Ben Hart is a Partner and Head of Investor Relations (Asia) at Adams Street Partners, where he focuses on the firm’s institutional and private wealth relationships across the region. Ben is a 25-year Asia resident with over 20 years’ experience in the venture-backed tech and private equity markets.

Prior to joining Adams Street, Ben worked at Swiss-based private equity firm Capital Dynamics, where he served as Managing Director and COO, Asia, overseeing the firm’s business development efforts in Asia and North America.

Before joining Capital Dynamics, Ben spent over a decade working with VC and PE-backed tech firms in China and across Asia on their market development strategies. He served as Managing Director, Asia, at Aircom International, and also held senior positions at Convergys Corporation, Alliance Digital, Inc., and the JM Network.

Education:

University of Colorado, BBA

Investment/operational experience: 21 years

Languages: English, Mandarin Chinese

Tom is a Portfolio Manager in Aware’s Private Equity team covering private equity / buyout primary fund and co-investment activity. Tom joined Aware in 2021 having previously worked at AGL Energy where he focused on renewable energy investing, and at Macquarie Group in New York where he invested in infrastructure.

Will MacAulay is General Manager, Unlisted Assets with HESTA, and is responsible for managing HESTA’s private asset investment portfolios including Infrastructure, Property, Private Equity, Insurance Linked Securities, and Strategic Investments.

Will holds a Bachelor of Commerce and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Melbourne, is a Chartered Financial Analyst, and is a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

James Lilico is a Senior Portfolio Manager at Australian Retirement Trust, a $300 billion profit-for-members superannuation fund, of which private equity represents a $19 billion portfolio. His role encompasses portfolio strategy and management, investment and manager selection, and ongoing investment management of fund, co-investment and direct assets in Australia and offshore.

ART’s private equity portfolio consists of primary funds, secondary funds and direct co-investments across the buyout, venture/growth and distressed/special situations areas. James represents Australian Retirement Trust on various advisory boards in Australia and overseas.

James has over 20 years’ experience in investment management and financial markets. Prior to ART, he was at RMB Capital Partners and Grant Samuel. He has a Bachelor of Science in Finance and a Master of Science in Decision and Information Sciences from the University of Florida.

David Bluff is Managing Director, Real Assets, where he co-heads the Real Assets division, covering private equity, credit, infrastructure and property.

Prior to joining the Future Fund, David was a Partner at The Carlyle Group, where he spent 14 years in buyout, most recently as Head of Australia & New Zealand and was a member of Carlyle’s Asia Pacific Leadership Team.

David previously worked in M&A at J.P.Morgan and SABMiller plc.

Marina is the Head of Growth Alternatives at Rest, covering private equity and alternatives. She joined Rest in 2020 to build out the Private Equity capability and investment portfolio. More recently Marina has reshaped the Rest Alternatives strategy to a thematic completion portfolio and is building out that strategy investing in themes such as food and sustainability, natural capital and climate.

Prior to joining Rest, Marina worked in the private equity team at the Future Fund for 9 years, where she invested in private equity funds and co-investments.

Marina previously worked in the Investment Banking Division of Goldman Sachs, where she advised Australian corporations on mergers and acquisitions and financing transactions.

She has a Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Laws (Honours) degree from the University of Melbourne.