Private Equity
International
International
Responsible Investment Forum New York 2020
4 - 5 March 2020,
Convene 730 Third Ave
Effectively integrating ESG to create sustainable value
The Responsible Investment Forum returns to New York for its fourth year to bring together the most sophisticated LPs, GPs and associations to discuss why, when, and how your firm should be implementing an effective ESG strategy.
ESG issues are at the heart of all PEI’s editorial coverage, with our reporters consistently following and scrutinizing the ways in which managers in the US are adopting responsible investment practices and what LPs are looking for as they consider investing in private equity. PEI, partnering with the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), continues to prove itself as a thought-leader in this area, and is at the forefront of covering the growth of ESG in North American private equity.
Discussion topics:
- Bridging the LP-GP divide on ESG
- ESG reporting and metrics for success
- Focusing on diversity at the fund level and portfolio level
- Placing climate risk at the top of your agenda
- Human capital as a driving force for value
- ESG and the American Frontier
- The ESG and impact investing dynamic
- Engaging the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a strategic assessment tool
- Value creation with ESG
- LP expectations and focus in ESG due diligence
Bringing together the LPs, GPs and associations leading the way in responsible investment practices
Connect with
investors
Understand how LPs are benchmarking corporate governance and how it impacts the manager selection process.
Hear from corporate
governance leaders
Learn how to manage and monitor an ESG policy that aligns with your primary responsibility of delivering returns to investors.
Join the
discussion
Get involved in a community dedicated to creating more sustainable value, brought together over the past seven years by PEI and UN PRI.
Keynote speakers
Brochure now available for download!
Download the brochure to view:
– Speaker lineup
– Agenda highlights
– Past LP attendees
and more!
A sample of who you could meet
2019 Attendees included:
What our attendees say
ATL Partners
Christopher Romano
The Responsible Investment Forum New York is a must-attend event for those interested in sustainability, which should be all private equity investors
Intentional Endowments Network
Georges Dyer
PEI’s Responsible Investment Forum brought together an impressive collection of the world’s leading thinkers and practitioners on considering ESG fa…
Clayton Dubilier & Rice
Daniel Jacobs
If you are serious about integrating ESG into your investment strategy, you should attend this conference.
Intentional Endowments Network
Georges Dyer
PEI’s Responsible Investment Forum brought together an impressive collection of the world’s leading thinkers and practitioners on considering ESG factors in private equity investing.
2020 Agenda
View agenda page
Agenda
Day 1 - Wednesday 4th
Breakfast & registration
07:45 - 09:00
LP think tank breakfast (invitation-only)
Andrew Malk,
Matt Schey
Facilitators:
Andrew Malk, Managing Partner, Malk Partners
Matt Schey, Director, Strategic Projects, Institutional Limited Partners Association ( ILPA)
08:00 - 09:00
Registration and welcome breakfast
Opening remarks
09:05 - 09:10
PEI welcome
Seth Kerker, Director Events – Americas, PEI
09:10 - 09:15
Chairperson's opening remarks
Chris Fowle
Chris Fowle, Head of Americas, PRI
General session
09:15 - 09:45
Keynote fireside chat
Robert L. Greene,
Jordan Stutts
Robert L Greene, President & CEO, National Association of Investment Companies (NAIC)
Interviewed By: Jordan Stutts, Senior Reporter, Infrastructure Investor
09:45 - 10:30
LP roundtable
Elizabeth Seeger,
Michael Cappucci,
David Russell ,
Andrew Siwo
- Is PE under threat and how do we think about its role and social impact and the economy? How does ESG play a role?
- Fiduciary duties
- Do LPs have control over the capital?
- Flow of information between LPs and GPs
- How to evaluate managers
- Assessments and performance
Moderator:
Elizabeth Seeger, Director, Sustainable Investing, KKR
Panelists:
Michael T. Cappucci, Senior Vice President, Compliance and Sustainable Investing, Harvard Management Company, Inc.
David Russell, Head of Responsible Investment, USS Investment Management Ltd
Andrew Siwo, Director of Sustainable Investments and Climate Solutions, New York State Common Retirement Fund
10:30 - 10:45
Networking break
10:45 - 11:30
Impact investing
Ryan Miller ,
Chris Cozzone,
Megan Starr,
Julia Wittlin, CFA, CAIA, FRM
- Raising capital for impact: what assets owners are looking for and fund managers can provide
- Aligning on industry standards (Impact Management Project, IFC Operating Principles for Impact Management, IRIS+ Metrics)
- Clash between negative and positive impacts for multi-billion dollar managers
Moderator:
Ryan Miller, Partner, Malk Partners
Panelist:
Chris Cozzone, Principal, Sustainability lead, Bain Capital
Megan Starr, Principal and Head of Impact, The Carlyle Group
Julia Wittlin, CFA, CAIA, FRM, Managing Director, Portfolio Manager, BlackRock Private Equity Partners Group
11:30 - 12:15
ESG data
Alison Humphrey,
Dr. Philipp Aeby ,
Adam Black,
Jeff Cohen,
Abrielle Rosenthal
- How well is that data output performing in comparison to peers
- Are we able to benchmark fund manager performance?
- Can we marry performance data with ESG performance data? Are we able to communicate the info to LPs
- How to drive meaningful data
Moderator:
Alison Humphrey, Director of Environmental Social Governance, TPG
Panelists:
Dr. Philipp Aeby, CEO and Board Member, RepRisk
Adam Black, Head of ESG & Sustainability, Coller Capital
Jeff Cohen, Institutional Product Strategist, Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB)
Abrielle Rosenthal, Managing Director, Chief Compliance Officer and Chief Human Resources Officer, TowerBrook
12:15 - 12:45
Keynote spotlight discussion
Alison Fenton-Willock,
Isobel Markham
Networking lunch
12:45 - 13:50
Networking lunch
Plenary session
13:50 - 14:35
Impact Investing: How to participate in this emerging investing opportunity
Dan A. Mistler,
Alifia Doriwala,
Tony Jace,
Adam Reinmann,
Jennifer Signori
- LP, GP, and company perspectives on having a fund, committing capital, and managing investments related to impact
- Understanding how to effectively measure and manage impact
Moderator:
Dan Mistler, ESG Specialist, Bridge House Advisors
Panelists:
Alifia Doriwala, Managing Director and Partner, RockCreek
Tony Jace, CEO, CPI
Adam Reinmann, Managing Director, CEO of Wendel North America, Wendel
Jennifer Signori, Senior Vice President, ESG and Impact Investing, Neuberger Berman
Breakout sessions
14:35 - 15:20
Track A | Responsible investing for real estate investors: developing underserved areas
Carl Spevacek,
Ada Arevalo,
Lisa Davis,
Inna Khidekel,
Anna Murray
- Affordable Housing
- Achieving impact in low income communities
- Fragmented sustainability standards
- Sustainability Metrics: Translation and impact on property investment and management
- Climate Resiliency
Moderator:
Carl Spevacek, Manager, Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Services, RPS Group
Panelists:
Ada Arevalo, Chief Impact Officer, Alliant Strategic Investments
Lisa Davis, Executive Director and Portfolio Manager, Impact Investing, PGIM Real Estate
Inna Khidekel, Partner, Capital Markets, Bridge Investment Group
Anna Murray, Vice President of Sustainability, BentallGreenOak
14:35 - 15:20
Track B | ESG in private debt and responsible lending
Mike Hinkley,
Greg Bowes,
Brian Good,
Candice Richards
- Applying an ESG strategy across different debt instruments
- Conducting ESG diligence in credit with limited access to information, balancing rigor and flexibility for large portfolios
- ESG-focused CLOs: market opportunities and additional scrutiny
Moderator:
Mike Hinkley, Vice President, Malk Partners
Panelists:
Greg Bowes, Co-Founder and Managing Principal, Albright Capital
Brian Good, Senior Managing Director, Chief Product Strategist, First Eagle Alternative Credit
Candice Richards, Compliance Officer, MidOcean Partners
14:35 - 15:20
Track C | Benchmarking infrastructure for ESG performance
John Hodges,
Nick Cleary,
Samuel J. Lissner,
Michael Underhill
- Responsible Investment Strategies in Infrastructure
- ESG and the long-term ownership of infrastructure assets
- Developing a process to integrate ESG in investment decisions
- Formulating an ESG policy and integrating it into the due diligence process
- ESG issues over the investment’s lifespan
- Supply Chain ESG Risks
Moderator:
John Hodges, Managing Director, Infrastructure and Finance, BSR
Panelists:
Nick Cleary, Partner, Vantage Infrastructure
Samuel J. Lissner, Vice President, Ridgewood Infrastructure
Michael D. Underhill, Chief Investment Officer, Capital Innovations, LLC
Afternoon sessions
15:20 - 15:30
Networking break
15:30 - 16:25
ESG programs: from policy to integration
Alan Kao,
Lee Coker,
Sophie Flak,
Bryn Gostin,
Jeff Pentland,
Leela Ramnath
The principles that guide a firm’s ESG program are documented in the ESG policy. Many firms also use the ESG policy to describe the scope, governance structure, and management system of the ESG program. The purpose of this session is to share insights on taking an ESG program from policy to integration.
- How detailed should an ESG policy be?
- How do you use your policy to drive ESG integration across your investments?
- What challenges did you face in integrating ESG considerations across the firm?
Moderator:
Alan Kao, Global Service Line Leader – Compliance, Strategy & Transaction Services, Ramboll
Panelists:
Lee Coker, ESG Officer, Oak Hill Capital Funds
Sophie Flak, CSR and Digital Director, Eurazeo
Bryn Gostin, Senior Director, Head of Product Development & Strategy, Capital Dynamics
Jeff Pentland, Managing Director, Northleaf Capital Partners
Leela Ramnath, Director of ESG, Warburg Pincus
16:25 - 16:40
2020 LAVCA Awards Presentation
Cate Ambrose
Presenter
Cate Ambrose, Board Member, LAVCA
- Environmental Responsibility Award
- Environmental Responsibility Honorable Mention
- Social Responsibility Award
- Latin American Private Equity Award
16:40 - 17:10
Closing keynote address
Ken Mehlman,
Isobel Markham
17:10 - 17:15
Chairman's closing remarks
Chris Fowle
Chris Fowle, Head of Americas, PRI
17:15 - 18:15
Cocktail reception
Agenda
Day 2 - Thursday 5th
General session
07:45 - 09:00
Women’s networking breakfast (invitation-only)
Stephanie Campbell
- How does investing with a gender lens impact our social and economic future?
- How to recruit, cultivate, and retain diverse talent in PE
Facilitator:
Stephanie Campbell, General Partner, The Artemis Fund
08:00 - 09:00
Registration and breakfast
09:05 - 09:10
Chairwoman’s welcome
Christine Pishko
Christine Pishko, US Relationship Manager, Global Signatory Relations and Outreach, PRI, PRI
09:10 - 09:40
Keynote spotlight discussion
Suzanne Tavill,
Christine Pishko
Suzanne Tavill, Partner & Global Head of ESG, Stepstone Group
Interviewer: Christine Pishko, US Relationship Manager, Global Signatory Relations and Outreach, PRI
09:40 - 10:25
Corporate governance and board diversity
Elizabeth Ann Lowery,
Stephanie Campbell ,
Frances Higgins,
Don Reed,
Jemma Wolfe
- Diversity at the investment professional and portfolio board level
- How should board members be focused on ESG and what does that mean?
Moderator:
Beth Lowery, Managing Director, TPG
Panelist:
Stephanie Campbell, General Partner, The Artemis Fund
Frances Higgins, General Partner, WCAS
Don Reed, Executive Director, Anthesis Group
Jemma Wolfe, Head of Launch With GS, Goldman Sachs
10:25 - 10:45
Networking break
Morning breakout series
10:50 - 11:35
Track A: Responsible agriculture investment strategies
Chris Janiec,
Tom Amis,
Adam Fless,
Sanaz K. Raczynski
Defining and advancing responsible agricultural investments
Moderator:
Chris Janiec, Senior Editor, Agri Investor
Panelists:
Tom Amis, Head of the EQ Controlled Environment Team, Equilibrium
Adam Fless, Managing Director, Portfolio Excellence, Paine Schwartz Partners
Sanaz Raczynski, Managing Director, Head of Sustainability, Nuveen
10:50 - 11:35
Track B: ESG challenges in healthcare
Ashley E. Armstrong,
Stephen Bianca,
Matt Jameson,
Scott Li,
Jay Rose
Moderator:
Ashley E. Armstrong, Sustainability Consultant, Bridge House Advisors
Panelists:
Stephen Bianca, Director of Compliance, Alpine Investors
Matt Jameson, CFA, Managing Director, BlueMountain Capital Management
Scott Li, Managing Director, CRG
Jay Rose, Managing Partner, Amulet Capital Partners
General session
11:40 - 12:25
An emerging mandate: ESG reporting
Sarah Corrigan,
Viviana Occhionorelli,
Humberto Suarez
- An overview of the ESG reporting landscape
- Considerations for public disclosure vs. private communications to LPs
- How external stakeholders evaluate your reporting
- Best practices for gaining value from the reporting process
Moderator:
Sarah Corrigan, Principal Consultant, ERM
Panelists:
Matthew Hershenson, Head of Investor Relations, Paine Schwartz Partners
Viviana Occhionorelli, ESG Director, Astorg
Jon Samuels, Partner, The Vistria Group
Humberto Suarez, Controller, Lafise Investment Management
12:25 - 13:10
Climate change
Susan R. Kemball-Cook, Ph.D,
Michael Hall ,
Jay Koh,
Emily S. Kreps,
Brooks Preston
- Preparing climate-related financial disclosures and/or evaluating climate risks as part of pre-acquisition due diligence
- Assessment of transition and physical climate risks to align with various reporting frameworks (CDP, TCFD)
Moderator:
Susan R. Kemball-Cook, PhD, Principal, Ramboll
Panelist:
Michael Hall, Sustainability Manager, Development Partners International (DPI)
Jay L. Koh, Managing Director, The Lightsmith Group
Emily Kreps, Global Director, Investor Initiatives, CDP
Brooks Preston, Division Director, Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Asset’s (MIRA)
13:10 - 13:15
Chairwoman’s closing remarks
Christine Pishko
Christine Pishko, US Relationship Manager, Global Signatory Relations and Outreach, PRI, PRI
13:15 - 14:00
Networking lunch
2020 Speakers
Interested in speaking at the Forum?
Please contact Zakira Ralling at zakira.r@peimedia.com or +1 646 545 3321.
Dr. Philipp Aeby
CEO and Board Member, Reprisk
Dr. Philipp Aeby is the CEO and Co-founder of RepRisk. Prior to taking on this role, he held the position of Chief Operating Officer and Managing Partner. He is an expert in business conduct risk management, with a special interest in machine learnin… Read full bio
Cate Ambrose
Board Member, LAVCA
Cate Ambrose is a Board Member of the Association for Private Capital Investment in Latin America (LAVCA), a non-profit membership organization comprised of over 190 firms that control assets in excess of US$65b directed at capitalizing and growing L… Read full bio
Tom Amis
Head of the EQ Controlled Environment Team, Equilibrium
Tom Amis has worked exclusively in the renewable energy and sustainability space for the past 15 years. He has assisted clients in the development, structuring, financing, acquisition and disposition of renewable energy and sustainability projects in… Read full bio
Ada Arevalo
Chief Impact Officer, Alliant Strategic Investments
Ada Arevalo is the Chief Impact Officer at Alliant Strategic Investments, a national private equity firm focused on the preservation & social impact of affordable housing. In this capacity, Ms. Arevalo leads the firm’s business development strate… Read full bio
Ashley E. Armstrong
Sustainability Consultant, Bridge House Advisors
Ashley is a Sustainability Consultant at Bridge House Advisors. She is focused on the delivery of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) services for private equity clients, including strategy and program development, due diligence, metrics, mon… Read full bio
Stephen Bianca
Director of Compliance, Alpine Investors
Stephen is Director of Compliance at Alpine Investors where he manages Alpine’s regulatory and compliance matters as well as its ESG program. Prior to joining Alpine, Stephen was Vice President of Compliance at Genstar Capital. Earlier in his career,… Read full bio
Adam Black
Head of ESG & Sustainability, Coller Capital
Adam has been an ESG specialist for over 27 years (12 years in private equity). He is a Fellow of the Institute of Environmental Management & Assessment (FIEMA), Chartered Environmentalist (CEnv) and a Chartered Member of IOSH (the Institution of… Read full bio
Greg Bowes
Co-Founder and Managing Principal, Albright Capital
Gregory Bowes, Co-Founder and Managing Principal of ACM, has over 30 years’ experience building businesses in the financial services and alternative asset management industry. With John Yonemoto and other senior members of the Investment Team, he has… Read full bio
Stephanie Campbell
General Partner, The Artemis Fund
Stephanie Campbell is one of the three Co-founders and General Partners of The Artemis Fund, the first female led, female focused fund based in Houston, TX. She is also the Managing Director of the Houston Angel Network, one of the most active angel… Read full bio
Michael Cappucci
Senior Vice President for Compliance and Sustainable Investing, Harvard Management Company (HMC)
Michael Cappucci is a Managing Director for Compliance and Sustainable Investing at Harvard Management Company (HMC). He joined HMC in 2012. Michael helps to manage HMC’s sustainable investment program, where he focuses on integrating ESG factors in… Read full bio
Nick Cleary
Partner, Vantage Infrastructure
Nick joined the business in 2012 and has over two decades of relevant experience. Based in New York, Nick leads the North American Infrastructure Debt business, including investments origination, execution and portfolio management. He is a member of… Read full bio
Jeff Cohen
SASB: Institutional Product Strategist – Head of Private Investments Initiatives, CAIA
Jeff Cohen is an Institutional Product Strategist at the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB). In his role, Jeff educates and partners with institutional investors and asset owners facilitating dialogue on financially material industry sp… Read full bio
Lee Coker
ESG Officer, Oak Hill Capital Funds
Lee Coker serves as Oak Hill’s ESG Officer, leading the firm’s ESG diligence efforts and working with portfolio companies on ESG initiatives. Before working with the firm, Lee managed Environmental Defense Fund’s (EDF) Green Returns initiative, partn… Read full bio
Sarah Corrigan
Principal Consultant, ERM
Sarah Corrigan is a Principal Consultant for ERM, and leads client projects for ESG integration, policy development, due diligence, benchmarking, and reporting. Her work with private equity and credit firms has included developing pre-investment ESG… Read full bio
Chris Cozzone
Principal, Sustainability lead, Bain Capital Double Impact
Mr. Cozzone joined Bain Capital’s Global Private Equity team in London in 2011 and was part of Double Impact’s founding team from 2015. Prior to joining Bain Capital, Mr. Cozzone was a Consultant in Bain & Company’s Dubai and San Francisco office… Read full bio
Lisa Davis
Executive Director and Portfolio Manager, Impact Investing, PGIM Real Estate
Lisa Davis is an executive director at PGIM Real Estate and portfolio manager of Impact Investing. Based in New York City, Lisa is responsible for developing and leading PGIM Real Estate’s Impact Investing Strategy. Most recently, Lisa was director o… Read full bio
Alifia Doriwala
Managing Director and Partner, RockCreek
Alifia Doriwala. Alifia Doriwala is a Managing Director and Partner at RockCreek. She is a member of the firm’s Investment Committee, co-CIO on multi asset class portfolios and is involved in portfolio management, asset allocation and investment deci… Read full bio
Alison Fenton-Willock
SVP and Global Head of ESG, Blackstone
Alison Fenton-Willock is a Senior Vice President and Blackstone’s Global Head of ESG. In this role, she leads the firm’s overall approach to Environmental, Social and Governance (“ESG”) issues that impact its investing activities. Ms. Fenton-Willock… Read full bio
Sophie Flak
CSR and Digital Director, Eurazeo
Sophie Flak joined Eurazeo in 2013 as CSR Director and a specialist in conducting substantial transformation and innovation programmes within corporates. Sophie has overall responsibility for defining and executing Eurazeo’s ambitions CSR strategy ac… Read full bio
Adam Fless
Managing Director, Portfolio Excellence, Paine Schwartz Partners
Mr. Fless joined Paine Schwartz Partners in 2017. He leads the Portfolio Excellence Platform which includes the portfolio management committee, new investment diligence, and current investment performance improvement work. He is a seasoned private eq… Read full bio
Chris Fowle
Head of Americas , Principles for Responsible Investment
Chris joined the PRI in October 2016 as Americas Director, Signatory Relations to help manage 600 signatory relationships in North and South America. Previously he was Head of Investor Initiatives for CDP, the former Carbon Disclosure Project, in Nor… Read full bio
Brian Good
Senior Managing Director, Chief Product Strategist, First Eagle Alternative Credit
Mr. Good is a Senior Managing Director of First Eagle Alternative Credit and the Co-Head and Senior Portfolio Manager for First Eagle Alternative Credit's Tradable Credit platform. From April 2004 through June 2012, Mr. Good was the Co-Head of the Al… Read full bio
Bryn Gostin
Senior Director, Head of Product Development & Strategy, Capital Dynamics
Bryn is a Senior Director on the Business Development team, where he is the Head of Product Development & Strategy and Co-Chair of Responsible Investment Committee. Prior to joining Capital Dynamics, Bryn worked at Goldman Sachs in the Investment… Read full bio
Robert L. Greene
President & CEO, National Association of Investment Companies (NAIC)
Robert L Greene is a leader in the US Asset Management industry that has achieved success as an institutional investor, strategic advisor, board member and operating executive. He has built a reputation for innovative thinking, transforming strategy… Read full bio
Michael Hall
Sustainability Manager, Development Partners International (DPI)
Michael is responsible for ESG and Impact at DPI Michael has an extensive cross-sector, cross-industry view of the opportunities and challenges of ESG and Impact strategy and implementation over his 15 years working in sustainability, particularly in… Read full bio
Frances Higgins
General Partner, WCAS
Ms. Higgins is General Partner in the Fundraising and Investor Relations Group, having joined WCAS in 2007. Ms. Higgins is responsible for establishing and maintaining relationships with investors and fundraising for WCAS Partnerships. She also focus… Read full bio
Mike Hinkley
Vice President, Malk Partners
Mike is a Vice President at Malk Partners. Mike has led or assisted on ESG due diligence reviews for over 120 transactions spanning a wide array of industries, including technology, financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, industrials, and more… Read full bio
John Hodges
Managing Director, Infrastructure and Finance, BSR
With more than 20 years of sustainable development experience, John leads BSR's global infrastructure and financial services practices, advising companies on corporate sustainability strategy, responsible investing and project development, and enviro… Read full bio
Alison Humphrey
Director of Environmental Social Governance, TPG
As Director of TPG’s ESG team, Alison Humphrey works to develop and amplify sustainability and social impact efforts across portfolio companies to ensure positive, real-world results for investors, companies, and communities. Ali has a 10-year track… Read full bio
Tony Jace
CEO, CPI
Tony Jace is the Chief Executive Officer of the Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI), a training provider committed to empowering professionals worldwide in the service of society’s most vulnerable (including special needs children, the mentally ill and… Read full bio
Matt Jameson
CFA, Managing Director, BlueMountain Capital Management
Matt Jameson is a Managing Director on the Healthcare Investing team at BlueMountain Capital Management and a member of their Healthcare Investment Committee. Prior to joining BlueMountain, Mr. Jameson was a Managing Director and the Co-Head of Priva… Read full bio
Chris Janiec
Senior Editor, Agri Investor
Chris Janiec is a reporter with Agri Investor and previously wrote about non-bank finance for Private Debt Investor. A graduate of the NYU Center for Global Affairs, Janiec is also a member of the Carnegie New Leaders and the National Committee on Un… Read full bio
Alan Kao
Principal, Ramboll
Alan Kao is a Principal and Global Service Line Leader for Compliance, Strategy, and Transaction Services (CST) at Ramboll. The CST service line provides a broad range of environmental and social risk services related to the acquisition, operation, g… Read full bio
Susan R. Kemball-Cook, Ph.D
Principal, Ramboll
Sue Kemball-Cook is a Principal in Ramboll’s Novato, CA Office. Her expertise includes climate change risk assessment and global and regional climate and air quality modeling. Sue leads Ramboll’s North America climate risk assessment team. Her recent… Read full bio
Inna Khidekel
Partner, Capital Markets, Bridge Investment Group
Inna Khidekel serves as a Partner in Capital Markets at Bridge Investment Group. In this capacity, Ms. Khidekel’s principal role is to expand Bridge’s business and product development efforts with institutional investors around the world. Ms. Khideke… Read full bio
Jay Koh
Managing Director, The Lightsmith Group
Jay L. Koh is Founder & Managing Director of The Lightsmith Group. The Lightsmith Group is a global investment platform focused on generating superior returns aligned with sustainable principles. Lightsmith is the sponsor of the (CRAFT) concept,… Read full bio
Emily S. Kreps
Head of Investor Initiatives, CDP North America
Emily Kreps leads the CDP investor program for North America. She is experienced in defining and leading sustainable and responsible businesses, including a period as head of corporate development for a renewable and alternative energy company, as we… Read full bio
Scott Li
Managing Director, CRG
Scott Li joined CRG in 2015 and is a Managing Director. Mr. Li has been focused on the healthcare industry as an advisor, investor and executive for over 15 years. Mr. Li helps leads investment sourcing, diligence, and execution for CRG activity in v… Read full bio
Samuel J. Lissner
Vice President, Ridgewood Infrastructure
Sam Lissner leads Ridgewood Infrastructure’s ESG and sustainability initiatives related to the firm’s investments in water, power, energy and other infrastructure. Prior to joining Ridgewood in 2013, he focused on investments in distributed renewable… Read full bio
Elizabeth Ann Lowery
Managing Director for Sustainability and ESG, TPG
Elizabeth Lowery is Managing Director of Sustainability and ESG at TPG Global. Beth joined TPG after a 20-year career with General Motors Company where she was a member of GM’s Senior Leadership Group as Corporate Vice President, Environment, Energy… Read full bio
Andrew Malk
Managing Partner, Malk Partners
Andrew Malk is the Managing Partner at Malk Partners. He founded the firm after recognizing that even the most astute investors and well-managed companies need guidance to leverage environmental, social and governance (ESG) management to protect and… Read full bio
Isobel Markham
Senior Editor, Private Equity Group, Americas, PEI
Isobel is the Senior Editor, Private Equity Group, Americas. She joined PEI in September 2014 as a staff writer, was promoted to senior reporter in May 2015 and became editor of Private Equity International's monthly print publication in January 2017… Read full bio
Ken Mehlman
Member and Global Head of Public Affairs, KKR
Ken Mehlman joined KKR in 2008 and is Global Head of Public Affairs & Co-Head of KKR Global Impact. Since joining KKR, Ken has helped identify investment opportunities & assess and improve the companies in which KKR invests by engaging stakeh… Read full bio
Ryan Miller
Partner, Malk Partners
Ryan is a Partner at Malk Partners where he leads Malk’s ESG transactional advisory practice. He specializes in the identification and quantification of ESG risks for a number of industries including natural resource extraction, industrial services,… Read full bio
Dan A. Mistler
ESG Specialist, Bridge House Advisors
Dan is an Environmental Business Advisor at Bridge House Advisors. Dan leads the firm's ESG and Impact service lines, focused specifically on private equity clients. Prior to joining Bridge House, Dan was a senior leader in ESG and Impact advisory bu… Read full bio
Anna Murray
Vice President, Sustainable Investing, BentallGreenOak
Anna has spent her career advancing corporate strategy around the globe at major multinationals. Anna currently leads BGO's global Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) platform ($48 Billion AUM) integrating risk management and value creation p… Read full bio
Viviana Occhionorelli
ESG Director, Astorg
Viviana joined Astorg in 2018 and is a member of the Corporate Functions Team. Before that she worked as Global Sustainability Manager at Barco and as European Environmental Manager at Sony Electronics. Viviana has an expertise in circular economy, e… Read full bio
Jeff Pentland
Managing Director, Northleaf Capital Partners
Jeff is a member of Northleaf's Investment Committees and oversees the origination, evaluation and monitoring of Northleaf’s private markets investments, with a focus on North American and Asian opportunities. Jeff also chairs Northleaf’s ESG and Bus… Read full bio
Christine Pishko
US Relationship Manager, Global Signatory Relations and Outreach, PRI
Christine Pishko is a US Relationship Manager with the PRI responsible for Signatory Relations and Outreach. Prior to joining PRI, Christine held the role of Managing Director and lead Client Portfolio Manager for responsible investment strategies at… Read full bio
Brooks Preston
Division Director, Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Asset’s (MIRA)
Brooks joined MIRA in December 2017 and is responsible for sustainable asset management, product development, and emerging markets strategy. Before joining Macquarie, Brooks served as Vice President and Head of Investment Funds for the Overseas Priva… Read full bio
Sanaz K. Raczynski
Managing Director, Head of Sustainability, Nuveen
Sanaz is a managing director and head of sustainability for Nuveen Real Assets and Private Markets, which include investments across the farmland, timberland, agribusiness, commodities, private equity and private debt. She sets the sustainability str… Read full bio
Leela Ramnath
Director of ESG, Warburg Pincus
Leela Ramnath is Director of ESG at Warburg Pincus, a global private equity firm, where she focuses on environmental, social, and governance issues at the firm and portfolio companies. Prior to joining Warburg Pincus, she led impact and partnerships… Read full bio
Don Reed
Executive Director, Anthesis Group
An Executive Director in the Anthesis Group’s North American business, Don has 18+ years of experience helping operating companies, asset managers, and financial institutions develop and implement sustainability strategies that create business value… Read full bio
Adam Reinmann
Managing Director, CEO of Wendel North America, Wendel
Adam Reinmann is Associate Director at Wendel. He participated in setting up Wendel's office in New York. Since opening in 2013, the New York office has invested approximately $ 1 billion in North America. Before joining Wendel, Adam worked at Onex C… Read full bio
Candice Richards
Compliance Officer, MidOcean Partners
Candice Richards joined MidOcean Partners as a Compliance Officer in 2013. Previously, Mrs. Richards was a Compliance Officer at Gresham Investment Management LLC, a financial investment advisory firm. Prior to this, Mrs. Richards was a Compliance Of… Read full bio
Jay Rose
Managing Partner, Amulet Capital Partners
Jay Rose has spent the majority of his career investing in the healthcare industry. Prior to co-founding Amulet Capital Partners, Jay was a principal with Health Evolution Partners and JLL Partners. He began his career at Goldman, Sachs & Co., wo… Read full bio
Abrielle Rosenthal
Managing Director, Chief Compliance Officer and Chief Human Resources Officer, TowerBrook Capital Partners LP
Ms. Rosenthal is a Managing Director, Chief Compliance Officer and Chief Human Resources Officer of TowerBrook. Prior to joining TowerBrook, Ms. Rosenthal was a corporate partner in the London office of Kirkland & Ellis advising U.S. and European… Read full bio
David Russell
Head of Responsible Investment, USS Investment Management Ltd
David Russell heads the Responsible Investment (RI) Team of USS Investment Management, the fund manager for Universities Superannuation Scheme, where he has worked since 2001. USS is one of the largest pension funds in the United Kingdom, with assets… Read full bio
Matt Schey
Director, Strategic Projects, Institutional Limited Partners Association ( ILPA)
As Director, Strategic Projects for the Institutional Limited Partners Association (ILPA), Matt Schey directs a variety of strategic and operational initiatives which inform and enhance ILPA’s education, research, membership, and advocacy efforts. In… Read full bio
Elizabeth Seeger
Director, Sustainable Investing, KKR
Elizabeth Seeger (Washington, D.C.) joined KKR in 2009 to help oversee the consideration of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues throughout KKR's investment process, including the management of KKR’s ESG-focused value creation programs… Read full bio
Jennifer Signori
Senior Vice President, ESG and Impact Investing, Neuberger Berman
Jennifer Signori, Senior Vice President, joined the firm in 2017. Jennifer is on the ESG and Impact Investing team, responsible for integrating environmental, social, and governance considerations across the investment platform and leading the develo… Read full bio
Andrew Siwo
Director of Sustainable Investments and Climate Solutions, New York State Common Retirement Fund
Andrew Siwo is the Director of Sustainable Investments and Climate Solutions for New York State Common Retirement Fund. He is charged with providing leadership and oversight of sustainable investment efforts across the Fund’s $220 billion portfolio.… Read full bio
Carl Spevacek
Manager, Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Services RPS Group
Carl leads the ESG Service group within RPS’s North American Due Diligence practice. He manages RPS’s North American ESG Service offerings, including strategy and policy development, due diligence work streams, and monitoring and reporting for financ… Read full bio
Megan Starr
Principal and Head of Impact, The Carlyle Group
Megan Starr is a Principal and Head of Impact for The Carlyle Group. She is based in New York. Prior to joining Carlyle, Ms. Starr was a Vice President within Goldman Sachs’ Investment Management Division, where she helped build the Environmental, So… Read full bio
Jordan Stutts
Senior Reporter, Infrastructure Investor
Jordan Stutts is a senior reporter at Infrastructure Investor based in New York. Since 2015, Jordan has covered trends in the funding and financing of infrastructure assets around the world. His stories range from the simple power-purchase agreement… Read full bio
Humberto Suarez
Controller, Lafise Investment Management
Humberto Suarez is a Senior Controller & CG Officer for Lafise Investment Management (LIM)- a GP that manages Private Equity Funds investing in high growth SMEs in Central America, Panama, Dominican Republic and Colombia. He gets involved in the… Read full bio
Suzanne Tavill
Partner & Global Head of ESG, StepStone Group
Ms. Tavill is the global head of responsible investing, leading all ESG initiatives across all businesses and investment strategies at StepStone Group, a global private markets specialist overseeing more than $280B of private capital allocations, inc… Read full bio
Michael Underhill
Chief Investment Officer, Capital Innovations, LLC
Michael is the author of the acclaimed Handbook of Infrastructure Investing, has published hundreds of papers on investing and finance. Recognized for his expertise as a polymath, he is frequently asked to speak on topics such as investment policy, p… Read full bio
Julia Wittlin, CFA, CAIA, FRM
Managing Director, BlackRock Private Equity Partners
Julia Wittlin, CFA, CAIA, FRM, Managing Director, is a senior portfolio manager and leads portfolio strategy for BlackRock Private Equity Partners (PEP) group within BlackRock Alternative Investors. Ms. Wittlin partners with large strategic clients t… Read full bio
Jemma Wolfe
Head of Launch With GS, Goldman Sachs
Jemma Wolfe leads Launch With GS, Goldman Sachs’ $500mm commitment to invest in businesses and investment managers with diverse management teams. Through Launch With GS, Goldman Sachs aims to increase access to capital and facilitate connections for… Read full bio
2020 Sponsors
The Responsible Investment Forum New York offers a unique opportunity for organizations to raise their profile by meeting with the largest gathering of investors, fund managers and organizations shaping the future of ESG in private equity.
For exclusive sponsorship packages, contact Tyler Mitchell at tyler.m@peimedia.com or call +1 646 795 3279.
Venue & hotel accommodations
Convene
730 Third Ave
New York, NY 10017
Our group room block reservation at the Benjamin Hotel has ended. To book hotel accommodations at the prevailing rate visit here.