Jonathan Armitage
Chief Investment Officer
MLC
Jonathan Armitage leads the investment team and assumes overall responsibility for the investment outcomes of the MLC portfolios. Mr. Armitage joined MLC in August 2011 as Global Equities Portfolio Manager. He was appointed Head of Equities in December 2011 and Chief Investment Officer in March 2013. Mr. Armitage has over 25 years investment experience, having worked in the UK, Australia and the US. Mr. Armitage started his career at Schroders in London and has managed UK, Australian, Asian, US, EAFE and global equities. He was Head of US Equities at Schroders from 2005 and then a portfolio manager on the Global Equity team, which managed over US$15bn of assets for institutional and retail clients. Mr. Armitage holds a Masters of Arts from Cambridge and CFA (previously Associate of the Institute of Investment Management and Research).
Juan Delgado-Moreira
Vice Chairman
HAMILTON LANE
Juan Delgado-Moreira is a Vice Chairman at Hamilton Lane, based in the firm's Hong Kong office, where he is an Investment Committee member and oversees the firm's Asian investment activities and client relationships.
Prior to joining Hamilton Lane in 2005, Juan was an Investment Manager at Baring Private Equity Partners Ltd. in London, where he focused on mid-market private equity in Europe. Previously, Juan held senior research positions at UK institutions such as the University of Essex and was a lecturer and Fulbright Scholar at Stanford University. Juan began his career as an analyst in Madrid at the SEPI (formerly known as Instituto Nacional de Industria).
Mr. Delgado-Moreira received a Ph.D. in Research Methods/statistics and a B.A. in Political Science and Sociology from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst, a member of the CFA Institute and the Securities Institute.
Jon Freeman
Partner
COLLER CAPITAL
Jon Freeman is a Risk Partner responsible for the oversight of the firm’s investment analysis and portfolio management. Mr. Freeman is based in the firm’s London office.
Mr. Freeman started as Coller Capital’s first investment analyst and has held numerous roles within the investment team, working on transactions in all of the Coller funds.
Prior to joining Coller Capital in 1996, Mr. Freeman began his career with Arthur Andersen before moving on to working in the tax departments of Dowell Schlumberger and McDermott Engineering.
Mr. Freeman has a BSc (Hons) in Banking and International Finance from Cass Business School, London, and is a UK Chartered Management Accountant.
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.
Adrian Kerley
Head of Private Capital
COMMONWEALTH SUPERANNUATION CORPORATION
Adrian Kerley is the Head of Private Capital at Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation (“CSC”) with responsibility for the Global Private Equity platform. CSC is the pension fund for Australian government employees and members of the Australian Defence Force, with funds under management of A$47 billion. Adrian has over 10 years of experience in direct investment and corporate strategy. Prior to joining CSC in 2016, Adrian spent seven years in the investment team at CHAMP Ventures, the growth capital and mid-market buyout investment arm of the CHAMP Group. Prior to CHAMP Ventures, Adrian spent seven years at Woolworths Limited in various operational and strategic roles, most recently in corporate finance responsible for M&A, strategic planning and business development projects.
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.
Joanne Saleeba
Investment Manager - ESG, HESTA
Private Equity Advisory Committee Member, UN PRI
Since joining HESTA in 2011, as Investment Manager - ESG, Joanne Saleeba has been responsible for incorporating ESG considerations within HESTA's investment processes and decision making across all asset classes, including within with the selection, appointment and monitoring of managers and co-investments. Ms. Saleeba has a keen interest in private equity, participating on the PRI Private Equity Advisory Committee as well as the Working Groups responsible for the development of the Limited Partner Responsible Investment Due Diligence Questionnaire and the guide to ESG monitoring, reporting and dialogue in private equity.
Ms. Saleeba has been involved in ESG issues for almost two decades, beginning her career as an environmental economist with the EPA before moving into corporate sustainability roles at ASX listed companies including Environment Manager at Telstra and Group Sustainability Manager at Transurban. Ms. Saleeba was the first Executive Director of the Investor Group on Climate Change Australia & New Zealand and held this role for 5 years until 2009. Ms. Saleeba holds a B Comm (Hons) degree from the University of Melbourne and a Masters of Environmental Science from Monash University.
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.
MIchael W. Arpey
Managing Director and Head of Investor Relations
THE CARLYLE GROUP
Michael W. Arpey is a Managing Director and the Head of Investor Relations at The Carlyle Group, where he leads Carlyle’s global fundraising team. He is based in Washington, DC. Mr. Arpey joined Carlyle in November of 2010 and is a member of the Firm's Management Committee.
From 2000 through 2010, Mr. Arpey was a Managing Director of Credit Suisse where he was a Co-Head of the Customized Fund Investment Group (“CFIG”). CFIG was Credit Suisse’s private equity fund of fund group that focused on primary fund commitments, co-investments and seasoned primary fund commitments.
Previously Mr. Arpey was a Managing Director and Head of DLJ Merchant Banking's Customized Fund Investment Group and The Global Head of Private Equity at Prudential Insurance.
Mr. Arpey began his career with the State Treasury Department of Pennsylvania where he was a Trustee designee to the Pennsylvania Public School Employee Retirement System and the New York State Common Retirement Fund where he was Head of Alternative Investments. He earned his B.A. from St. Lawrence University and his J.D. from the Dickinson School of Law. He is a Trustee of St. Lawrence University.
Paul Bloxham
Chief Economist
HSBC
Paul Bloxham is HSBC’s Chief Economist for Australia, New Zealand and Global Commodities and is a Managing Director. He is chief spokesperson for HSBC on forecasts and trends for the Australian and New Zealand economies and their interaction with global financial markets and international economies. Mr. Bloxham is also a key spokesperson on HSBC’s unique view on global commodity markets and works closely with HSBC’s global equities team. He is also a member of the Australian National University's Shadow Reserve Bank Board and is an Adjunct Professor at Curtin University. In 2017, Mr. Bloxham’s team won Focus Economics awards for best overall forecaster for each of Australia and New Zealand. Prior to joining HSBC in 2010, Mr. Bloxham spent 12 years as an economist within the Reserve Bank of Australia's Economic Analysis Department. Mr. Bloxham holds a Master's degree in public financial policy from the London School of Economics.
Michael Blythe
Chief Economist and Managing Director of Economics
COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA
Michael Blythe is the Chief Economist and Managing Director of Economics at the Commonwealth Bank. His extensive experience as an economist reflects more than thirty years working in economic policy and financial-market-related areas.
Mr. Blythe’s role encompasses monitoring, analysing and forecasting trends in the Australian economy and financial markets. In addition, he prepares a wide range of research material on matters of current interest. In his capacity as the CBA’s Chief Economist, he is a regular conference presenter and media commentator on major economic developments and themes. Mr. Blythe and his team have consistently ranked in the top three for macroeconomic analysis advice in various industry polls.
Mr. Blythe works in the Institutional Banking & Markets division of the Commonwealth Bank. This division is responsible for managing the Group’s relationships with major corporate, institutional and government clients and providing a full range of capital raising, transactional and risk management products and services.
After graduating in economics from the University of Sydney in 1982, he spent a total of 13 years in various roles within the Economic Group of the Reserve Bank of Australia. This included a stint at the International Monetary Fund in 1988. He was the RBA's Senior Economist from 1991-95. Key features of these roles involved the provision of economic analysis and policy advice.
Mr. Blythe joined the Commonwealth Bank in late 1995.
Tim Burroughs
Managing Editor
ASIAN VENTURE CAPITAL JOURNAL
Tim Burroughs is managing editor of Asian Venture Capital Journal, having joined the publication in May 2011. He is responsible for all editorial content put out under the AVCJ brand, including Asian Venture Capital Journal, AVCJtv, AVCJ Awards and AVCJ.com. Tim previously spent five years at China Economic Review, serving as editor-in-chief and then editorial director. Located in Greater China since 2003, during which time he has lived in Beijing, Qingdao and Hong Kong, Tim has been a China-based contributor for publications including The Sunday Times, Sunday Telegraph, BBC and China Daily. Prior to moving to China, he trained and worked as a journalist in the UK. He was honored at the Society of Publishers in Asia awards in 2007, 2008 and 2010, and at the State Street Institutional Press Awards - Asia in 2012.
Craig Emerson
Managing Director
CRAIG EMERSON ECONOMICS
Dr Craig Emerson is an eminent economist with 35 years’ experience in public policy, politics and public service. He is now Managing Director of Craig Emerson Economics Pty Ltd, providing professional services to the business community.
Dr Emerson is President of the Australia China Business Council NSW and is a Member of the Council on Economic Policy of the Committee for the Economic Development of Australia (CEDA).
Dr Emerson is a former Australian Minister for Trade and Competitiveness and Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Science and Research. Prior to that, he was Minister for Competition Policy and Consumer Affairs, Minister Assisting on Deregulation and Minister for Small Business.
As Minister for Trade and Competitiveness, Dr Emerson was the architect of the White Paper on Australia in the Asian Century and was appointed Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Asian Century Policy. Earlier, he developed a program of reform in 27 areas of business regulation and successfully chaired the regulatory reform group of the Council of Australian Governments.
Dr Emerson was Economic Adviser to Prime Minister Bob Hawke. He has been a senior public servant, heading the Queensland Environment Department and the Southeast Queensland Transit Authority.
Dr Emerson’s early career was as Assistant Secretary in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Economic Adviser to Finance Minister Peter Walsh, and an Economic Analyst at the United Nations.
Dr Emerson has a PhD in Economics from the Australian National University. He is a Distinguished Fellow at the Australian National University and an Adjunct Professor at Victoria University’s College of Business and writes a fortnightly column for The Australian Financial Review.
James Viles
Partner
BAIN & COMPANY
James Viles is a partner in Bain & Company's Sydney office. He is an expert in the firm's Private Equity and Healthcare practices.
He has more than 10 years of international consulting experience across Australia, London, South Africa, Nigeria and Chile.
Mr. Viles focuses primarily on the private equity industry, with corporate and deal-related sector experience in healthcare and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG). He has deep experience working with PE firms and their portfolio companies on diligence, post-acquisition strategy, focused initiative support and exit value maximization.
Mr. Viles holds an MBA with distinction from INSEAD France / Singapore and an MA (Oxon) from Oxford University.
Shannon Wolfers
Managing Director
PACIFIC EQUITY PARTNERS
Shannon Wolfers joined Pacific Equity Partners in 2006. Prior to joining PEP, Mr. Wolfers was with Bain & Company in Australia and SE Asia. Mr. Wolfers was a University of Sydney Scholarship holder where he received a first class honours degree (BEcon) and the University Medal.