Alicia Gregory Head of Private Equity MLC

Alicia Gregory has worked within the PE program for the last 11 years and brings with her significant experience as an investor and leader. Alicia returned to Australia in January this year having spent three years in London as Head of European PE.

Alicia has over 17 years' experience in the financial services sector. This career includes investment research with the ThreeSixty Investment Strategy & Research team and prior to that she worked at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia in various research and credit related roles. Alicia holds a Bachelor of Business from University of Technology, Sydney, is a CFA charterholder and has completed the General Management Programme at INSEAD.

Bill Hartnett Head of Responsible Investment LOCAL GOVERNMENT SUPER

Speaker bio is coming soon.

Stan Kolenc Managing Director OPTRUST

Stan Kolenc joined OPTrust in 2005 and is responsible for private equity and infrastructure investments in Asia.

Prior to OPTrust, Mr. Kolenc worked at Macquarie Bank in London, Madrid and Toronto focusing on infrastructure M&A and asset management across utility and transportation sectors.

James Lilico Investment Manager - Private Markets SUNSUPER

James Lilico is an Investment Manager in the Private Markets team at Sunsuper, a $34 billion profit-for-members superannuation fund. His role encompasses portfolio construction, investment research, selection and execution and ongoing review and reporting across the private capital and property asset classes.

The private capital portfolio is a programme of over $2 billion, which consists of primary and secondary fund investments and co-investments across the buyout, venture, distressed, natural resources and real estate areas. James represents Sunsuper on various advisory boards in Australia and overseas.

James has been with Sunsuper for 5 years. Prior to this, he was at RMB Capital Partners and Grant Samuel. James has a Bachelor of Science in Finance and a Master of Science in Decision and Information Sciences from the University of Florida.

Andrew Major General Manager - Unlisted Assets HESTA

Andrew Major is the General Manager – Unlisted Assets at HESTA, an industry superannuation fund with over $33 billion under management.  He leads a team responsible for managing HESTA’s equity and debt investments in the Infrastructure, Private Equity, Property, Hedge Fund and other alternative investment categories.  Mr. Major represents HESTA on various Fund Advisory Boards and advocacy groups, and he represents the Investor Group on Climate Change on the Climate Bonds Standards Board.  Mr. Major is also a Council member of AVCAL, the industry body representing the private equity and venture capital sectors in Australia.
Prior to joining HESTA, Mr. Major worked in private legal practice and for the Macquarie Group in its Investment Banking Division, where he performed a variety of roles covering legal risk management, corporate & structured finance, principal investment and funds management.  He has undergraduate degrees in Economics and Law (both with Honors) and a Masters in Applied Finance.

Liza McDonald Head of Responsible Investments FIRST STATE SUPER

Since joining FSS in December 2006, Ms. McDonald’s key responsibilities have included assisting the investment team with investment and asset class research and reviews.

As Head of Responsible Investment, Ms. McDonald is responsible for development and implementation of First State Super’s Responsible Investment Policies and Socially Responsible Investment Options including manager and asset class ESG reviews; execution of the Fund’s Climate Change Adaptation Plan and broader ESG policy compliance (voting, screening and engagement with companies).

Prior to joining FSS, Ms. McDonald was employed at Mercer Legal from June 1997 to December 2006 focusing on trustee education and corporate secretarial duties for trustees.

Ms. McDonald holds a Post Graduate Diploma of Applied Finance at Kaplan Education.

Kate Misic Head of Alternative Investments TELSTRA SUPER

Speaker bio is coming soon.

David Simons Director, Private Equity FUTURE FUND

David Simons is a Director of Private Equity at Future Fund, the $105 billion sovereign wealth fund of Australia. He joined Future Fund in 2008 and helps manage $15 billion of commitments to private equity funds, co-investments and other direct investment opportunities globally. He leads the due diligence effort for new manager appointments and sits on a number of Advisory Boards.

Mr. Simons has 14 years’ experience in private equity and, prior to joining Future Fund, he spent 6 years making direct investments for a PE fund in Australasia.

Mr. Simons holds a Bachelor of Commerce and a Masters of Commerce from the University of Auckland.

Marcus Simpson Global Head of Private Equity QIC

Marcus Simpson founded and manages QIC's private equity program of $5.0bn AUM globally in funds, co-investments, directs and direct secondary fund interests. He is at the forefront of a new private equity investment model reflected in a 2015 paper co-authored by Josh Lerner and Hugh MacArthur: The Next Generation Private Equity Investor.

Prior to founding QIC's program in 2005, Marcus was Chief Executive, North America, Altius Associates Ltd, with US$27 billion (as of Q2 2015) under management or advice. He established Altius' US operation in 2000 and participated in the global management, investment strategy and execution, and client acquisition.

From 1996 to 2000 Marcus worked for the Virginia Retirement System ("VRS"), a US public pension plan with assets of US$62 billion. Marcus founded its non-US portfolio and then became Head of Private Equity.  

From 1990 to 1995 he worked in the London office of the Bankers Trust Company where he structured a number of buy-out financings and worked on corporate restructurings.

Marcus is Chairman Emeritus of the Institutional Investors Roundtable, an international community of large, long-term institutional investors seeking to collaborate on private market investment.