ANN ARBOR— This week more than 200 private equity, investment banking and business leaders from around the United States will descend on the University of Michigan campus for the annual Michigan Private Equity Conference. Hosted by the Samuel Zell and Robert H. Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies and its Center for Venture Capital and Private Equity Finance at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, the event will cover the latest insights on the state of the private equity industry and the strategies necessary to excel heading into 2012. Now in its seventh year, the event is being held on Oct. 5 at the University of Michigan Union.
The Michigan Private Equity Conference is a boutique event that covers current and emerging topics in the nation’s economy and credit markets that pose challenges and new opportunities for those in private equity and institutional investing. During the half-day program, keynote speakers and panelists will assess the current state of the marketplace and discuss strategies private-equity firms can utilize to take advantage of current and predicted market conditions.
The program will kick-off at 7:30 a.m. with a networking breakfast. At 8:15 a.m., the first keynote address will be delivered by Samuel Zell, founder and chairman of Equity Group Investments, University of Michigan alumnus, and major proponent of and donor to entrepreneurial education at the University. A second keynote address will take place at 11:45 a.m. and will be delivered by Steven Klinsky, managing director, founder and Chief Executive Officer of New Mountain Capital LLC.
In addition to both keynote addresses, attendees will then be able to network and listen to several in-depth panel discussions on topics including:
- Driving Value Creation Through Operations Improvement
- How Private Equity Firms Create Value in Portfolio Companies
- Limited Partners Private Equity Outlook and Investment Perspectives
“The global financial markets continue to be in a state of flux,” said David Brophy, director of the Center for Venture Capital & Private Equity Finance and associate professor of finance. “That is why it is critical for practitioners in the space to come together to discuss the issues that matter most. The mix of networking, keynotes and panels found at the Conference is perfect for fostering this necessary dialogue and providing an opportunity for our alumni to interact with practitioners moving the markets forward.”
All attendees are invited to a pre-event golf outing taking place at 11:30 a.m. Oct. 4, which will be followed by a dinner reception at 6:00 p.m. at the Campus Inn. Online registration is open through Oct. 3; on-site registration will open 7:30 a.m. Friday morning at the Michigan Union. For more information or to register, visithttp://www.bus.umich.edu/Conferences/UMPE/ViewConference.aspx