SFI Master Classes

Current Situation

Private equity, defined as privately negotiated investment in public or private companies with the goal of increasing the value of those companies, has become a major asset class over the last decade. Significant inflows of money have transformed the investment space and opened up new fundraising opportunities for privately held firms. More and more investors are showing an interest in private equity investments. However, many challenges lie ahead: Will the considerable increase in dry powder hurt future returns? How will the private equity industry perform with rising interest rates and higher inflation? Can the private equity industry address institutional demand for increased environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting and implementation?

Objective

Building on industry practice and recent academic insights, this Master Class provides a high-level overview of the principles of investing in private equity. Participants discuss—using the latest available data—implementation approaches and both opportunities and shortcomings of current practice. Overall the Master Class aims to equip banking and finance professionals with up-to-date, relevant high-level knowledge of the private equity industry. The specific objectives are:

• Becoming familiar with the institutional details of the private equity industry and keeping up with recent trends such as ever larger funds, dry powder, and the evolving secondary market.

• Examining the risk/return trade-off and potential illiquidity of private equity investments and discerning different methods of accessing exposure to private equity.

• Discussing and understanding fee drag, the J curve, and limitations of popular performance measures through an actual case study.

• Analyzing best-in-class approaches to ESG reporting in the private equity industry

• Understanding the potential for ESG improvements in portfolio firms.

SFI Master Class Features and Target Audience

SFI Master Classes offer seasoned banking and finance professionals a unique opportunity to exchange knowledge and share their professional views with top-level academics and industry experts in an interactive learning environment. Master Classes incorporate hands-on group work and opportunities for discussion.

This Master Class is aimed at non–private equity investment specialists in the financial industry who wish to broaden their knowledge capital and deepen their understanding of private equity investing. This includes portfolio managers or relationship managers working in asset management and private banking, who will find the Master Class a useful way of familiarizing themselves with the private equity industry.

SAQ Recertification

This SFI Master Class is an acknowledged SAQ recertification measure and comprises four learning hours for the following SAQ profiles: 

• Wealth Management Advisor CWMA

• Certified Corporate Banker CCoB

This SFI Master Class covers the aspect "industry knowledge."

Late cancellations and no-shows

If you have registered for a Master Class but are unable to attend, we kindly ask that you inform us as soon as possible. Places are limited, and late cancellations and no-shows not only prevent those on the waiting list from attending, but also result in an inefficient allocation of valuable resources. Your cooperation in communicating any unexpected changes regarding your participation at this Master Class is greatly appreciated.