2024 MMI Alternative Investments Forum

Opportunities to Streamline Alternative Investment Sales & Service  

As the adoption of alternative investment products by institutional and wealth investors grows, so does the complexity associated with sales, assets, and redemptions transparency. Multiple data sources from distribution partners, custodians, and third-party providers need to be wrangled, translated, and harmonized in lieu of common data standards that describe transaction status and sales. This presents a significant pain point both for intermediaries and asset managers. Opportunities to streamline the data, eliminate manual processes, and increase transparency across industry participants are emerging via digital and Blockchain technologies. Hear from a panel of industry leaders how they are addressing the current-state data and analytic complexities and learn about emerging tools, best practices, and new technologies to meet these complexities.              

Introduction:
Hilary Roman, Principal, National Accounts, Apollo Global Management

Moderator: 
Jane Conway, Ph.D., Managing Director, Head of Digital, Data and Enablement, Client & Product Solutions, Apollo Global Management

Panelists: 
Jason Broder, Managing Director, Chief Product Officer, iCapital 
Pedro Macedo, Managing Director, Head of Business Development, Blackstone Private Wealth Solutions 
Pat McManus, Managing Director, Head of Client Services Group, Apollo Global Management  
 

Capital Raising in a Sea of Evergreen  

The democratization of alternative investments has led to a growing number of evergreen structures with different liquidity, fee, and legal structures targeting the wealth market. These new structures often complement asset managers’ existing draw-down vehicles, typically with lower investment minimums and investor qualifications. As wealth management platforms and RIAs continue to expand access and express growing demand for evergreen structures, the landscape for episodic draw-down vehicles may also be forced to evolve to garner the same level of interest. This session analyzes how advisors and platforms are approaching the onboarding, diligence, and distribution of various structures across the liquidity spectrum including interval funds, operating companies, RICs, BDCs, sub-advised, and vintage draw-down vehicles.

Moderator: 
Jon Diorio, Managing Director, Product & Platform Group, BlackRock

Panelists: 
Stephen Brennan, Managing Director, Head of Private Wealth Solutions, Hamilton Lane 
John Guinee, Co-Founder, Managing Partner, Constitution Capital Partners 
Alison Nest, Managing Director, Head of Alternative Investments, Morgan Stanley  
 

Tax-Efficient Solutions: The Role of Alternative Investments

Tax-smart investing is a staple of how wealth management firms can differentiate themselves from the competition. In this session, we look at several options to help solve common investor challenges – such as appreciated stock, low- or no-basis real estate, and other asset location strategies – aimed at giving clients and advisors more options during the planning process. Our expert panel will discuss opportunity zones, 1031 exchanges, exchange funds, and private placement life insurance.  

Moderator: 
James Costabile, Managing Director, Head of Alternative Distribution, iCapital 
     
Panelists: 
Nick Cerami, Vice President, Alternative Investment Solutions Group, Goldman Sachs 
Virginia Klein, Executive Vice President, Head of Investments, Axcelus Financial 
Jill Mozer, Partner, Head of Ares Real Estate Exchange, Ares Wealth Management Solutions 
Nick Rosenthal, Co-Chief Executive Officer, Griffin Capital

Meeting the Moment: How Leading Asset Managers are Building and Evolving Distribution for Alternatives  

Top alternative asset managers discuss how they are building – or evolving – distribution strategies to meet the needs of financial advisors and their clients. This session covers trends in team building and hiring, the impact and usage of data and insights, working with home offices and the value of partnership, and how leading firms are approaching, attracting, and retaining top talent.

Moderator: 
Eric Burkett, Managing Director, Head of Alternative Investments Distribution, Bank of America Merrill Lynch 

Panelists: 
Dave Dunton, Head of U.S. Wealth Specialist Distribution, Nuveen Investments 
Casey Galligan, Partner, Ares Wealth Management Solutions 
Madeleine Sinclair, Managing Director, Head of North American Distribution, Private Wealth, Blue Owl Capital

Regulatory Developments in Alternative Investments: What You Need to Know   

Amid increased demand for alternative investments, the regulatory landscape for these products is rapidly evolving. Hear about the latest developments that will impact your business, including the SEC Private Fund Adviser Rules and the legal challenges to them, the SEC examination and enforcement focus on alternatives, and the special issues with alternatives in managed accounts, including marketing, access vehicles and fees, and liquidity.

Presenters:  
Christine Lombardo, Partner, Co-Head Financial Institutions Practice Area, Morgan Lewis 
Christine Schleppegrell, Partner, Morgan Lewis

Alternative Investments Education: Best Practices for Educating Advisors

The uptake of alternative investments in wealth investor portfolios is heavily dependent on advisors learning about private capital markets, their structures, and exposures. As the industry looks to educate advisors, learn about key pain points in the education process from the perspective of an asset manager, a platform provider, and an advisor. This session delves into the best ways to educate advisors (e.g., white papers, videos, or presentations) and the responsible groups (i.e., asset managers, wealth managers or third-party firms). 
                 
Moderator: 
Stephanie Davis, Managing Director, Co-Head U.S Private Wealth Solutions, Hamilton Lane 

Panelists: 
Tony Davidow, Senior Alternative Investment Strategist, Franklin Templeton 
Brian Holzer, Managing Director, Head of Distribution, Alternative Investments, Morgan Stanley Wealth Management  
Shawn Khazzam, Head of Private Wealth Alternatives, Americas, JP Morgan Asset Management

The Financial Advisor Perspective

The growth of alternative investment options across asset classes and structures has given wealth management firms and their advisors more choice, but the selection process can be daunting. During this session, you will hear from several top financial advisors on how they use alternative investments to differentiate their practices and how they evaluate new and existing offerings for their clients.  

Moderator:  
Jeanette Pieper, Managing Director, Private Wealth Management Group, Blackstone

Panelists: 
Mike Delgass, Advisor, Managing Director, Wealthspire Advisors 
Dana Lambert, Private Wealth Advisor, The Meltzer Dunn Fakhoury Group at Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Management 
Rich Pluta, Managing Director, Senior Consultant, The Pluta/Katz Group, Bank of America Merrill Lynch