Anywhere
This virtual event is part of CFO All Access
A CFO All Access membership is a new way to keep modern CFOs and their teams in the know with high-value content and networking across the year.
The industry defining CFOs & COOs Forum is now one of the many essential networking and learning opportunities you will get throughout the year with your CFO All Access membership.
The only way you can attend this year’s event is with a CFO All Access membership. It won’t cost you any more to access this year’s virtual event, and will give you exclusive access to future live events once they return.
Redefining the private equity CFO & COO role
Now in its 18th year, the CFOs & COOs Forum New York is the industry benchmark for high-value content and networking. This year’s virtual Forum is one of the many benefits you will receive with a CFO All Access membership.
The annual meeting for C-level executives, the CFOs & COOs Forum is an irreplaceable resource for the private equity community. Featuring a breadth of relevant topics and authoritative speakers, finance and operations executives are guaranteed to receive key information that will impact processes and practices within the firm.
This year’s virtual Forum features insightful keynotes, panels, working groups, live Q&As, think tanks and lunch chats. The event continues to respond to the needs of the PE community and addresses pivotal issues affecting the industry in real-time.
2021 Keynote speaker
Damien Dwin
Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Lafayette Square
Damien Dwin is an American businessman and investor who currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Lafayette Square. He founded Lafayette in November of 2020 as a model investment platform that deploys services-backed capital to local communities, independent businesses, and diverse investors. Lafayette Square is built for inclusion—here to change the financing paradigm and investing in an American economy worth believing in.
Built by CFOs & COOs
2021 Advisory board
2021 Discussion topics
» Virtual fundraising
» Investor reporting
» Valuation
» Transparency
» LP communications
» Human capital & talent management
» Diversity and inclusion
» SEC examinations
» Data management
» Secondaries
» Succession planning
» Technology innovation and implementation
» Cybersecurity
» Tax updates
» Regulation and compliance
» Crisis and risk management
» ESG
» Subscription lines
» Operational efficiency
» Retailization of PE
» LPA amendments
» Carried interest and more
View the 2021 agenda for an in-depth look at:
– Breakout sessions – choose from over 15 breakout sessions over the course of 2 days
– Interactive Q&As – following the breakout sessions participate in interactive discussions with the panelists
– Think Tanks – choose from a CFOs & COOs, CCOs and Senior Finance Executive think tank
– Keynote interviews, plenary sessions, and more!
Past CFO & COO attendees include
What our attendees say about the Forum
James Crossen
Managing Director, Finance, Apollo Global Management
The top conference I have attended. Very relevant topics, a great cast of characters and a diverse group of firms represented.
Kristine O'Connor
Managing Director and CFO, Franklin Park
The Forum is consistently the best conference for finance professionals in the private equity industry! The event offers meaningful content, knowledgeable speak…
Shant Mardirossian
Partner, Chief Operating Officer, Kohlberg & Company
A must attend conference for me. Plan to expand to other members of the Finance team.
Kristine O'Connor
Managing Director and CFO, Franklin Park
The Forum is consistently the best conference for finance professionals in the private equity industry! The event offers meaningful content, knowledgeable speakers and ample networking opportunities!
Your CFO All Access membership includes:
Only CFO All Access members can attend the 2021 virtual CFOs & COOs Forum. Become a member today and receive access to a whole year of peer-to-peer networking, Forums and targeted Deep Dives. See the full schedule below and click an activity for more information.
Please note annual agenda is subject to change
2021 agenda
View each tab below to explore the 2021 agenda featuring insightful breakouts, panel discussions, working groups and networking opportunities for the leaders in finance and operations.
For speaking opportunities at the 2021 Forum, contact Shamara Ray at shamara.r@peimedia.com.
All times are listed in Eastern Time (ET)
Agenda
Day 1 - Wednesday 9th
PEI welcome & chair’s introduction
Chair’s welcome
Keynote interview
8th annual global CFO and COO benchmarking survey results
In this session, we will review the results of the eighth annual survey of CFOs and COOs from across the globe. We’ve collected extensive data on people, processes, and planning for the future. The insight gained from the survey will provide the foundation for a robust discussion by an esteemed panel of CFOs and COOs representing a broad spectrum of private funds.
Networking break
Track A | Virtual fundraising: best practices and lessons learned thus far
- Is virtual fundraising here to stay?
- Examining how the current environment has accelerated virtual fundraising approaches
- What did the firm change while conducting fundraising during a pandemic?
- Determining an optimal technology platform for a virtual fundraise process
- How receptive have investors been to new fundraising methods?
- Is there a trend of LPs making commitments to funds in a completely virtual manner?
- Best practices for selling companies via virtual roadshows
Track B | Achieving day-to-day operational efficiency
- Dissecting the operational elements that are changing at mid-market firms
- Finding the right technology solution to ensure proper management of deals and portfolios
- A closer look at how managers are approaching operational due diligence and best practices to meet investor needs
- How do CFOs set up a fund?
- Key factors for constructing a finance team
- Determining what to outsource when wearing multiple hats
Track C | Strategies to harness and leverage data across the firm
- Tools to utilize operating and performance data throughout the firm
- Evaluating resource and budget allocation for data spend
- Making sure the firm has real-time data to calculate valuation to meet auditor requirements
- Tapping the right internal team to lead data and integration projects
- Determining how to measure success with ongoing data projects
- What data and metrics are required for standard LP reports?
- Has the use of Excel decreased with improved data strategies?
Track D | Implementing ESG initiatives at the firm and portfolio level
- How important is ESG to investors?
- Delving into common investor questions surrounding ESG strategies
- Taking intentional steps toward diversity, equality and inclusion through the prism of ESG policies
- Will ESG become a hot button issue for U.S. LPs to match foreign LP demand?
- What level of reporting do LPs require from GPs?
- How challenging is it for GPs to comply with LP ESG demands?
Track E | Technology Spotlight
Discover new automated solutions firms are implementing to address challenges and the best technology to help with accounting, transparency, reporting and more.
Lunch
Take a quick lunch break or join the networking Q&A sessions
Track A | Q&A for 11:30 fundraising panel
Ask your pressing questions of the panelists, and your peers, to advance the discussions from the morning breakout sessions.
Track B | Q&A for 11:30 operational efficiency panel
Ask your pressing questions of the panelists, and your peers, to advance the discussions from the morning breakout sessions.
Track C | Q&A for 11:30 data panel
Ask your pressing questions of the panelists, and your peers, to advance the discussions from the morning breakout sessions.
Track D | Q&A for 11:30 ESG panel
Ask your pressing questions of the panelists, and your peers, to advance the discussions from the morning breakout sessions.
Track E | Tech Chat
Ask your pressing questions of the panelists, and your peers, to advance the discussions from the morning breakout sessions.
Track A | Valuation of troubled companies as a result of COVID
- Managing valuations for companies that have declined due to the pandemic
- What creative approaches are firms applying to valuation practices?
- How are auditors getting valuations done using a pro-forma outside of COVID valuation methodology?
- EBITDAC: surveying the COVID impact to EBITDA and methods for doing valuations
Track B | Adapting to a remote environment while transitioning to a return to work strategy
- Safety first: ensuring the health and safety of the team
- Employing vaccine implementation as a part of return to work strategy
- What does returning to the office look like for your firm?
- Establishing criteria and protocol for travel—who can travel under what circumstances
- Modifying methods for relationship building with companies, management teams and limited partners
- Implementing enhanced global communication
- Ensuring your junior staff receive the support they need
Track C | Investor reporting: how the structure and metrics have changed
- Evolution of methods to communicate better with LPs
- What information are firms now regularly providing that wasn’t provided pre-pandemic?
- Adopting ILPA templates and partnering with a solution provider to push out reporting through a platform
- Pros and cons of utilizing technology to pull data and auto-populate templates
- Best practices for providing consistent reporting to investors
- Reporting to LPs during COVID: webinars and virtual AGMs
Track D | Tax updates: legislative, regulatory and reporting
- Appraising potential tax changes under a new administration
- Exploring tax regulation influence on private equity
- Responding to LP inquiries on the increase of state tax withholding forms
- Staying abreast of the forms tax exempt entities need to file
- Retention tax credits
- What you should know about tax compliance
- K-1 changes
Track E | Technology Spotlight
Discover new automated solutions firms are implementing to address challenges and the best technology to help with accounting, transparency, reporting and more.
Track A | Q&A for 12:50 valuation panel
Ask your pressing questions of the panelists, and your peers, to advance the discussions from the afternoon breakout sessions.
Track B | Q&A for 12:50 return to work panel
Ask your pressing questions of the panelists, and your peers, to advance the discussions from the afternoon breakout sessions.
Track C | Q&A for 12:50 investor reporting panel
Ask your pressing questions of the panelists, and your peers, to advance the discussions from the afternoon breakout sessions.
Track D | Q&A for 12:50 tax panel
Ask your pressing questions of the panelists, and your peers, to advance the discussions from the afternoon breakout sessions.
Track E | Tech Chat
Ask your pressing questions of the panelists, and your peers, to advance the discussions from the afternoon breakout sessions.
Distinguishing what firms are doing differently in LP communications
- Handling increased LP requests while minimizing the impact on workload
- What are firms doing to streamline the LP communication process while addressing investor specific questions?
- Analyzing the creativity around LP communication in COVID
- Are firms fulfilling requests in spreadsheets provided by the LPs or utilizing ILPA templates?
- Communication combination: conducting virtual LP meetings interspersed with live sessions
- Providing LPs with a glimpse into firm culture, work environment and portfolios
Networking break
Interactive Chat Topic 1: Expense allocations
- How is your firm handling and tracking expense information?
- Determining what costs get passed on to the fund or deemed a management company expense
- Best practices and lessons learned
Interactive Chat Topic 2: Crisis and risk management
- Managing crisis and risk given different market dynamics
- Instituting robust risk management and communication strategies
- Best practices and lessons learned
Interactive Chat Topic 3: Compensation trends
- Benchmarking comp levels for members of the finance group
- Working with investment team on compensation strategy
- Best practices and lessons learned
Keynote Interview
Networking reception and end of day 1
Agenda
Day 2 - Thursday 10th
CFOs and COOs think tank
CCOs think tank
Senior finance executive think tank
Chair’s opening remarks
Keynote interview
Is private equity making strides in addressing diversity?
- Assessing diversity gaps within the firm: gender, ethnic and historically underrepresented groups
- Changing diversity at both entry and senior levels of the firm
- Promoting more diversity on deal teams
- Analyzing the firm’s sources for new hires and expanding the search for diverse talent
- How is your firm thinking about internal talent development?
Networking break
Track A | Driving firm growth through human capital and talent management
- Employee retention strategies: best practices and lessons learned
- Identifying opportunities to augment terms of compensation
- Overcoming challenges of attracting employees in the current environment
- Formulating a systematic process for virtual onboarding
- How does the firm incentivize new hires?
- Embracing the culture that makes your firm unique to optimize your workforce
Track B | Revisiting cybersecurity measures to protect the firm from emerging risks
- Effect of increased virtual engagement and a remote workforce on cyber risk at your firm
- Conducting a review of portfolio companies for cybersecurity vulnerabilities
- Tools for mitigating threats and breaches to boost your firm’s systems for increased security
- Cybersecurity preparedness and testing
- Preparing for new threats on the horizon to ensure data is protected
Track C | SEC 2021 priorities and examination focus areas
- Shared insight: what is the SEC focusing on during exams?
- Fees and expense allocation—taking it back to the LPA
- How are portfolio companies factoring into exams?
- Is the SEC looking at examinations differently post COVID?
- Are fundraising and valuations receiving increased scrutiny?
- Weighing what changes and adjustments can be made to processes within the firm
- What your firm needs to be doing on cybersecurity policy
Track D | Key considerations for advancing carried interest structures
- Classifying the different types of carry being used across funds
- Waterfall calculations and carried interest allocation technology solutions
- Recommending creative carry to include in the LPA
- Who can participate in carry within the firm?
- Standards in vesting periods of carry
- Waterfall processing best practices
Lunch break
Interactive Chat Topic 1: Subscription lines
- Use of lines of credit and its impact on performance
- Becoming more customized to respond to LP credit line demands
- Best practices and lessons learned
Interactive Chat Topic 2: Outsourcing
- Which functions is your firm currently outsourcing?
- Creative ways firms outsource across the business to assist with cost and efficiency
- Best practices and lessons learned
Interactive Chat Topic 3: LPA amendments
- What are firms putting in LPAs in response to the pandemic?
- New LPA terms negotiated by LPs
- Best practices and lessons learned
Looking for new acquisition opportunities in the current market
- Evaluating how acquisition philosophy has turned around
- Where is the PE industry focusing its attention now?
- What activity are firms seeing in their portfolio and on the deal opportunity side?
- What are firms looking forward to growth in the economy to impact?
Track A | What course will private equity regulation take in the next four years?
- What’s ahead for the regulatory environment?
- Dissecting new regulatory changes and reporting requirements
- Regulatory issues that may arise or be resolved with the new administration
- Assuring your compliance team is informed of emerging regulatory requirements and enforcement actions
- Discover what’s keeping finance and operations executives up at night concerning PE regulation
- What considerations should be on your radar for potential regulatory developments
Track B | Secondary market update, pricing and valuation
- Dealing with aging funds that need a solution
- Secondary market GP-led fund restructurings
- Providing options for LPs seeking a way to structure out
- What is a typical restructuring timeline?
- Due diligence framework necessary to get these types of deals done
- Fair value accounting for secondary market transactions
Track C | Taking stock of succession planning at your firm
- Do you expect to see a succession event at your firm?
- Succession considerations for small partnerships
- Are firms being dissolved when older partners leave?
- How do you unwind a firm?
- What LPs miss or overlook when pressing for a succession plan
- Inventive strategies for retaining next generation talent
- Tackling friction between the generations at your firm
Track D | Technology innovation and implementation
- Firm requirements: technology infrastructure and software solutions
- Ascertaining what your firm can do to work better utilizing technology
- Assessing areas requiring improvement to meet the needs arising from staff working remotely
- Focusing on software and how it’s interconnected with firm success
- Getting ahead of the curve with portfolio monitoring
- Technology that facilitates reporting at a firm level instead of pulling from a number of places
Track A | Q&A for 1:55 PE regulation panel
Ask your pressing questions of the panelists, and your peers, to advance the discussions from the afternoon breakout sessions.
Track B | Q&A for 1:55 secondary market panel
Ask your pressing questions of the panelists, and your peers, to advance the discussions from the afternoon breakout sessions.
Track C | Q&A for 1:55 succession planning panel
Ask your pressing questions of the panelists, and your peers, to advance the discussions from the afternoon breakout sessions.
Track D | Q&A for 1:55 technology panel
Ask your pressing questions of the panelists, and your peers, to advance the discussions from the afternoon breakout sessions.
Keynote interview
End of conference
Connect, engage with, and show off your thought leadership to the CFOs & COOs Forum 2021 attendees
The Forum will offer a unique opportunity for organizations to raise their profile by meeting with the largest gathering of private equity senior professionals across two days of sessions.
For exclusive sponsorship packages for 2021, contact Cristiana Crocco at cristiana.c@peimedia.com call +1 646 921 0923.
Connect, engage with, and show off your thought leadership to the CFOs & COOs Forum 2021 attendees
The Forum will offer a unique opportunity for organizations to raise their profile by meeting with the largest gathering of private equity senior professionals across two days of sessions.
For exclusive sponsorship packages for 2021, contact Cristiana Crocco at cristiana.c@peimedia.com call +1 646 921 0923.
Up to 15 CPE credits available
Earn up to 15 Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credits at this year’s CFOs & COOs Forum. PEI is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be addressed to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.NASBARegistry.org.
Pre-Event Resources
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That’s where CFO All Access comes into play. A new way to keep modern CFOs, COOs, and senior financial executives in the know with high-level content and networking across the year.
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Please note annual agenda is subject to change
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What's next
Product options and pricing
FAQs
Speak to an account manager
Steven DeCilis II
Partner & Chief Financial Officer
AEA Investors LP
Mark Levitt
Chief Operating Officer
Global Infrastructure Partners
Shant Mardirossian
Partner, Chief Operating Officer
Kohlberg & Company
Nickie Norris
Senior Partner, COO, CCO
New Heritage Capital
Kristine O’Connor
Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer
Franklin Park
Sanjay Sanghoee
COO, CFO and CCO
Delos Capital
The virtual CFOs & COOs Forum will connect you with CFOs, COOs, and senior leaders in the private equity community. The Forum provides a place to engage, learn, and network.
Network at any time throughout the two day CFOs & COOs Virtual Forum. Take advantage of our virtual meeting tools by sending a private message or scheduling a face to face video meeting with Forum attendees.
2021 speakers
For speaking opportunities at the 2021 Forum, contact Shamara Ray at shamara.r@peimedia.com.

Tony Braddock
Chief Financial Officer , Stellex Capital Management

Les Brown
Partner, HGGC

Eugenie M. Cesar-Fabian
Partner, General Counsel & CCO, Palladium Equity Partners, LLC

Jacob Comer
Partner, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer, NovaQuest Capital Management

Michael Lebowitz
Director/Head of Carried Interest and Employee Investments in Alternatives, BlackRock

Steven DeCillis II
Partner & Chief Financial Officer, AEA Investors LP

Mark Levitt
Chief of Staff, Global Infrastructure Partners

Shant Mardirossian
Partner, Chief Operating Officer, Kohlberg & Company

Isaiah Massey
Managing Director - Chief Financial Officer, CAZ Investments LP

Thomas Mayrhofer
CFO and COO. EJF Capital, LLC

Nickie Norris
Senior Partner, COO, CCO, New Heritage Capital

Kristine O’Connor
Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer, Franklin Park

Heramb Ramachandran
Chief Financial Officer, Sciens Capital Management LLC

Giulianna Ruiz
Partner, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer, Trilantic Capital Management L.P.

Sanjay Sanghoee
COO, CFO and CCO, Delos Capital

Kevin Slaton
Chief Financial Officer and Chief Compliance Officer, Insight Equity

Tina St. Pierre, CPA
Partner and Chief Administrative Officer, Landmark Partners

Adam Weinstein
Managing Director, New Mountain Capital
