PE-Backed Leadership Summit

AGENDA

9:00 - 9:30 am

Registration and Breakfast

9:30 - 10:30 am

Accelerating Growth in the Age of AI: Unleashing the Power of Digital Technology for PE-Backed Companies with Vikram Mahidhar

The age of AI has arrived faster than almost anyone expected, and those that learn to harness its power most effectively in the years to come will likely reap the biggest rewards. The most powerful driver of value for PE-backed companies in the years to come is likely their ability to grow and deploy digital technology, enabling better customer relationships, higher-quality work—all at far lower costs.

But how do you do it? What really works in developing a fast-learning company culture that can truly embrace these waves of change to attack business problems and accelerate growth? How do you evaluate talent and tech? We’ll learn some of secrets from one of the most agile PE companies around, to help you think—and maybe re-think—how you’re developing this essential muscle.

Vikram Mahidhar

Vikram Mahidhar

Data & Digital Transformation Operating Partner, Portfolio Performance Solutions, Apollo

10:30 - 11:10 am

Going Faster Amid a Slowing Deal Environment

We’ll convene a panel of experienced CEOs who are running PE-backed businesses and successfully navigating in these breakneck times to hear how they’re doing it, and how you can too. How are their investors’ expectations changing? What are the big changes in the marketplace that they’re seeing? What are the risks, what are the opportunities—especially in technology? What about M&A? We’ll dive into all of this and more, with pragmatic advice from successful teams.   

Amy Kadomatsu

Amy Kadomatsu

CEO, Comply

Tom Kemp

Tom Kemp

Chairman, Northstar Travel Group

11:10 - 11:30 am

Networking Break

11:30 - 12:15 pm

What Investors Want—Now

For CEOs, the most essential asset in any PE-backed business is your relationship with your investors and board. But in today’s volatile and unpredictable market, their expectations are evolving at a rapid pace, and they may not always align with the realities on the ground.

To thrive, it’s essential to have a clear understanding of how investors see the world and what they expect from their operating executives. We’ll convene a panel of private equity firm executives who will candidly share their thoughts on the market, on evaluating talent, on exit strategies and changing timeframes—and what they expect from portco CEOs and CFOs. Their experience can provide valuable insights to help you develop a successful partnership with your portfolio leaders in the coming year.

Jonathan Haas

Jonathan Haas

Managing Director, Clarion Capital Partners, LLC

marshall phelp photo

Marshall Phelps

Managing Director, MidOcean Partners

12:15 - 1:30 pm

Networking Lunch with Peer Roundtable Discussions

In these working lunch sessions, you’ll have the opportunity to sit down with your peers and subject matter experts for interactive discussions to delve into some of your most complicated strategic issues.

Companies that have a consistent and dedicated M&A effort see more opportunities and do more good deals. But it’s a real challenge to get this done in a mid-market company without dedicated resources (and running your company). Join us to discuss how you can develop a system for developing an M&A pipeline without overburdening your team (or yourself!)

Featured Speakers:

  • James Carmichael, Managing Director, American Securities
  • Rob Haisch, Partner, A&M Capital

Join your peers to workshop some of your toughest executive hiring challenges and decisions. Together, we’ll explore:

  • Which types of leaders thrive in PE
  • How to navigate the CXO-PE partnership
  • What keeps PE execs up at night versus what keeps CXOs up at night
  • Why some CEOs win in PE and others fail in PE

Featured Speaker:

  • Kevin O’Neill, Acertitude

We all know PE backed CEOs don’t have the multi-generational perspective. If they don’t hit their short term goals (and over half of CEOs don’t make it through the first year of PE ownership), they won’t be there beyond 12 months. And if they are successful, the company will be sold within 5 years. So how do experienced CEOs adjust their timing and playbook? What do they need to accomplish in the first 100 days and first year?  What do they need to do before day 1?

Featured Speaker:

  • Jack McCullough, President, CFO Leadership Council

1:30 - 2:15 pm

Strategic Exits in Today's Complex Market: Unraveling Valuations, IPOs & Beyond

The current market is as tricky as they come—you need all the help you can get. It’s never been more crucial to stay informed and make informed decisions to maximize the potential for successful exits. We’ll be joined by seasoned experts on PE-backed exits, who will provide a full lay of the land, evaluating the current IPO market and global economic landscape. They’ll dive into key trends to help you understand the rationale for different exit strategies, including direct listings, sponsor to sponsor, and more, to optimize valuations.

Paul Aversano

Paul Aversano

Managing Director and Global Practice Leader, Global Transaction Advisory, Alvarez & Marsal

David Earling

Co-President, Solebury Capital

Bob McCooey

Bob McCooey

Vice Chairman and Global Head of Capital Markets, Nasdaq

2:15 - 3:00 pm

Culture Catalysts: Transforming PE-Backed Companies into Irresistible Talent Magnets

What got your company—and your executive team—here likely won’t get you there, at least not in this fast-changing tech-drenched environment where premium talent still commands a premium. The good news: small changes in the way you lead and shape your workplace can have a huge impact on your ability to hire and retain great people, giving you a competitive edge.

Based on his extensive, ongoing work inside PE-backed companies in every industry, Ted Bililies will reveal some of the emerging secrets needed to build a future-proofed workplace culture that gives you the tools to bring out the best in your employees, retain your high-potential employees and thrive in the years ahead.

Ted Bililies

Ted C. Bililies, Ph.D.

Global head of Transformative Leadership practice and Managing Director, AlixPartners

3:00 - 3:20 pm

Networking Break

3:20 - 4:05 pm

Maximizing Margins: Pricing Strategies for Peak Profitability

In 2024, one of the most crucial skills for achieving success remains mastering pricing strategy. Even if you have increased prices multiple times in the past 18 months, you might still be lagging or neglecting substantial profit-making possibilities. You may understand this critical facet of your business, but is your team still onboard with you?

Whether you are just starting or already engaged in this key practice, the professionals from renowned consultancy Simon-Kucher will provide pragmatic and practical techniques to apply immediately. Their expertise will equip you with the necessary tools to get your team focused on staying ahead of the competition and maximizing your profits.

Dave Clement

Dave Clement

Partner, Simon-Kucher & Partners

Bhavin Manjee

Bhavin Manjee

Partner and Board Member, Simon-Kucher & Partners

4:05 - 5:00 pm

Closing Keynote: Driving Extraordinary Value in the Age of Constant Change with Chip Kaye

What does it really take to grow value in a private equity-backed business in an age of breathtaking change and constant acceleration? How is the world of PE changing? And how will you need to adapt to win? Few people have as much experience and perspective as Chip Kaye, the legendary CEO of $82.6 billion PE titan Warburg Pincus. In this exclusive session, he’ll share his unique outlook on where the world is going, how the game is changing and what you need to do to make sure you’re focusing on the right things in your operation to bring about extraordinary results.

Charles Kaye

Chip Kaye

Chief Executive Officer, Warburg Pincus

5:00 - 6:00 pm

Networking Reception

Roundtable

Strategic Planning Workshop

1:00 - 5:00 pm

Over 70% of Executives Surveyed Agree: Many Strategic Planning Efforts Lack Systematic Approach Tips for Enhancing Your Strategic Planning Process

Executives expressed frustration with their current strategic planning process. Issues include:

  1. Lack of systematic approach (70%)
  2. Laundry lists without prioritization (68%)
  3. Decisions based on personalities rather than facts and information (65%)

 

Steve Rutan and Denise Harrison have put together an afternoon workshop that will provide the tools you need to address these concerns.  They have worked with hundreds of executives to develop a systematic approach that will enable your team to make better decisions during strategic planning.  Steve and Denise will walk you through exercises for prioritizing your lists and steps that will reset and reinvigorate your process.  This will be a hands-on workshop that will enable you to think about your business as you use the tools that are being presented.  If you are ready for a Strategic Planning tune-up, select this workshop in your registration form.  The additional fee of $695 will be added to your total.

To sign up, select this option in your registration form. Additional fee of $695 will be added to your total.

New York, NY: ​​​Chief Executive's Corporate Citizenship Awards 2017

Women in Leadership Seminar and Peer Discussion

2:00 - 5:00 pm

Female leaders face the same issues all leaders do, but they often face additional challenges too. In this peer session, we will facilitate a discussion of best practices and how to overcome common barriers to help women leaders be more effective within and outside their organizations. 

Limited space available.

To sign up, select this option in your registration form. Additional fee of $495 will be added to your total.

Golf Outing

10:30 - 5:00 pm
General’s Retreat at Hermitage Golf Course
Sponsored by UBS

General’s Retreat, built in 1986 with architect Gary Roger Baird, has been voted the “Best Golf Course in Nashville” and is a “must play” when visiting the Nashville, Tennessee area. With the beautiful setting along the Cumberland River, golfers of all capabilities will thoroughly enjoy the golf, scenery and hospitality.

The golf outing fee includes transportation to and from the hotel, greens/cart fees, use of practice facilities, and boxed lunch. The bus will leave the hotel at 10:30 am for a noon shotgun start and return to the hotel after the cocktail reception following the completion of the round.

To sign up, select this option in your registration form. Additional fee of $295 will be added to your total.