Winna Brown
EY Americas Private Equity ESG Leader and host of the EY NextWave Private Equity Podcast, Ernst & Young
Andrew Siwo
Director of Sustainable Investments and Climate Solutions, New York State Common Retirement Fund
Private Equity
International
International
Responsible Investment Forum: New York 2022
2 - 3 March 2022,
Convene 117 West 46th Street, New York
Effectively integrating ESG to create sustainable value
The Responsible Investment Forum returns for its sixth year to bring together the most sophisticated institutional investors, fund managers, consultants and highly recognized 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.
Topics include:
- LP expectations on ESG
- Impact Investing for the future
- Regulatory considerations
- Identifying a “greenwasher”
- Diversity, equity, and inclusion
- The infrastructure market
- Tax planning
- Climate solutions
Co-Host:
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
Natasha Buckley
Vice President, Head of ESG
HarbourVest Partners
Tricia Winton
Global Head of ESG
Bain Capital
Mona Sutphen
Partner & Head of Investment Strategies
Vistria
2022 speakers
Testimonials
“I really enjoyed the conference. It was very encouraging to hear how GP’s are integrating ESG not only in their portfolios but in their firms as we…
“Global warming, air pollution, and energy insecurity are three of the greatest problems facing humanity. The Responsible Investment Forum is a powerful g…
“It’s great to see PEI bring together a diverse and growing group of investment professionals interested and active in responsible and sustainable investment. T…
“I really enjoyed the conference. It was very encouraging to hear how GP’s are integrating ESG not only in their portfolios but in their firms as well. It was great to learn about their best practices as well as lessons learned. The breakout sessions and panels were very informative. The conference provided good networking opportunities as well.”
“Global warming, air pollution, and energy insecurity are three of the greatest problems facing humanity. The Responsible Investment Forum is a powerful global platform for like minded ESG investors to transition towards environmentally sustainable economies and societies for all”
“It’s great to see PEI bring together a diverse and growing group of investment professionals interested and active in responsible and sustainable investment. The format of 1:1 interactions, break out and plenary sessions was useful to share general market perspectives and engage in detail to share experience and deepen understanding of the many and varied ESG issues facing our industry today”
View agenda page
Agenda
Day 1 - Wednesday 2nd
Welcome registration and opening remarks
07:30 - 08:30
Registration and welcome breakfast
08:30 - 08:35
PEI welcome
Erin Wolfe
Erin Wolfe, Senior Conference Producer, PEI Media
08:35 - 08:55
Chair’s opening remarks
Peter Dunbar
Join our Responsible Investment Co-Host’s, The Principles for Responsible Investment as they kick off the day with an overview of the current ESG themes, progress, and future developments in the ESG & PE space.
Chair:
Peter Dunbar, Head of Private Equity, PRI
Plenary sessions
08:55 - 09:25
Opening keynote
Natasha Buckley,
Elizabeth Seeger
09:25 - 09:55
LP fireside perspective
Yup Kim,
Matthew Schey
Interviewee:
Yup Kim, Head of Investments, Private Equity, CalPERS Private Equity
Interviewer:
Matthew Schey, Senior Director, Sustainable Investing & Strategic Projects, ILPA
09:55 - 10:45
Building a better ESG strategy
Alan Kao,
Michael Cappucci,
Alison Humphrey ,
Michael Kashani ,
Kristina Matthews,
Andrew Siwo
- Investors on a range of questions relating to their expectations from managers on ESG frameworks, data, culture, DEI, and other matters.
- Top questions during fundraising such as understanding a firm’s ability to identify and manage material ESG-related risk and use ESG factors to create value.
Moderator:
Alan Kao, Principal and Global Director, ESG Services, Ramboll
Panelists:
Michael Cappucci, Senior Vice President, Compliance and Sustainable Investing, Harvard Management Company
Alison Humphrey, Director of ESG, PJT Partners
Michael Kashani, Head of ESG Credit, Apollo Global Management
Kristina Matthews, Managing Director, Head of Investor Relations & ESG, Brightwood Capital Advisors
Andrew Siwo, Director of Sustainable Investments and Climate Solutions, New York State Common Retirement Fund
Michael Cappucci
Managing Director - Compliance and Sustainable Investing, Harvard Management Company
Read bio
Kristina Matthews
Managing Director, Head of Investor Relations & ESG, Brightwood Capital Advisors
Read bio
Andrew Siwo
Director of Sustainable Investments and Climate Solutions, New York State Common Retirement Fund
Read bio
10:45 - 11:25
DEI: changing the future of business and your firm
Lorraine Wilson,
Tynesia Boyea-Robinson,
Mary Knobler,
Eric Taylor
- focus on in incorporating DEI firms into your portfolio and how to back diverse owned businesses
- looking at your own internal DEI practices and how to recruit a distinct workforce to include POC, Women, LGBTQIA+, and other diverse groups.
- understanding DEI data and how to utilize these metrics
Moderator:
Lorraine Wilson, Chief Impact Officer and Head of ESG, Novata
Panelists:
Tynesia Boyea-Robinson, Operating Advisor, Jacmel Growth Partners
Mary Knobler, Managing Director – External Affairs, Oaktree
Eric Taylor, CEO & CIO, Trident
Networking break
11:25 - 11:55
Networking break
Plenary mid-day sessions
11:55 - 12:35
Impact investing for the future
Winna Brown,
Emanuel Citron,
Nancy Pfund,
Jackie Rantanen,
Jennifer Signori
- Shift in millennial focus on Impact initiatives and why this sector is becoming increasingly in demand
- How impact investments are driving returns
- Companies mitigating risks to their finances to build sustainable portfolios
Moderator:
Winna Brown, EY Americas Private Equity ESG Leader and host of the EY NextWave Private Equity Podcast, Ernst & Young
Panelists:
Emanuel Citron, Managing Partner, Volery Capital Partners
Nancy Pfund, Founder and Managing Partner, DBL Partners
Jackie Rantanen, Managing Director, Hamilton Lane
Jennifer Signori, Managing Director, Neuberger Berman
Winna Brown
EY Americas Private Equity ESG Leader and host of the EY NextWave Private Equity Podcast, Ernst & Young
Read bio
12:35 - 13:15
Understanding the pendulum: regulation for ESG compliance considerations
Dan Mistler,
Mary Beth Houlihan,
Marshall Sprung,
Suzanne Tavill,
Marianne Voss
- ESG as a fiduciary duty
- EU SFDR and how it impacts US GPs? Are the policy aims being achieved? (ideas)
- SEC thinking about something similar – mandatory climate risk disclosure for corporates?
- Other related regs in the US? E.g. California Supply Chain Transparency Act? How do these affect due diligence/monitoring, etc?
Moderator:
Dan Mistler, Partner & Head of ESG Services, ACA
Panelists:
Mary Beth Houlihan, Partner, ESG & Impact, Kirkland & Ellis
Marshall Sprung, Global Head of Compliance, BlackStone
Suzanne Tavill, Global Head of Responsible Investment, Partner, StepStone Group
Marianne Voss, Chief ESG and Impact Officer, Webster Equity Partners
13:15 - 13:55
Falsifying credentials – how to identify a greenwasher
James Bilko,
Eugenie M. Cesar-Fabian,
Colin Etnire,
Lee Gardella,
Anibal Montes
In an age where we are making so many strides towards ESG practices, it can be tough to rectify the small percentage of managers that may be behind in their ESG promises. In this session, our industry experts offer insight to investors on how best to identify these managers through understanding language, looking for jumps in data, and clarifying the small details.
Moderator:
James Bilko, ESG Consultant, Bridge House Advisors
Panelists:
Eugenie Cesar-Fabian, Partner & Head of ESG & Sustainability, Palladium Equity Partners
Colin Etnire, Head of ESG, BC Partners
Lee Gardella, Head of Private Equity North America, Member of the Investment Committee, Schroders Capital
Anibal Montes, Head of ESG, WM Partners
Lee Gardella
Head of Private Equity North America, Member of the Investment Committee, Schroders Capital
Read bio
13:55 - 14:10
Introduction to the SBTI Guidance for Private Equity
Nandini Hampole ,
Jakob Schenker
- Summary and highlights from the recently launched guidance
- Update on how we’re seeing firms respond
- Insights into how this guidance could inform your firm’s climate strategy
Panelists:
Nandini Hampole, Vice President, ESG & Responsible Investment, Bregal Investments
Jakob Schenker, Associate Director, Anthesis
Networking lunch
14:10 - 15:10
Afternoon networking lunch
Breakout afternoon session
15:10 - 15:50
TRACK A | How to measure the ESG and carbon performance of your entire portfolio
Toby Robertson,
David Wynn
Learn how to measure the carbon impact of your portfolio and use this data to set targets, engage portfolio companies, drive returns, and realize KPIs.
- Where to start with calculating bottom-up portfolio carbon emissions
- How to educate, engage and enable portfolio companies in carbon measurement
- How carbon emissions data from portfolio companies can be used to underpin target-setting
- Majority and minority investments – how to manage carbon data differently
- Consolidating portfolio emissions to meet current and future reporting requirements
Panelists:
Toby Robertson, Head of InvestorPortal, Greenstone
David Wynn, Chief Product Officer, Greenstone
15:10 - 15:50
TRACK B | Building 2022: A look at tomorrow’s infrastructure market
Jessica Bonsall,
Rob Day,
Andrew Harris,
Sam Lissner
- A policy update on the Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework
- The current state of the infrastructure market and detail the significant trends affecting the asset class and what to expect coming up in 2022.
Moderator:
Jessica Bonsall, Director of ESG, ACA
Panelists:
Rob Day, Partner, Co-Founder, Spring Lane Capital
Andrew Harris, Principal, North Sky Capital
Sam Lissner, Principal, Ridgewood Infrastructure
15:50 - 16:30
TRACK A | Interactive Working Group: A Sum Greater Than its Parts – Integrating Due Diligence Workstreams for Deeper Insights
Lexi Wachter
- Integrating three pre-investment due diligence workstreams – ESG, EDD, ACE
- Strengthening due diligence findings and insights by leveraging each due diligence scope in tandem
- Greater awareness for climate risk, energy efficiency opportunities, business continuity risks, effectiveness of corporate policies, and more
*Please note this is an interactive working group, so please come equipped for discussion and questions.
Facilitator:
Lexi Wachter, Co-Founder & ESG Business Advisor, Bridge House Advisors
15:50 - 16:30
TRACK B | Ag - Capturing Natural Capital: An Asset Class for Change
Chris Janiec,
Dave Chen,
Eren Shultz ,
Shonda Warner
- Attaching monetary value to naturally occurring benefits such as carbon capture, water quality, clean air, and biodiversity
- Rewards action to limit adverse effects of greenhouse gases and helps attracts further investors
Moderator:
Chris Janiec, Americas Editor, Agri Investor
Panelists:
Dave Chen, CEO, Equilibrium Capital
Eren Shultz, Solutions Lead, ClimateAI
Shonda Warner, Founder and Managing Partner, Chess Ag Full Harvest Partners
Networking break
16:30 - 17:00
Networking afternoon break
Plenary closing sessions
17:00 - 17:40
ESG in Private Credit
Chase Jordan,
Michael Altschuler,
Rita Mangalick,
Amanda Mari,
Devasena Vallabhaneni
- Lessons learned from ESG in PE and Direct Lenders’ obstacles to success
- Creating an ESG program that creates positive change, satisfies LPs, works with sponsors, and borrower management teams
- What is next: the open question of “What’s the role of data in lender’s ESG program”
Moderator:
Chase Jordan, Managing Director, Malk Partners
Panelists:
Michael Altschuler, CAO & General Counsel, Comvest Partners
Rita Mangalick, Managing Director & Global Head of ESG for Hedge Fund Solutions, Blackstone Credit
Amanda Mari, Director of ESG, Benefit Street Partners
Devasena Vallabhaneni, Managing Director, Antares Capital
Rita Mangalick
Managing Director & Global Head of ESG for Hedge Fund Solutions, Blackstone Credit
Read bio
17:40 - 18:00
Closing keynote address
Mona Sutphen ,
Jordan Stutts
End of day one
18:00 - 19:00
Cocktail reception
Agenda
Day 2 - Thursday 3rd
Welcome remarks & LPs, GPs, think tanks
08:00 - 09:00
LP think tank breakfast (Invitation Only)
Andrew Malk,
Matthew Schey
08:00 - 09:00
GP think tank breakfast (DEI)
Lindsay Rosenstein,
Samantha Rowan
08:00 - 09:00
Registration & welcome breakfast
Plenary opening remarks & sessions
09:00 - 09:10
Chair's welcome
Peter Dunbar
Chair:
Peter Dunbar, Head of Private Equity, PRI
09:10 - 09:40
Opening keynote address | Working Through the ‘ESG of Everything’ to Find a Grounded Strategy
Tricia Winton,
Alan Kao
- Developing a unique, authentic approach to ESG that is grounded in your firms’ purpose, values and culture
- How to work through sprawling ESG definitions and disclosures to prioritizing core ESG commitments and ambitions, both at the firm-level and in portfolio companies
- How to best Integrate ESG-related goals globally measure progress without overburdening internal resources and portfolio companies
- Why ESG is naturally aligned with the views of long-term investors who are seeking to amplify value-creation and positive impact for stakeholders
Interviewee:
Tricia Winton, Global Head of ESG, Bain Capital
Interviewer:
Alan Kao, Principal and Global Director, ESG Services, Ramboll
09:40 - 10:20
The next frontier: tying incentives to ESG metrics
Peter Dunbar,
Sean Barr,
Brett Hickey,
Justin Kulla,
Jon Patty
- GP’s need to meet certain thresholds to receive carried interest, so how are ESG metrics playing a factor in their overall fund returns? What are the profit incentives?
- For LPs, how do they incentivize GPs to invest along ESG principles?
- Is carried interest the only incentive option for firms moving forward? Will we see other vehicles?
- How to incentivize and reward portfolio company employees under PE ownership – those below C-Suite who typically do very well out of ESOP’s?
Moderator:
Peter Dunbar, Head of Private Equity, PRI
Panelists:
Sean Barr, Regional VP of Sales – Americas, EcoVadis
Brett Hickey, Founder & CEO, Star Mountain Capital
Justin Kulla, Partner of Impact Investing and Head of ESG, TZP Group
Jon Patty, Managing Director, White Oak
10:20 - 11:00
The emerging imperative of managing climate risk
Barrett Lawson,
Adam Heltzer,
Adrien-Paul Lambillon,
Keren Raz,
Brendan Reilly
- Climate change is the great disrupter of our time, firms that proactively plan around climate risk will be better positioned to navigate the change
- Perspectives on how different types of investors incorporate climate risk/considerations into their investment process
- Many leading practices are now emerging including climate risk due diligence, annual greenhouse gas inventories, significant capital investments in emissions reductions, TCFD reporting
- Panelists will share insights from their journey, lessons learned, takeaways
Moderator:
Barrett Lawson, Director, North America, Anthesis
Panelists:
Adam Heltzer, Head of ESG, Ares Management
Adrien-Paul Lambillon, ESG & Sustainability, Partners Group
Keren Raz, Senior Responsible Investment Manager, APG Asset Management
Brendan Reilly, Chief Technology Officer, Riskthinking AI
Networking break
11:00 - 11:30
Morning networking break
Morning breakout series
11:30 - 12:10
Climate change
Snehal Shah,
John Higelin,
Neda Jafar,
Catherine Lien,
Avantika Saisekar
- Managers are finding opportunities in funding solution-based technologies.
- Climate solutions and related technologies are high-growth sectors of the economy that can provide opportunities for endowments to make equity investments that seek returns associated with their goals.
Moderator:
Snehal Shah, Reporter, New Private Markets, PEI Media
Panelists:
John Higelin, Partner, Zouk Capital
Neda Jafar, Partner, Kimmeridge
Catherine Lien, Vice President and Head of Impact & ESG for North America, GEF Capital Partners
Avantika Saisekar, Director of ESG, Wafra
11:30 - 12:10
Real Estate & The Push for Affordable Housing
Kyle Strumfels,
Ada Arevalo,
Inna Khidekel,
Antonio Marquez,
Jonathan Needell
Given the extreme shortage of affordable housing, there is opportunity for positive impacts in this sector that could show significant returns.
- Many occupants of current affordable housing programs tend to be long term tenants which provides solid cash flow.
- Low supply combined with huge demand creates a real estate investment portfolio that has a high net operating income and produces a solid return on investment.
Moderator:
Kyle Strumfels, Associate, ESG M&A Consulting, Langan
Panelists:
Ada Arevalo, Founder & CEO, iimpact
Inna Khidekel, Partner, Client Solutions Group, Bridge Investment Group
Antonio Marquez, Principal and Managing Partner, Comunidad Partners
Jonathan Needell, President & CIO, Kairos Investment Management
Plenary afternoon sessions
12:10 - 12:50
ESG data convergence: building a framework for the future
Joseph Schuhow,
Sanaz Raczynski,
Leela Ramnath,
Astha Ummat,
Maaike van der Schoot
- Creating a culture around reporting and data and using aggregated data as a benchmark for other firms
- Strides taken by the ESG Data Convergence Project
- Preparing for SEC examinations and ensuring accurate data is presented
- Investors requiring more consistent reporting of ESG metrics
- The evolution of non-profit and for-profit companies working tandem to find data sharing initiatives
- Databases of aggregated benchmark data
Moderator:
Joseph Schuhow, Senior ESG Advisor, RepRisk
Panelists:
Sanaz Raczynski, Head of Sustainability, Kohlberg & Company
Leela Ramnath, Senior Vice President, Head of ESG, Warburg Pincus
Astha Ummat, Head of ESG, Centerbridge Partners
Maaike van der Schoot, Responsible Investment Officer, Alpinvest Partners
12:50 - 13:30
Plotting net zero and your portfolio
Ryan Miller ,
Sharadiya Dasgupta,
Peter Fox-Penner,
William Orum,
Allison Spector
- Mounting pressure for both GPs & LPs to understand their carbon footprints and plot sustainable paths to carbon neutrality. How are different organizations handling?
- How do investors handle potential contradicting segments of businesses that are pushing to go carbon neutral, but may still have a foot in areas such as coal emissions?
- How do we determine what constitutes a nets zero emission portfolio?
Moderator:
Ryan Miller, VP & GM Private Capital Markets, Persefoni
Panelists:
Sharadiya Dasgupta, Founding Partner, Blue Dot Capital
Peter Fox-Penner, Chief Impact Officer, Energy Impact Partners
William Orum, Partner, Capricorn Investment Group
Allison Spector, Head of ESG, One Rock Capital Partners
13:30 - 14:30
Networking lunch and conclusion of conference
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.
Post-Event Resources
Interested in speaking at the 2022 Forum?
Please contact Erin Wolfe at erin.w@peimedia.com or +1 646 973 3816.
Michael Altschuler
CAO & General Counsel, Comvest Partners
Michael serves as Chief Administrative Officer & General Counsel, and is responsible for Comvest’s administrative operations and legal function. Prior to joining Comvest, Michael spent five years as the general counsel and corporate secretary for… Read full bio
Ada Arevalo
Founder and CEO, iimpact capital
Ada Arevalo is the Founder and CEO of iimpact capital, a purpose-driven, women- and minority-owned investment platform focused on affordable, sustainable and equitable housing and community investments. As the leader of the organization, she directs… Read full bio
Sean Barr
Regional VP of Sales - Americas, EcoVadis
Sean's career has spanned numerous industries at the intersection of sustainability and technology. In his present role at EcoVadis, he leads the company's go to market efforts in sustainable finance and responsible investing globally, and manages a… Read full bio
James Bilko
ESG Consultant, Bridge House Advisors
James Bilko is an ESG Consultant at Bridge House Advisors, a purposely built, full-service ESG and sustainability service provider dedicated to building relationships with middle and upper middle market private equity firms and their portfolio compan… Read full bio
Jessica Bonsall
Director of ESG, ACA
Jessica Bonsall is a Director at ACA and is the technical lead on all environmental work undertaken by the ESG team. Jessica is a 15-year veteran of the environmental industry. She specializes in the development and execution of corporate environment… Read full bio
Tynesia Boyea-Robinson
Operating Advisor, Jacmel Growth Partners
In 2011, Boyea-Robinson founded CapEQ, which is an impact investment and advisory firm. CapEQ advises for profit, public sector, and philanthropic organizations on how to design FOR impact, build WITH impact, and grow THROUGH impact. CapEQ is a drive… Read full bio
Winna Brown
EY Americas Private Equity ESG Leader and host of the EY NextWave Private Equity Podcast, Ernst & Young
Winna is focused on ensuring consistent global delivery of EY services to PE portfolio companies aligned with the investment, value creation and ESG strategies of these businesses. She works directly with Operating Partners as well as investee manage… Read full bio
Natasha Buckley
Vice President, Head of ESG, HarbourVest Partners
Natasha Buckley joined HarbourVest in 2019 and is responsible for sustaining the Firm’s ESG strategy and partnering with our general partners, limited partners, and the Firm’s employees to embrace sustainable investing. Natasha joined HarbourVest fro… Read full bio
Michael Cappucci
Managing Director - Compliance and Sustainable Investing, Harvard Management Company
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
Eugenie M. Cesar-Fabian
Head of ESG & Sustainability, Palladium Equity Partners
Ms. Cesar-Fabian joined Palladium in 2011. She serves as Head of ESG & Sustainability and is a Partner of the Firm. Previously, Ms. Cesar-Fabian served as Palladium’s first General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer. Prior to that, she served a… Read full bio
Dave Chen
CEO, Equilibrium Capital
Equilibrium invests and operates sustainably driven real assets portfolios in agriculture, food and distributed waste-water-energy infrastructure, for institutional investors. Dave is responsible for Equilibrium’s strategy, executive leadership, and… Read full bio
Emanuel Citron
Managing Partner, Volery Capital Partners
Emanuel Citron is a Managing Partner at Volery. He serves on five of Volery’s firm committees, including as co-chair of the Investment Committee, and a member of the firm’s Operations, Finance, Valuation, and Compliance Committees. Previously, he was… Read full bio
Sharadiya Dasgupta
Founding Partner, Blue Dot Capital
Sharadiya leads Blue Dot’s strategy, client partnerships, and industry engagement and advises CEOs, CIOs, and family office principals. She is also the lead champion of Blue Dot’s “commitment-to-constant-learning” policy. Before founding Blue Dot Cap… Read full bio
Rob Day
Partner, Co-Founder, Spring Lane Capital
Rob Day has been a sustainable resources private equity investor since 2004, and acts or has served as a Director, Observer and advisory board member to multiple companies in the energy tech and related sectors. Rob also serves on the Board at the Ne… Read full bio
Peter Dunbar
Head of Private Equity, PRI
Peter Dunbar is a Private Equity Senior Specialist within the PRI’s Investment Practices team. Peter has 20 years experience in the asset management industry, and before joining PRI, was a Senior Manager in the private markets team of Capital Group f… Read full bio
Colin Etnire
Head of ESG, BC Partners
Colin Etnire joined BC Partners in New York in 2020. Previously, Colin spent 4 years at The Carlyle Group as an ESG analyst where he worked under the Chief Sustainability Officer to implement an ESG program across Carlyle’s $221 billion AUM platform.… Read full bio
Peter Fox-Penner
Chief Impact Officer, Energy Impact Partners
Peter Fox-Penner is Partner and the Chief Impact Officer of Energy Impact Partners. In this capacity he directs all ESG and impact measurement and reporting, works with EIP’s portfolio companies to improve their ESG performance, and collaborates with… Read full bio
Lee Gardella
Head of Private Equity North America, Member of the Investment Committee, Schroders Capital
Responsibilities at Schroders Capital Lee Gardella is the head of Private Equity North America and leads the Firm’s Investment Risk and Monitoring efforts and is a member of the Investment Committee. Background Before joining Schroders Capital in 200… Read full bio
Nandini Hampole
Vice President, ESG & Responsible Investment, Bregal Investments
Nandini Hampole joined Bregal in February 2021 as Vice President of ESG & Responsible Investment. She recently joined hands with a number of PE front runners in leading the Science based target initiative to launch the Science based Target PE Sec… Read full bio
Andrew Harris
Principal, North Sky Capital
Andrew Harris is a Principal at North Sky Capital, a pioneer in impact investing in the United States. At North Sky, he is actively involved in business development and impact assessment for North Sky’s sustainable infrastructure and impact private e… Read full bio
Adam Heltzer
Head of ESG, Ares Management
Mr. Heltzer is a Managing Director and the Global Head of ESG in the Ares Strategy and Relationship Management Group, reporting to Ares' President and CEO, where he leads the Firm's environmental, social and governance efforts. Prior to joining Ares… Read full bio
Brett Hickey
Founder and CEO, Star Mountain Capital
Brett Hickey is the Founder and CEO of Star Mountain Capital, LLC, a $1+ billion AUM specialized U.S. lower middle-market investment firm. Star Mountain employs a data-driven approach to provide value-added debt and equity capital to established smal… Read full bio
John Higelin
Partner, Zouk Capital
John Higelin is Partner in the technology team at Zouk and leads the Firm’s investments within the climate technology space. John has over thirteen years of combined experience in growth equity investing, sustainability, technology and investment ban… Read full bio
Mary Beth Houlihan
Partner, ESG & Impact, Kirkland & Ellis
Mary Beth Houlihan is an environmental, social and governance (ESG) and impact partner in the New York office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. Her practice focuses on advising clients with respect to complex and dynamic ESG issues, including regulatory c… Read full bio
Alison Humphrey
Director of ESG, PJT Partners
Alison Humphrey is an ESG leader with over a decade track record advising c-suites, boards and investors. In her current role as a Strategic Advisor at PJT Partners, Alison advises institutional investors and alternative asset managers on new fund fo… Read full bio
Neda Jafar
Partner, Kimmeridge
Neda Jafar is a Partner at Kimmeridge, responsible for investor relations and business development. Ms. Jafar joined Kimmeridge in 2013, advancing the firm’s growth from $40 million in commitments to over $3.0 billion in funds raised to date. Prior t… Read full bio
Chris Janiec
Americas Editor, Agri Investor
Chris Janiec is an America's Editor 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 Commit… Read full bio
Chase Jordan
Managing Director, Malk Partners
Chase leads Malk’s Private Credit team, which focuses on protecting and creating ESG value for lenders within their portfolio as well as their internal operations. Having previously served Private Equity, Chase understands the commercial materiality… Read full bio
Alan Kao
Principal and Global Director, ESG Services, Ramboll
Alan Kao is a Principal at Ramboll and also serves as their Global Director for ESG Services. Alan helps corporate and financial sector clients develop ESG policies, programs, and management systems; identify ESG risks and opportunities during due di… Read full bio
Michael Kashani
Head of ESG Credit, Apollo Global Management
Michael Kashani joined Apollo Global Management as the Head of ESG Credit in October 2021. Michael is responsible for supporting ESG integration across the Credit business as well as further incorporating ESG into Apollo’s lending and investments pro… Read full bio
Justin Kulla
Partner of Impact Investing and Head of ESG, TZP Group
Justin Kulla joined TZP Group as a Partner of Impact Investing and Head of ESG in May 2020. Mr. Kulla began his career at Credit Suisse where he was an engineer working in New York, London and Zurich, and at Google where he worked in business develop… Read full bio
Adrien-Paul Lambillon
ESG & Sustainability, Partners Group
Adrien-Paul Lambillon is part of the ESG & Sustainability team, based in Zug. Prior to joining Partners Group, he worked at Finreon and had assignments at Goldman Sachs and HSBC. He holds a bachelor's degree in Economics from the University of St… Read full bio
Barrett Lawson
Director, North America, Anthesis
Barrett leads the Investment Strategy and Services team at Anthesis, the world’s largest dedicated sustainability and ESG consulting firm. Barrett and his team support private markets clients to create value for their investors through forward-lookin… Read full bio
Catherine Lien
Vice President and Head of Impact & ESG for North America, GEF Capital Partners
Catherine Lien is a Vice President and Head of Impact & ESG for GEF Capital Partners U.S.’ Investment Program. Ms. Lien is responsible for deal execution involving sourcing, structuring, and monitoring investments as well as establishing and impl… Read full bio
Inna Khidekel
Partner, Capital Markets, Bridge Investment Group
Inna Khidekel is a Senior Managing Director in the Client Solutions Group at Bridge Investment Group and a member of the firm’s Executive Committee. She is responsible for business and product development across Bridge’s global institutional client b… Read full bio
Yup Kim
Head of Investments, Private Equity, CalPERS Private Equity
Mr. Yup S. Kim serves as the Head of Investments for Private Equity and Investment Director at CalPERS, California’s $480 billion pension fund. He serves on the private equity investment review committee and helps lead CalPERS’ private equity program… Read full bio
Mary Knobler
Managing Director – External Affairs, Oaktree
Ms. Knobler is Managing Director – External Affairs. In this role, she is heavily involved in the areas of Diversity & Inclusion, ESG and Broker Relations, and serves as an ambassador to outside constituencies in these areas. Previously, Ms. Knob… Read full bio
Sam Lissner
Principal, 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
Andrew Malk
Managing Partner, Malk Partners
Andrew Malk, Managing Partner of Malk Partners, founded the firm in 2009 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
Rita Mangalick
Managing Director & Global Head of ESG for Hedge Fund Solutions, Blackstone Credit
Rita Mangalick is a Managing Director and Global Head of ESG for Hedge Fund Solutions (BAAM) and Blackstone Credit where she partners with both groups to lead various initiatives around ESG diligence, reporting and engagement. Prior to her current ro… Read full bio
Amanda Mari
Director of ESG, Benefit Street Partners
Amanda Mari is a Director and Head of ESG with Benefit Street Partners. Amanda leads ESG efforts and initiatives across the BSP investment platform, working closely with the leaders of each investment strategy, origination, and business development,… Read full bio
Antonio Marquez
Principal and Managing Partner, Comunidad Partners
Antonio Marquez serves as Principal and Managing Partner of Comunidad Partners. He is chairman of the firm’s Investment Committee. He is responsible for strategic planning, culture building and capital raising. Antonio founded Comunidad Partners in h… Read full bio
Kristina Matthews
Managing Director, Head of Investor Relations & ESG, Brightwood Capital Advisors
Kristina Matthews is a Managing Director at Brightwood Capital Advisors where she primarily focuses on business development and fundraising strategy. Her engagement commenced in February 2014 in a Consulting role which led to Ms. Matthews joining Bri… Read full bio
Ryan Miller
SVP & GM, Global Financial Services, Persefoni
Ryan leads Persefoni's Financial Services division which includes strategy, product, development, sales and go-to-market functions. Prior to Persefoni, he spent seven years at Malk Partners, a boutique management consultancy that works exclusively wi… Read full bio
Dan Mistler
Partner, Head of ESG Advisory, ACA Group
Dan joined ACA as a senior practitioner to head ACA's ESG advisory practice. He has spent his career leading the development of ESG programs for private markets investors, hedge funds, diversified financial services firms, and large corporates. He ha… Read full bio
Anibal Montes
Head of ESG, WM Partners
Aníbal is the Head of ESG at WM Partners, a health and wellness-focused private equity firm based in Aventura, FL. In his role, Aníbal formalized WM Partners’ ESG policy and oversees ESG integration at the firm and portfolio company levels. Previousl… Read full bio
Jonathan Needell
President & CIO, Kairos Investment Management
Jonathan Needell is President and Chief Investment Officer of Kairos Investment Management, an employee-owned, entrepreneurial real estate investment company. Mr. Needell joined the company’s predecessor in 2006 as Chief Financial Officer and Chief O… Read full bio
William Orum
Partner, Capricorn Investment Group
William Orum is a Partner and member of the Investment Committee of Capricorn Investment Group. He joined the Firm in 2004 and has been based in its New York office since 2008. William has primary responsibility for leading marketable investments, po… Read full bio
Jon Patty
Managing Director, White Oak
Jon Patty is a Managing Director of White Oak Global Advisors. In his role as Partner of the White Oak Impact Fund, Mr. Patty will be focused on financings that generate attractive risk-adjusted returns and drive strong social and environmental benef… Read full bio
Nancy Pfund
Founder and Managing Partner, DBL Partners
As a pioneer and leading player in impact investing, DBL has helped to reveal the power of venture capital to promote social change and environmental improvement. Nancy writes and speaks frequently on the field of impact investing. She sponsors or si… Read full bio
Sanaz Raczynski
Head of Sustainability, Kohlberg & Company
Sanaz Raczynski is a Managing Director and Head of Sustainability at Kohlberg. Sanaz is an active participant on Kohlberg’s investment team, reporting to the Chief Investment Officer. She sets the sustainability strategy and drives the implementation… Read full bio
Leela Ramnath
Senior Vice President, Head of ESG, Warburg Pincus
Leela Ramnath is Senior Vice President and Head of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) at Warburg Pincus, where she leads global ESG strategy for the firm, collaborates with investment teams and portfolio companies to drive and optimize imple… Read full bio
Jackie Rantanen
Managing Director, Co-Head of Impact, Hamilton Lane
Jackie is a Managing Director and the Head of Product Solutions at Hamilton Lane, where she is responsible for aligning our specialized fund's offerings to meet client objectives and needs. Jackie is also Co-Head of Hamilton Lane’s Impact Fund and se… Read full bio
Keren Raz
Senior Responsible Investment Manager, APG Asset Management
Keren G. Raz is the Senior Responsible Investment Manager at APG Asset Management. In that role, she serves as the global responsible investment lead for private equity, hedge funds, and private credit. Prior to joining APG, Keren was the Global Head… Read full bio
Brendan Reilly
Chief Technology Officer, Riskthinking AI
Brendan serves as the CTO of Riskthinking.AI, a global leading provider of climate risk data, algorithms and Climate Risk Ratings™. Brendan also serves as a Managing Partner at Black Bean Capital, is a co-founder of 9H Energy and the Chairman and co-… Read full bio
Toby Robertson
Head of InvestorPortal, Greenstone
Having lived and worked in Hong Kong, Tokyo and New York, Toby has accumulated 20+ years of financial experience at major financial institutions. In addition, he has co-founded, supported and mentored numerous SaaS companies – some of which have now… Read full bio
Lindsay Rosenstein
Vice President and Head of ESG, Crestview Partners
Lindsay Rosenstein is a Vice President at Crestview Partners, a value-oriented private equity firm based in NY. Lindsay originally joined Crestview as an Associate and rejoined as a Vice President after receiving an M.B.A. from The Wharton School at… Read full bio
Samantha Rowan
Editor, Real Estate Capital
Samantha Rowan is the editor of Real Estate Capital USA, a new publication from PEI Media focusing on the U.S. commercial real estate financing markets. She has had a long career as a real estate journalist, sitting at the helm of Real Estate Finance… Read full bio
Avantika Saisekar
Director of ESG, Wafra
Avantika Saisekar is a Director at Wafra, leading the firm’s Environmental, Social & Governance (“ESG”) investment initiatives with an emphasis on product development and innovation. Ms. Saisekar currently serves on the assurance working group of… Read full bio
Jakob Schenker
Associate Director, Anthesis
Jakob Schenker is an Associate Director at Anthesis Group. He supports clients within the investment industry integrate ESG and climate considerations into their investment management processes. He is a co-author of the SBTi Guidance for the Private… Read full bio
Matthew Schey
Senior Director, Sustainable Investing & Strategic Projects, ILPA
Matt Schey is Senior Director of Sustainable Investing & Strategic Projects at the Institutional Limited Partners Association (ILPA), where he leads the Association’s environmental, social, and governance efforts. Prior to joining ILPA in 2019, M… Read full bio
Joseph Schuhow
Senior ESG Advisor, RepRisk
Joe Schuhow is a Senior ESG Advisor at RepRisk where he helps asset managers, private equity, and credit firms implement ESG and reputational risk concepts throughout the investment process. Prior to RepRisk, Joe spent 14+ years at FactSet where he h… Read full bio
Eren Shultz
Solutions Lead, ClimateAI
Eren leads ClimateAI’s go-to-market efforts across the financial services complex. A native of the U.S. Midwest, Eren grew up between the dairies of Wisconsin and coffee cooperatives of Eastern Africa. Following his studies in economic development an… Read full bio
Elizabeth Seeger
Managing 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
Snehal Shah
Reporter, New Private Markets, PEI Media
Snehal Shah is a reporter for New Private Markets, PEI Media’s publication for climate, sustainability, ESG, impact investing and diversity in private markets. She works across private equity, venture capital, private debt, infrastructure and real as… Read full bio
Jennifer Signori
Managing Director, ESG and Impact Investing, Neuberger Berman
Jennifer Signori is a Managing Director at Neuberger Berman, and joined the firm in 2017. Jennifer is leading the development and implementation of impact investing strategies with a portfolio management focus on private equity, and oversees environm… 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 at the New York State Common Retirement Fund. He is charged with providing leadership and oversight of sustainable investment efforts across the Fund’s $260 billion portfoli… Read full bio
Allison Spector
Head of ESG, One Rock Capital Partners
Allison L. Spector is the Head of ESG of One Rock Capital Partners, LLC. Prior to joining One Rock, Ms. Spector was Director of Responsible Investing and Sustainability at Nuveen, where she focused on sustainability initiatives across Real Assets and… Read full bio
Marshall Sprung
Global Head of Compliance, BlackStone
Marshall S. Sprung is the Global Head of Compliance at Blackstone. Before joining the firm in 2016, Mr. Sprung was Co-Chief of the Asset Management Unit of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s Division of Enforcement. In this capacity, Mr. S… Read full bio
Kyle Strumfels
Associate, ESG M&A Consulting, Langan
When Langan sought a leader in Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) consulting, the firm turned to Kyle Strumfels, an accomplished ESG and EHS expert with 20 years of industry experience. In one year, Strumfels, Associate at Langan, has doubled th… Read full bio
Jordan Stutts
Senior Writer, Private Markets, PEI
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
Mona Sutphen
Partner & Head of Investment Strategies, Vistria
Mona Sutphen is a Partner and Head of Investment Strategies at the Vistria Group. Prior to joining Vistria, Ms. Sutphen was a Partner at Macro Advisory Partners, where she led the firm’s US practice advising the firm’s global corporate and capital ma… Read full bio
Suzanne Tavill
Global Head of Responsible Investment, Partner, StepStone Group
Ms. Tavill is the global head of responsible investing, which encompasses ESG and Impact across all asset classes and investment strategies. She is also a member of the private equity team. Prior to StepStone, Ms. Tavill was responsible for AMP Capit… Read full bio
Eric Taylor
CEO & CIO, Trident
Eric Taylor is the Founder, CEO and CIO of Trident, a private equity firm focused on acquiring US-based small businesses in industrial, consumer and healthcare sectors. Trident uses proprietary technology to systematically source and diligence small-… Read full bio
Astha Ummat
Head of ESG, Centerbridge Partners
Astha Ummat is a Director and Head of ESG at Centerbridge Partners where she leads ESG integration for the Firm’s global Private Equity, Credit, and Real Estate investment platforms. She works closely with the Firm’s leadership, investment teams and… Read full bio
Devasena Vallabhaneni
Managing Director, Antares Capital
Devasena is a managing director with Antares Capital. She is responsible for structuring, underwriting, documenting and managing transactions. Devasena joined Antares in 2004 and has held roles in the workout and unitranche structuring groups. Since… Read full bio
Maaike van der Schoot
Head of Responsible Investment, AlpInvest Partners
Maaike van der Schoot is AlpInvest Partner’s Head of Responsible Investment and oversees the development and implementation of the Responsible Investment policy. She joined AlpInvest Partners in 2002. Prior to her current role, she was an investment… Read full bio
Marianne Voss
Chief ESG Officer, Webster Equity Partners
Marianne joined Webster in 2021 and serves as the Chief ESG Officer. In this role, Marianne is responsible for evolving Webster’s ESG program to meet company, investor, and stakeholder expectations, and to aid management in risk mitigation and in cre… Read full bio
Lexi Wachter
Co-Founder & ESG Business Advisor, Bridge House Advisors
Lexi Wachter is a Co-Founder and ESG Business Advisor at Bridge House Advisors, an ESG and sustainability advisory firm dedicated to servicing private equity, their portfolio companies, and beyond. She leads the firm's ESG Due Diligence service and s… Read full bio
Shonda Warner
Founder and Managing Partner, Chess Ag Full Harvest Partners
Shonda Warner is the founder and managing director of Chess Ag Full Harvest Partners which has invested in farming and agri-business since 2006. Chess Ag has both managed and developed more than 50,000 acres of agricultural land across the U.S. Warne… Read full bio
Lorraine Wilson
Chief Impact Officer and Head of ESG, Novata
Lorraine is Chief Impact Officer and Head of ESG at Novata. Prior to Novata, Lorraine was managing director of investor solutions at JUST Capital, a nonprofit research organization, where she developed ESG product partnerships and research collaborat… Read full bio
Tricia Winton
Global Head of ESG, Bain Capital
Patricia (“Tricia”) Winton is Global Head of ESG at Bain Capital, one of the world's leading multi-asset alternative investment firms with approximately $105 billion in assets under management. She leads development and execution of Bain Capital’s ES… Read full bio
David Wynn
Chief Product Officer, Greenstone
Greenstone provides award-winning software solutions and services enabling companies to advance their sustainability strategies and become responsible businesses. As Chief Product Officer, David is responsible for overseeing Greenstone’s global softw… Read full bio
Conference venue
Convene
117 W 46th St, New York, NY 10036
Hotel room block
Kimpton Muse Hotel
130 W 46th St, New York, NY 10036
All conference sessions will take place at Convene.
We have also reserved a room block at the Kimpton Muse Hotel for attendees at a discounted rate. To reserve your room at the hotel, please use the link below or call reservations and mention PEI’s Responsible Investment Forum at 1-800-KIMPTON. Room block expires February 23rd.