The Private Equity Forum is a national two day event in Austin that brings LPs and GPs from across the United States into one room to talk fundraising, dealmaking, and what comes next for the asset class.
Designed for meaningful engagement, the summit gives senior investors the time and space to compare views, challenge perspectives, and build the deeper connections that only happen when the right people spend real time together.
The Mergermarket event today has been great. It’s fantastic to sit with smart people — both panellists and attendees — to share ideas, but also to listen and hear what others are seeing in the market. You get that human interaction and walk away with a lot of valuable information.
The Mergermarket team did a great job presenting data‑driven slides and facilitating good discussions around trends people are seeing now and expecting in the future.
And being in a room with great people also gives you a chance to network and build connections. That community element is hugely valuable — it’s why people travel in from across the country to be part of this event.
Latham & Watkins advises the businesses and institutions that power the global economy. We leverage the firm's top-tier strength in Asia, the US, Europe, and the Middle East to seamlessly advise market participants on complex domestic and cross-border transactions, including front-end direct lending and leveraged finance, corporate reorganizations, restructurings and insolvencies, distressed investing and special situations, PIPE transactions, preferred equity and convertible debt, asset-backed securitisations and financings, infrastructure financings, project finance, buyouts, carve-outs, asset M&A, activist transactions, venture capital investments and capital raising. With a comprehensive view across different investment strategies, Latham’s lawyers advise clients on all aspects of their business in deploying private capital, from fund formation, fundraising, and regulatory matters to analyzing, structuring, and executing transactions and portfolio management.
Latham advises the broadest range of market participants across the full spectrum of bespoke financing solutions. We bring exceptional insight to hybrid instrument transactions, having advised on countless market-leading hybrid deals to fill the gaps in capital structures between senior debt and control equity, and to finance acquisitions, growth, dividend recaps, fund liquidity solutions, and rescue financings.
We have been at the forefront of the evolution of the private credit markets. With our breadth of experience and deep investor relationships across the largest direct lenders can rely on our comprehensive understanding of the market and proven track record in closing transactions with cutting-edge terms.
We are one of very few firms with a market-leading restructuring and insolvency practice in Asia and globally. As a firm, Latham has assisted hundreds of banks, hedge funds, private equity sponsors, borrowers and issuers in cross-border restructurings and enabled them to navigate complicated situations and come out better off at the other end of the transaction. In order to deliver a successful restructuring, the firm draws on its extensive legal experience in global finance and restructuring transactions, and resources from across our many offices worldwide. We are also known for our ability to think outside the box and come up with innovative solutions to help our clients achieve their goals.
Baker McKenzie is a transactional powerhouse with unmatched private equity focus and expertise. We work with some of the world's largest financial sponsors on acquisitions, exits and portfolio company needs. We help structure deals to minimize risk and ensure that clients achieve their goals.
With over 300 private equity lawyers, we have more experts in more markets than any other private equity practice and work seamlessly across borders to deliver innovative advice wherever it may be. Seamless, global operation is part of our DNA.
Our full service firm and breadth of practices enables us to address all aspects of the transaction, bringing specialists that are best in class in their fields.
The combination of our deep sector local expertise, and our ability to work seamlessly across each of the countries and specialisations means we can add unique value in shaping, negotiating and closing the deal. We are a true partner in the investment process, from initial investment to exit, that can help structure financing, incentivise management, create value in the portfolio company and execute a successful exit.
The results speak for themselves - we lead and close complex deals - every day.
Haynes and Boone, LLP is among the fastest-growing Am Law 100 firms, providing full-service counsel across sectors, including corporate, energy, financial services, real estate, restructuring, litigation, intellectual property and specialty transactions. Companies at all stages rely on Haynes Boone, whether they’re in the Fortune 500 and/or S&P 500, well-funded, exchange-listed, privately held or in emerging-growth mode. More than 700 lawyers practice across 19 global offices in California, Colorado, Illinois, New York, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Washington, D.C., London, Mexico City and Shanghai. In 2024, Chambers USA ranked 35 firm practice areas, and Haynes Boone became the first top 100 firm to earn Mental Health America’s Gold Bell Seal for its industry leading commitment to creating a mentally healthy workplace. For more information, visit haynesboone.com.
With a global platform of approximately 4,000 lawyers in 22 cities across the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia, Kirkland & Ellis provides elite legal advice and a relentless commitment to client service. Kirkland is a market-leader in each of its core practice areas including private equity, M&A and other complex corporate transactions; investment fund formation and alternative asset management; restructurings; high-stakes commercial and intellectual property litigation; and government, regulatory and internal investigations.
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Edward J. Grefenstette serves as President/CIO of The Dietrich Foundation, a ~$1.5 billion foundation formed following the passing of Bill Dietrich II in 2011 that supports higher education institutions and other civic organizations in Pennsylvania. Ed previously served as Treasurer/CIO of Carnegie Mellon University (CMU). Prior to CMU, he co-founded a PE fund, following a career in investment banking and law. He earned his AB in Economics and JD from Georgetown University and an MBA from CMU. He serves on several boards/investment committees, including CMU and UPMC. He is a frequent speaker on topics related to PE/VC, particularly in the emerging markets.
Greg is the Global Co-Head of Private Equity at APG Asset Management US Inc.
Prior to joining APG US, Mr. Jania was a Managing Director, Partner, and member of the investment committee at WP Global Partners, a 25-person, $2 billion private equity firm founded in 2005. WP Global’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, international insurance companies, endowments, and pension plans. WP Global invested in global buyout, debt, and venture funds and was also an active co-investor.
Prior to that, Mr. Jania was a Senior Vice President in the Investment Management Group of GE Commercial Finance, which managed a $2.5 billion private equity portfolio consisting of over 230 buyout, mezzanine, and venture funds and direct equity investments. Prior to joining GE, he was Vice President at One Equity Partners, a subsidiary of Bank One that invested more than $1 billion in private equity funds during his tenure and managed a $2.2 billion private equity portfolio with over 125 fund investments. Mr. Jania started his career in credit analysis and debt underwriting at American National Bank, a subsidiary of Bank One in Chicago.
Mr. Jania received an M.B.A. with honors from the University of Chicago and earned a B.A. in political science and economics, magna cum laude, from Wabash College where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa.
Yangge Seaman is Head of Private Investments at the Children’s Health Foundation in Dallas, TX. In this role, she has built and scaled the foundation’s private investment program across buyouts, venture capital, and illiquid real assets. Beyond primary allocations, she is actively involved in co-investments and secondary transactions.
Prior to joining Children’s Health, Yangge held senior investment roles at ICMA-RC and Texas Children’s Hospital Foundation. She began her career in endowment and foundation investing at UNC Management Company. Yangge earned her B.A. from the University of Notre Dame and is a CFA® charterholder.
