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The fundraising boom in recent years has fueled explosive growth in international and cross-border acquisitions. This panel will address how private equity firms approach investing abroad with a special focus on Europe and Asia. Specific areas of discussion will include macro-trends, differing strategies for investing overseas, and specific challenges related to operating in various markets.

Robert Agostinelli - Co-Founder - Rhône Group LLC
Jonathan E. Colby - Managing Director - The Carlyle Group
Bob Davis - Managing Director - Aetna
John W. Jordan II - Chairman and Managing Principal - The Jordan Company
Christian Pfirrmann - Senior Investment Manager - Deutsche Beteiligungs AG

Calls for increased regulation in finance and private equity have grown in past years and are more likely than ever to lead to meaningful changes. This panel will discuss what specific types of regulation are plausible and what the effect of these tightening controls will be on an industry that has historically operated free of heavy regulation. The panel will also highlight opportunities that may emerge from new government policies and regulation.

Bryan Corbett - Principal, Global Government and Regulatory Affairs - The Carlyle Group
Nadine Mirchandani - Partner - Ernst & Young
James G. Rickards - Senior Managing Director for Market Intelligence - Omnis
Sally Rocker - Managing Director - J.C. Flowers & Co. LLC

The current credit crunch has created both opportunities and challenges for Limited Partners as they are being increasingly called upon to analyze and participate in co-investment opportunities provided by their GP’s. This panel will explore LP's current expectations for returns, asset allocations and fundraising efforts looking ahead to the upcoming year. In addition, the panel will discuss the LP's perspectives on the changing landscape in private equity, on where they see opportunities, and on what they consider successful strategies.

Robert Brown - Managing Director - The Carlyle Group
Steve Elia - Vice President - AEA Investors
Kevin Kuryla - Managing Director - UBS Investment Bank
Andrew Kwee - Principal - LGT Capital Partners (USA) Inc.
Allan J. Vartelas - Managing Director, Private Equity Group - Aetna, Inc.

Five years after recovering from the bursting of the tech bubble, venture capital again faces significant challenges in the wake of the credit crisis.  With smaller pools of capital to deploy, VC firms are focusing only their f investment opportunities.  This panel will discuss the current climate for investing in both new start-ups as well as the continued allocation of resources to their current portfolio.

Elon Boms - Managing Director - LaunchCapital LLC
Rob Bettigole - Managing Partner - Elm Street Ventures
James Cha - Principal - Trevi Health Ventures
Matt Harris - Managing General Partner - Village Ventures
Lee Hower - Principal - Point Judith Capital
Kirsten Morin - Senior Associate - FLAG Capital Partners
William J. Schnoor, Jr. - Partner - Goodwin Procter

Finding alternatives to depleting resources continues to be top of mind for many policymakers and consumers.  Obama’s focus on clean energy has served to highlight the potential of this sector.  While many of the emerging technologies are not currently as cost effective their non-renewable alternatives, the future of energy both at home and abroad is shifting towards cleaner and more sustainable sources.  This panel will highlight what these new sources of energy are likely to be, where investment dollars are going, and what investors should consider when deploying capital in this rapidly changing field.

Michael C. Dorsey - Managing Partner - The Westly Group
Alexander "Hap" Ellis III - General Partner - RockPort Capital
Anadi Jauhari - Founder & Senior Managing Director - Emerging Energy & Environment
William O'Brien - Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP
Everett Smith - NewWorld Capital
M. Curtis Whittaker - Rath, Young and Pignatelli, P.C.

The difficult market conditions of the past year have led to an increased focus on preserving capital locked-up in distressed investments.  In addition, numerous distressed debt funds have entered the market to purchase the troubled assets of others yet continue to be exposed to the liquidity and confidence constraints as others in the market.  This panel will discuss the financial and legal strategies that maximize the value of distressed investments through restructuring with an emphasis on preserving shareholder value and continuing company operations.

Nick Alvarez - Managing Director & National Practice Leader - Alvarez & Marsal
Ceasar Anquillare - CEO - Winchester Capital
Thomas Casey - EVP and CFO - Blockbuster Inc.
Rocky Ho - Partner - Ernst & Young
James B. Lockhart III - Vice Chairman - WL Ross & Co.
Jeffrey Marell - Partner - Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP
Michele Paige - Managing Member - Paige Capital