AIC Conversations
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, AIC alternatively executed a webinar series named ‘AIC Conversations' in 2020/21. This series comprises a sequence of interviews and discussions with founders and executives in the alternative investments industry. All the interviews will be accessible on AIC’s social media channels and the profiles below.
AIC Conversations seeks to act as a learning platform for students and young professionals interested in learning from the brightest individuals in the alternative investment industry. By clicking on each profile, viewers can read more about the speakers' backgrounds and watch the respective interviews.
During 2020/21, AIC invited a wide variety of speakers ranging from private equity titans to chief executives of notable hedge funds, hover over any of the speakers' photos to learn more!
Kurt Björklund
Permira
Kurt Bjorklund is the Co-Managing Partner at Permira, a London-based private equity firm with €30bn in assets under management. The Permira Funds have made over 250 private equity investments in five key sectors: Consumer, Financial services, Healthcare, Industrial Tech & Services and Technology.
Edgar Bronfman Jr.
Accretive LLC
Edgar Bronfman Jr. is a Managing Partner of Accretive LLC and the former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Warner Music, one of the world’s largest music companies. He is also the current Chairman of Endeavour, an international non-profit organization that seeks to support entrepreneurs.
Marco De Benedetti
The Carlyle Group
Marco Benedetti is a Managing Director and co-head of Carlyle's European Buyout Group, one of the largest private equity funds globally. He is focused on telecommunications and the brand consumer goods sector. He is well known for making his own success in the buyout business instead of joining his family empire.
Jeremy Grantham
Grantham, Mayo & van Otterloo (GMO)
Jeremy Grantham is the Co-Founder and Chief Investment Strategist of Grantham, Mayo & van Otterloo (GMO), a Boston based asset management firm with $118 billion AUM. Mr. Grantham is widely considered to be one of the most influential investors of all time.
Stephen A. Schwarzman
Blackstone
Stephen Schwarzman is the Chairman, CEO and Co-Founder of Blackstone, one of the world’s leading investment firms with $584 billion Assets Under Management. He was named one of Forbes’ Top 50 “World’s Most Powerful People” in 2018 and Forbes’ most influential person in finance in 2016.
Joana Rocha Scaff
Neuberger Berman
Joanna Rocha Scaff is the Managing Direct and Head of Europe Private Equity of Neuberger Berman, an investment management company that has over $374 billion in AUM, where over $90 billion is invested in private equity. She is one of the top 50 most influential people in private equity across Europe.
Michael Kim
MBK Partners
Michael ByungJu Kim is a Partner and a co-founder of MBK Partners, the largest independent North Asian private equity firm. Often dubbed the "Godfather of Asian private equity" or the “Quiet Rainmaker”, Mr. Kim is a veteran buy-out investor with over 30 years of experience in the industry.
Orlando Bravo
Thoma Bravo
Orlando Bravo is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Thoma Bravo, a private equity investment firm that specialises in software and tech-enabled service sectors. Mr. Bravo began his career at Morgan Stanley, before joining Thoma Bravo’s predecessor firm, Thoma Cressey Equity Partners, Inc. (TCEP).
David Allen
AlbaCore Capital Group
David Allen is the Co-Founder and Chief Investment Officer of AlbaCore Capital Group, one of Europe's leading alternative investment managers with expertise in credit strategies. In 2020, AlbaCore's recently launched Collaterized Debt Obligation strategy ranked #1 in Europe.
J. Christopher Flowers
J.C. Flowers & Co.
James Christopher Flowers is the Founder, Managing Director and CEO of J.C. Flowers & Co., a private equity firm with $6 billion in AUM and has made over $16 billion in investments since its launch in 1998. He is personally estimated to have a net worth of $2 billion.
Helen Steers
Pantheon
Helen Steers is a Partner in Pantheon’s European Investment Team and Pantheon’s senior manager for Pantheon International Plc. Prior to joining Pantheon, Ms. Steers worked for Russell Investments, where she was Managing Director with overall responsibility for private equity in Europe.
Thomas Tull
Tulco
Thomas Tull is the founder, Chairman and CEO of Tulco, which helps companies unlock rapid, sustainable growth through the application of advanced data science. Mr. Tull is known for founding Legendary Entertainment in 2004, one of the most successful film production company in Hollywood.
Mercedes Bent
Lightspeed Venture Partners
Mercedes Bent is an investor at Lightspeed, a global venture capital firm focusing on investments in the enterprise technology, consumer, and health sectors. Mercedes is part of the consumer investing team, and is primarily focused on edtech/future of work, fintech, and consumer products.
Guy Spier
Aquamarine Fund
Guy Spier is a Zurich-based investor. He is the author of ‘The Education of a Value Investor’, which has sold over 50,000 copies and has been translated into more than 9 langugages. Spier is the manager of the Aquamarine Fund, a value-oriented investment fund that manages over $350 million.
Jonathan M. Nelson
Providence Equity Partners
Jonathan M. Nelson is the founder and CEO of Providence Equity Partners, a global media, communications, education and technology-focused private equity firm with $49 billion in AUM. He is a renowned businessman famous for pioneering the sector-focused private equity approach.