All times CDT
access_time
08.45
Registration and breakfast
access_time
09.25
Chair’s opening remarks
access_time
09.30
Keynote fireside chat
access_time
10.00
GP leaders’ panel: diversification and resilience
- How are higher interest rates and tighter financing conditions impacting large-cap buyout deal activity, valuations, and competition?
- Where are GPs finding the most attractive deals, and which sectors show the strongest growth and resilience?
- How are GPs approaching liquidity in today’s market?
- How are managers positioning themselves to generate alpha in this cycle, through operational improvements and creative structures?
access_time
10.45
local_cafe
Networking break
access_time
11.15
Middle market private equity: unlocking opportunity
- What are some of the distinct advantages offered by the middle market, such as portfolio diversification and diverse deal flow?
- How are GPs unlocking value in the middle market through strategic investments?
- Which sectors, geographies and investment strategies are providing the best avenue for growth?
- How are managers taking advantage of the flexible liquidity options and exit strategies in the middle market?
access_time
12.00
Fundraising: shifting playbooks
- What are some of the strategies GPs are using to attract new sources of capital?
- How are GPs differentiating themselves in a crowded fundraising environment, and what trends are emerging around fund size, structure, and specialization?
- How are investor relations professionals adapting to an increasingly complex regulatory and geopolitical landscape?
- How are LPs thinking about manager selection, and what do they want to hear in terms of co-investment opportunities, fees, DPI and more?
access_time
12.45
restaurant
Networking lunch
access_time
13.45
Exits: beating the odds
- What is the exit window looking like as we head into 2027, and what trends will shape the market?
- Will GPs continue to rely on alternative liquidity pathways to generate distributions?
- To what extent are IPOs returning as a viable exit route, or is the market still favouring strategic and sponsor-to-sponsor deals?
- Has DPI actually become more important than IRR in today’s environment?
access_time
14.30
Operational value creation: an evolving landscape
- How is value creation evolving in a higher-cost, lower-growth environment?
- Which operational levers have proven most effective in driving value?
- Where is AI delivering measurable value in portfolios today?
- How do required skillsets and capabilities change as holding periods are extended?
access_time
15.15
local_cafe
Networking break
access_time
15.45
Fireside chat- Game on: the rise of private equity sports investing
access_time
16.15
Software and AI disruption- the shifting sands of SaaS
- With software valuations under pressure, how are GPs timing exits and adjusting return expectations?
- Which software business models are most resilient- or at risk- of AI disruption, and where are GPs finding pockets of opportunity?
- What questions ae LPs asking about the sector and are they still willing to make new commitments?
- What comes next as AI reshapes the sector, and how can managers use it as a long-term competitive advantage?
access_time
17.00
local_bar
End of conference and networking reception
All times CDT
access_time
08.30
local_cafe
Registration and breakfast
access_time
09.10
Chair’s opening remarks
access_time
09.15
GP-led Secondaries and continuation vehicles: here to stay?
- Are GP led secondaries becoming a necessary long-term solution for liquidity and value creation, or just a partial fix?
- What are the most compelling opportunities in lower and mid-market secondary deal flow?
- How are GP-led secondaries and continuation funds evolving to meet LP demands for DPI?
- Is there still LP scepticism surrounding CVs or has there been a shift in mentality towards these liquidity mechanisms?
access_time
10.00
Private credit: navigating headwinds
- How are private credit managers addressing the current risks surrounding the asset class?
- Are sector and asset-class specialization becoming the key value drivers?
- How are current market dislocations leading to a growth of distressed and opportunistic credit activity and the need for bespoke capital solutions? 
- What is the outlook for the asset class as we head into 2027?
access_time
10.45
local_cafe
Networking break
access_time
11.15
Sector focus: energy and real assets
- What are the biggest risks and challenges investors face in energy and real assets today, particularly in light of ongoing geopolitical conflicts ?
- What is prompting the shift in investments towards energy and real assets?
- The clean energy sector- from large-scale renewables to hydrogen, solar and wind – where are managers deploying capital in the US and beyond?
- The growing data center build-out and AI-driven infrastructure demand- where are the investment opportunities?
access_time
12.00
LP viewpoint: adapting to a changing market
- How are LPs seeking differentiation when it comes to portfolio construction, and what areas of the market are offering the best protection and risk-adjusted returns? 
- How is manager selection evolving? Are LPs going for fewer, deeper partnerships?
- What role are continuation vehicles playing in LP portfolios?
- With the rise of retail capital, what are the implications and concerns for LPs, and how do LPs differentiate themselves as investors?
access_time
12.45
restaurant
Close of conference and networking lunch
Something went wrong.
An error occurred trying to play the stream. Please reload the page and try again.
CloseSign-up to join the ION Analytics Community to:
- Register for events
- Access market insights
- Download reports