Women in Private Markets Summit
North America
June 2-3, 2026
Convene, 117 West 46th Street, New York
Sign up for updates
Join the most senior gathering of women transforming private markets across private equity, private debt, real estate and infrastructure.
The Women in Private Markets Summit North America connects more than 500 senior leaders from every corner of private markets for two days of strategy, insight and peer-level discussion. Hosted by PEI Group, this event brings together the leading names in private markets under one roof, through four market-leading forums:
- Women in Private Equity Forum – Hosted by Private Equity International
- Women in Infrastructure Forum – Hosted by Infrastructure Investor
- Women in Real Estate Forum – Hosted by PERE
- Women in Private Debt Forum – Hosted by Private Debt Investor
Each forum runs in parallel – allowing delegates to move between rooms, build cross-asset connections and share intelligence shaping capital, valuation, and dealmaking strategies across the industry.
Participating institutions in 2025 included:
Meet the institutions shaping capital flows across North America
Speakers in 2026 include
Learn from senior voices leading private markets
About the summit
The industry’s most influential cross-asset meeting
Key takeaways from the Women in Private Markets Summit North America 2025
Insights from last year’s discussions
LPs continue debate over continuation vehicles and NAV loans
Hannah Zhang – 13 May 2025
Representatives from investors including NYCRS expressed caution about the rise of CVs on CVs, saying such practice could make GPs appear ‘desperate’.
Ex-CalPERS’ Musicco: Evergreen funds will change LP-GP dynamics
Hannah Zhang – 13 May 2025
The transactional nature of semi-liquid fund structures can place a lower importance on relationship building between investors and their managers, says Nicole Musicco.
What you’ll gain from attending
Connect with leading institutional investors
Meet North America’s most active LPs, including pension funds, endowments, family offices and insurers.
Unlock investment strategies driving growth
Hear practical insights from GPs and allocators navigating today’s capital, valuation and exit challenges.
Build meaningful, lasting relationships
Expand your network across private markets through curated meetings and cross-forum networking opportunities.
Let’s start a conversation - we’ll tailor a package to suit your brand goals.
Want to explore partnership options?
Tyler Mitchell
Senior Business Development Manager – Americas
Email: tyler.m@pei.group
Mobile: 201-741-5878
Work: 646-795-3279
Explore last year's agenda
The 2026 agenda is coming soon
Join the conversation
Want to speak at the next event?
If you’re interested in featuring on the agenda at the Women in Private Markets: North America 2026, please reach out directly to Charles Gould, Head of Events – EMEA at PEI Group.
View agenda page
Agenda
Day 1 - Tuesday 2nd
Coffee & registration
08:00 - 09:00
Coffee & registration
08:00 - 09:00
LP Breakfast Roundtable
Discuss key challenges with the shifting landscape of organizational expense obligations over breakfast with other LPs as part of an off-the-record discussion
Plenary
09:10 - 09:15
Chairs opening address
Laurie Mahon
Laurie Mahon, Infrastructure Advisor
09:15 - 09:45
Keynote Interview: Political Volatility, Economic Recalibration and What Comes Next
A prominent commentator on global affairs explores how rapidly changing political dynamics, regulatory disruption, and strategic competition are redefining the operating environment for investors
09:45 - 10:30
GP leaders’ discussion: Navigating change and driving returns
- How shifting economic and geopolitical forces are influencing investment strategies
- Market outlook: fundraising conditions, deal flow, M&A activity, and where disruption is creating opportunity
- Building trusted, transparent relationships between LPs and GPs in a changing landscape
- Leading with perspective: how culture and conviction drive performance and impact
10:30 - 11:15
Inside the Portfolio: How Investors Are Responding to Evolving Market Pressures
Jackie Rantanen,
Ashli Aslin
- Comparing performance and outlook across buyout, real estate, infrastructure, and credit strategies
- Continuation funds under the microscope: are investors becoming more cynical?
- The DPI challenge: navigating slower distributions and recycling capital effectively
- Co-investments: evolving dynamics, risks, and alignment between LPs and GPs
Jackie Rantanen, Managing Director, Evergreen Portfolio Management, Hamilton Lane
Ashli Aslin, Partner, Senior Analyst, Infrastructure, Albourne Partners
Networking Break
11:15 - 11:45
Networking Break
Plenary
11:45 - 12:20
The AI Boom: Assessing Opportunity and the Role of Private Markets
Dana Baines
- How investors are assessing AI-driven opportunities across different sectors and stages
- The role of private markets in funding and scaling AI
- Separating substance from speculation: identifying durable business models and value chains
- How AI is reshaping investment processes, due diligence, and portfolio management
Dana Baines, Vice President, Private Institutional Client Group, Raymond James
12:20 - 13:00
Secondaries in Focus: From Niche to Necessity in Private Markets
Maurissa Bell,
Nicole Kim
- How interest rates, valuations, and fundraising conditions are shaping deal flow
- Market evolution: secondaries expanding across private equity, credit, and real assets
- GP-led deals: new structures, pricing shifts, and alignment challenges
- LP-led activity: liquidity needs and portfolio reshaping across asset classes
Maurissa Bell, Director, OTPP
Nicole Kim, Managing Director, StepStone Group
Lunch
13:00 - 14:00
Lunch
Women in Infrastructure Forum
14:00 - 14:05
Opening remarks
14:05 - 14:40
The state of play in infrastructure: balancing demand against structural and policy headwinds
- Navigating policy uncertainty amid unprecedented U.S. infrastructure investment needs
- Evolving dynamics in infrastructure fundraising amid heightened competition and shifting investor priorities
- Rising demand, capital realignment, and the disruptive impact of the AI boom
14:40 - 15:15
Digital Infrastructure: navigating competition and capturing new value
- The evolving economics digital infrastructure and finding opportunities in aligned areas
- The shifting dynamics of digital assets and the search for opportunities in adjacent and next-generation segments
- How utility involvement is reshaping access, competition, and partnership models
15:15 - 15:45
Energy Evolution: Investing through transition, volatility, and policy shifts
Andrea Logan,
Nidhi Chadda
- The political forces accelerating and derailing US renewable deployment
- How capital is rebalancing across hydrocarbons, clean-tech, storage, and next-gen power infrastructure
- The market shifts investors are watching as incentives evolve and new technologies scale
Andrea Martinez Logan, Director, FirstPoint Equity
Nidhi Chadda, Founder, Enzo Advisors / Chief Impact Officer, Richmond Global Sciences
15:45 - 16:10
Coffee break
16:10 - 16:40
How Investors Are Evaluating Infrastructure Allocations
- Have rising valuations and lower yields diluted infrastructure’s “safe haven” status?
- In which sectors are investors still finding genuine value?
- How LPs are balancing long-term resilience with short-term performance pressures
Joanna Wang, Investment Portfolio Management, CPPIB
16:40 - 17:10
The New Shape of Infrastructure Debt in the U.S.
- The evolution of the infrastructure debt markets in the U.S.
- How structured solutions are enabling developers and sponsors to finance complex projects
- How investors are weighing risk in a higher-rate environment
17:10 - 17:45
Infrastructure Secondaries: unlocking liquidity and reshaping portfolios
- Why infrastructure LP-led and GP-led secondaries are accelerating
- How pricing, risk assessment and manager selection differ from private equity
- What the next wave looks like: recapitalisations, continuation funds and the rise of specialist infra-secondary buyers
Women in Private Equity Forum
14:00 - 14:05
Opening remarks
Ali Humphrey
Ali Humphrey, Managing Partner, Arna Advisors
14:05 - 14:40
The state of play in private equity in North America: Assessing momentum amid uncertainty
- How geopolitical and macro-uncertainty is reshaping the US PE landscape
- Do early signs of renewed M&A activity signal a genuine market turning point?
- How evolving fundraising dynamics are redefining competition for capital
14:40 - 15:15
Private Equity’s Evolving Playbook: from fund models to deal size
Anna Dayn
- How emerging structures including deal-by-deal, continuation vehicles, and evergreen models are reshaping fund dynamics
- What differentiates mid-market and large-cap strategies today?
- How LPs evaluate both structure and scale: balancing innovation with proven platforms amid tighter capital, slower exits, and evolving return targets
Anna Dayn, Managing Partner, New End
15:15 - 15:40
Managing AI opportunity and risk as a PE investor
Isabelle Freidheim
- Where is AI creating investable opportunities today?
- How to assess portfolio companies exposed to AI disruption and timing exits
- What GPs must build internally: AI-enabled sourcing, underwriting, diligence and value-creation capabilities
Isabelle Freidheim, Founder and Managing Partner, Athena Capital
15:45 - 16:10
Coffee break
16:10 - 16:40
Rethinking Returns: How Allocators are viewing private equity
Ya Tung
- How LPs are measuring performance in an era of delayed exits and reduced DPI
- Appetite for re-ups: are GPs being held to higher scrutiny on realized performance and distributions?
- Are allocators rethinking pacing, secondaries, or fund sizes to manage liquidity pressures?
Ya Tung, Chief Investment Officer, The Jefferies Family Office
Anita Foster Washington, Investment Associate, Avivar Capital
16:40 - 17:10
Solving the Liquidity Crunch: exits, continuations and secondaries
- Are GPs relying too heavily on continuation vehicles to manufacture liquidity?
- Can the secondaries market realistically absorb the backlog of aging assets?
- How firms are planning hold periods, refinancing and exit readiness in a tighter credit environment
17:10 - 17:45
Emerging Managers: navigating a shifting fundraising landscape
Cari Lodge,
Elizabeth Weymouth
- How market conditions, liquidity constraints and LP consolidation are reshaping opportunities
- What today’s fundraising journey looks like for first- and second-time funds
- How do emerging managers stand out and where they struggle in a crowded market
Cari Lodge, Founder and Managing Partner, Aqualis Partners
Elizabeth Weymouth, Founder and Managing Partner, Grafine Partners
Women in Real Estate Forum
14:00 - 14:05
Opening remarks
Gila Cohen
Gila Cohen, Partner, Chief Investment Officer, Vanbarton Group
14:05 - 14:40
The state of play in real estate: Capitalising on a market moving back into gear
Elizabeth Bell
- The ongoing valuation reset and what it means for deployment, distress, and price discovery
- How managers are reshaping portfolio strategies to stay competitive amid high rates and geopolitical volatility
- How capital is rotating toward sectors with structural tailwinds
Elizabeth Bell, Co-Head of Real Estate, Hamilton Lane
14:40 - 15:15
Real Estate Reset: identifying secular growth trends driving U.S. deal flow
Molly Mahoney ,
Jennifer Halvas
- Where are the most compelling risk-adjusted entry points in the U.S. as pricing stabilises and distress begins to clear?
- Which alternative and emerging sectors are attracting capital?
- How are GPs structuring deals to win: recapitalisations, JV structures, preferred equity, and creative capital stacks?
Molly Mahoney, Managing Director, Slate Asset Management
Jennifer Halvas, Managing Director of Investor Relations, Cityview
15:15 - 15:45
The rise of operational real estate: Investing in sectors with structural demand and defensible income
- Why operationally intensive sectors—self-storage, hospitality, and senior housing—are capturing investor attention
- How managers are repositioning strategies to scale in these segments and compete with early movers
- What’s driving capital flows toward operational models: demographic shifts, pricing power, and differentiated yield
15:45 - 16:10
Coffee break
16:10 - 16:40
How Allocators Are Viewing Real Estate in the current economy
- Performance without exits: income, NAV credibility, and downside protection
- Re-ups under pressure: cash yield, leverage discipline, proof of execution
- Portfolio fixes: pacing, secondaries, structure shifts to manage liquidity
16:40 - 17:10
Investing in offices: opportunities in an improving market
Gila Cohen
- How lenders are recalibrating their appetite for office exposure in the U.S.
- What borrowers are actually seeing on the ground: leasing realities, capital needs and whether repositioning strategies are working
- Where recovery is happening and which markets or asset profiles remain stuck
Gila Cohen, Partner and Chief Investment Officer, Vanbarton Group
17:10 - 17:45
Real estate in the age of AI: positioning portfolios for digital demand
- How AI is reshaping demand for land, power, and digital infrastructure
- What capabilities real estate managers need to build to compete
- Where investors see the strongest opportunities: data centres, edge sites, fibre-rich locations, and power-adjacent assets
Women in Private Debt Forum
14:00 - 14:05
Opening remarks
Sabrina Fox
Sabrina Fox, Founder, Fox Legal Training
14:05 - 14:40
The state of play in private debt: navigating momentum, competition, and structural shifts
Kristina Matthews
- The rise of asset-backed finance as a core growth engine for private credit
- Capital rotation toward specialty strategies as investors seek diversification
- How managers are responding to tighter liquidity, higher scrutiny, and increasing complexity in borrower profiles
Kristina Matthews, Partner, Falcon Investments
14:40 - 15:15
Inside the Asset-Backed Lending Boom
- Has the market reached scale or is more expansion ahead?
- How today’s ABL platforms stack up against direct lending
- Structural advantages and pitfalls versus other credit products
15:15 - 15:45
Financing the AI Build-Out: Debt Opportunities in Digital Infrastructure
- How the AI arms race is reshaping demand for capital across digital investments
- Lenders’ perspectives on underwriting AI-linked infrastructure: risk, pricing, and structure
- The rise of mega-deals and implications for competition and access
15:45 - 16:10
Coffee break
16:10 - 16:40
How investors are weighing risk & return in debt markets
Helena Wang,
Aimee Johnston,
Jennie Rose
- How allocators are assessing risk and discipline in a crowded market
- The trade-off between yield and covenant protection amid growing borrower pressure
- Which strategies (direct lending, opportunistic, structured credit) remain most attractive?
Helena Wang, Managing Director, CPPIB
Amanda Wall, Global Credit Markets – Strategy & Partnerships, Liberty Mutual Investments
Aimee Johnston, Portfolio Manager, Alternative Credits, APG
Jennie Rose, Head of American Private Credit, AustralianSuper
16:40 - 17:10
The Future of Middle-Market Lending: can direct lending maintain its edge?
- What’s happening to compression, competition and pricing in the midmarket?
- Banks vs. private credit: how is this relationship continuing to evolve?
- How scale platforms are defending margins and whether smaller lenders can still win deals
17:10 - 17:45
NAV Financing and GP Liquidity: the new core of private credit?
- How NAV loans, continuation vehicles and hybrid facilities are reshaping fund-level finance
- Examining demand drivers that are driving this trend
- Where returns, structures and risks sit relative to asset-backed and corporate lending
Cocktail reception
17:45 - 18:45
Cocktail reception
Agenda
Day 2 - Wednesday 3rd
Breakfast & registration
08:00 - 09:00
Breakfast & registration
Morning Think Tanks — Invitation Only
08:00 - 09:00
Morning Think Tanks — Invitation Only
Sabrina Fox,
Jane Bowes,
Ali Humphrey,
Gila Cohen
These sessions will allow women to speak freely about the issues impacting their office and asset class. It is a closed door, open conversation where attendees can benchmark ideas and share best practices to gain solutions for common concerns.
Private Debt: Sabrina Fox, Founder, Good Girl to Goddess
Infrastructure: Jane Bowes, Partner, Threadmark
Private Equity: Ali Humphrey, Managing Partner, Arna Advisors
Real Estate: Gila Cohen, Partner, Chief Investment Officer, Vanbarton Group
Plenary
09:15 - 10:15
Private Markets Morning Masterclasses
After the morning think tanks, dive into focused masterclasses designed for candid discussion and practical learning. Join a small group of peers to exchange ideas, tackle challenges, and sharpen your approach – whether it’s on leadership, negotiation, or navigating the next wave of private markets.
- Decoding Value Creation in the Next Cycle
- Secondaries, Continuations and Liquidity Solutions
- AI and Analytics in Deal Sourcing and Portfolio Management
- The 2025 Allocation Playbook: Where Private Markets Capital is Moving Next
AI in Action Pitches
10:15 - 11:00
AI in Action Pitches: Room 1 – Real Assets
A fast-paced, interactive session where GPs present real, deployable AI use cases from their portfolios to a panel of LPs and the room. See how allocators judge which AI applications genuinely create value, which are still hype, and where they spot execution risk. Audience reactions and challenges are part of the discussion.
10:15 - 11:00
AI in Action Pitches: Room 2 – Private Equity & Debt
A fast-paced, interactive session where GPs present real, deployable AI use cases from their portfolios to a panel of LPs and the room. See how allocators judge which AI applications genuinely create value, which are still hype, and where they spot execution risk. Audience reactions and challenges are part of the discussion.
Coffee & networking
11:00 - 11:30
Coffee & networking
Plenary
11:30 - 11:50
Keynote Interview: Evolving Portfolio Construction in a Changing Market
In this in-depth interview, a leading LP shares how portfolio construction, asset allocation, and manager selection strategies are adapting to shifting market dynamics.
11:50 - 12:30
Democratization in Practice: What Investors Want and What’s Holding Them Back
Sinead Colton Grant,
Kirsten Olsen
- What investors are actually looking for in private market exposure
- Product design and distribution: are current models fit for purpose?
- Building trust through transparency, education, and realistic expectations
- How RIAs and platforms can drive adoption and confidence in the next phase of democratization
Sinead Colton Grant, Chief Investment Officer, BNY Wealth
Kirsten Olsen, Managing Director, Head of Private Capital, Private Wealth Management, William Blair
12:30 - 13:10
Are we in a golden age of Private Debt? Is the market in danger of overheating?
- Market dynamics: how high rates and tighter bank lending are fuelling private debt’s growth
- Risks beneath the surface: competition, leverage, and the potential for market correction
- Where investors are finding the best risk-adjusted returns
- Can private debt remain the market’s most resilient performer?
Seated Networking Lunches — Connect by Asset Class
13:10 - 14:30
Close of conference and networking lunch introduction
Join fellow investors, fund managers & advisors for a seated lunch designed to spark meaningful connections within your asset class. Tables will be arranged to bring together peers from across the market in a relaxed, conversational setting.
- Infrastructure
- Private Equity
- Private Debt
- Real Estate
Plenary
14:30 - 15:00
Oxford Style Debate: This house believes that opening 401k plans to private equity will expose US retirement savers to unacceptable levels of risk (Off-record)
Anna Chalker,
Hillary McNally
This is an Oxford-style debate in which we’ll have two speakers for the proposition and two speakers against, with audience voting on their views at the start and at the end of the session. This session will be an off-the-record discussion.
15:00 - 16:00
Final Reflections: From Insight to Action - An Interactive Closing Conversation
Cecilie Søndergaard Nielsen
- Bringing together the most powerful ideas and stories from the summit
- Lessons in resilience, collaboration, and purpose-driven leadership
- How to sustain the momentum beyond the event
- Encouraging audience voices — shared takeaways, personal goals, and collective next steps
Cecilie Søndergaard Nielsen, Founder and Managing Director, CN8 leadership confidence
Close of conference
16:00 - 16:00
Close of conference
Cecilie Søndergaard Nielsen
A unique opportunity for the next generation to connect and discuss career advancement strategies. Hosted by esteemed industry leaders, this session will offer invaluable insights and guidance to help you navigate your career path. Engage in dynamic discussions, ask questions, and gain the knowledge and inspiration needed to advance in alternatives. Join us for this empowering experience and take the next step in your professional journey.
Cecilie Søndergaard Nielsen, Managing Director, Founder, CN8 Leadership Confidence
Build your network across private markets
Join 500 attendees in May 2025 to connect with institutional investors, fund managers, and the private markets community for two days of high-level networking and expert insights. Access all four co-located forums: Women in Private Equity, Infrastructure, Real Estate, and Private Debt, offering a comprehensive view of the industry.
The in-person networking experience
Cross-asset class network
Learn from and meet with practitioners across private markets with an agenda covering all the topics impacting alternatives. Networking breaks take place together and delegates can move freely between individual forums.
Build connections
The agenda is curated to enhance networking opportunities with small group discussions. There will be interactive working groups, breakfast think tanks, roundtable discussions, cocktail receptions and a seated networking lunch.
Meet global investors
Attendees in 2025 included over 150 investors from City of Stamford, GIC, Hamilton Lane, HOOPP, IMCO, NYCERS, Public School Employees’ Retirement System, PSP, Resolution Life, Stepstone, TIFF Investment Management, and many more.
Testimonials from previous attendees
British Business Bank
Marilena Ioannidou, Senior Investment Manager
This was a well organised event, balancing between sessions hearing from industry leaders on topics that are currently top priority, as well as allowing time fo…
Aquila Capital
Miryam Colombo, Client Advisor
As an associate, still at the early stage of my career and eager to learn and grow in the industry, I found it really inspiring to meet other successful women w…
Brown Brothers Harriman
Ainun Ayub, Product Head
I enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere, the candid exchange of knowledge, and the passion that speakers and participants brought. I always leave this event feeling en…
British Business Bank
Marilena Ioannidou, Senior Investment Manager
This was a well organised event, balancing between sessions hearing from industry leaders on topics that are currently top priority, as well as allowing time for networking and engaging with other participants. Highly recommended.
Gallery
Connect with and benchmark against your investor peers. Take part in roundtable discussions, think-tanks and investor-focussed sessions to explore private market opportunities so you can come away with strategies to generate the highest returns.
Pre-Event Resources
See what was discussed at the latest Women in Private Markets Summit North America
Key takeaways from 2025
LPs continue debate over continuation vehicles and NAV loans
Hannah Zhang – 13 May 2025
Representatives from investors including NYCRS expressed caution about the rise of CVs on CVs, saying such practice could make GPs appear ‘desperate’.
Ex-CalPERS’ Musicco: Evergreen funds will change LP-GP dynamics
Hannah Zhang – 13 May 2025
The transactional nature of semi-liquid fund structures can place a lower importance on relationship building between investors and their managers, says Nicole Musicco.
Explore the brand-new speaker faculty
The 2026 agenda is now available
Join the conversation
Want to speak at the event?
If you’re interested in featuring on the agenda at the Women in Private Markets: North America 2026, please reach out directly to Charles Gould, Head of Events – EMEA at PEI Group.
Sponsors:
The leading meeting place for foundations, pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, insurers, and family offices across the private market spectrum.
As an institutional investor, you may be eligible for a complimentary pass to join the Women in Private Markets Summit: New York – the region’s flagship gathering for women in industry to network and showcase their knowledge across all assets of real assets, private equity, debt, and credit. Over two days, you’ll hear from industry leaders, connect with like-minded peers, and gain practical insights into how navigate today’s market with confidence.
Apply for a complimentary LP pass
For qualifying institutional investors only.
Over 150 investors joined us in 2025.
Representing every corner of the LP landscape - ensuring you connect with decision-makers setting allocation priorities for 2026.
60%
Pension & Sovereign Wealth Funds
Long-term allocators shaping private markets.
21%
Foundations & Family Offices
Mission-driven investors embedding future strategies.
12%
Insurance Investors
Stable capital stewards underwriting private‑market growth.
We believe the conversation must include allocators – that’s why qualifying LPs attend at no cost.
- Foundations, endowments, trusts and insurers
- Single family offices & pension funds
- Sovereign wealth funds
- Actively making fund commitments
- Not engaged in third-party fundraising or advisory/consulting fee work
Why attend as an institutional investor
Connect with peers, sharpen your strategy, and influence the market conversation
Join fellow pensions, sovereign wealth funds, insurers, endowments, foundations and family offices to benchmark allocation approaches, engage directly with leading managers, and take away practical insights on real assets, private equity, debt and credit that you can apply across your portfolio.
Benchmark with peers
Compare allocation and stewardship approaches with fellow LPs to refine your strategy.
Engage with leading managers
Meet top GPs across private equity, debt, real estate and infrastructure to discuss value creation.
Stay ahead of market shifts
Get practical guidance across the private markets spectrum, all in one place.
Learn what’s
possible in 2026
