Credit Suisse's Private Equity Conference Draws Record Attendance in Chicago

Fourth annual Small and Emerging Managers Conference, held this year in Chicago

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May 04, 2010, 09:41 ET

CHICAGO, May 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- On Thursday, April 29, 2010, hundreds of U.S. based pension plans, endowments, foundations, private equity fund managers and other industry participants convened in Chicago, Illinois for the Fourth Annual "Credit Suisse Private Equity Conference on Small & Emerging Manager and In-State Investments."

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The Conference, which was open to all registered private equity professionals, took place at the UIC Forum on the campus of the University of Illinois at Chicago in downtown Chicago.

Credit Suisse's Customized Fund Investment Group ("CFIG") organized the Conference to provide a broad universe of participants access to a diverse set of Small and Emerging Private Equity Managers ("SEM") and key institutional investors active in the SEM and in-state investment space. Through open networking sessions and panel discussions led by market-leading investors and high quality emerging and in-state managers, Credit Suisse's representatives provided critical investor and fund manager insights and a venue for developing strategic SEM and in-state programs.

"We continue to see the private equity marketplace evolve as investors increasingly shift their focus towards Small and Emerging Managers," said Kelly Williams, Co-Head of CFIG. "This conference, as in years past, was critical in further strengthening the discourse between participants and Small and Emerging Managers."

Conference attendees discussed crucial industry topics including how to broaden the market for emerging manager investments, the affiliated model-benefits and challenges, investing in underserved markets and urban areas and whether debt is the new equity.

"The conference provided an open forum for leading private equity experts from across the country to discuss developing investment programs," said Michael Arpey, Co-Head of CFIG. "I'm thrilled this event was heralded as such a success. It's not only great for Credit Suisse, but great for the State of Illinois as well."

Arpey and Williams' group is based in New York City and manages funds in Oregon, New York, Ohio, Indiana and Michigan.

Credit Suisse AG

Credit Suisse AG is one of the world's leading financial services providers and is part of the Credit Suisse group of companies (referred to here as 'Credit Suisse'). As an integrated bank, Credit Suisse offers clients its combined expertise in the areas of private banking, investment banking and asset management. Credit Suisse provides advisory services, comprehensive solutions and innovative products to companies, institutional clients and high-net-worth private clients globally, as well as to retail clients in Switzerland. Credit Suisse is headquartered in Zurich and operates in over 50 countries worldwide. The group employs approximately 48,300 people. The registered shares (CSGN) of Credit Suisse's parent company, Credit Suisse Group AG, are listed in Switzerland and, in the form of American Depositary Shares (CS), in New York. Further information about Credit Suisse can be found at www.credit-suisse.com.

Asset Management

In its Asset Management business, Credit Suisse offers products across a broad spectrum of investment classes, including hedge funds, credit, index, real estate, commodities and private equity products, as well as multi-asset class solutions, which include equities and fixed income products. Credit Suisse's Asset Management business manages portfolios, mutual funds and other investment vehicles for a broad spectrum of clients ranging from governments, institutions and corporations to private individuals. With offices focused on asset management in 19 countries, Credit Suisse's Asset Management business is operated as a globally integrated network to deliver the bank's strategic investment ideas and capabilities to clients around the world.

All businesses of Credit Suisse are subject to distinct regulatory requirements; certain products and services may not be available in all jurisdictions or to all client types.

Customized Fund Investment Group

The Customized Fund Investment Group (CFIG) at Credit Suisse is one of the largest and deepest investment teams dedicated to private equity fund investing. The Group is co-headed by Michael Arpey and Kelly Williams, who founded CFIG in 1999 and currently manages nearly $25 billion in client commitments to private equity funds of funds and co-investment programs, both in the U.S. and internationally(1). CFIG is composed of more than 115 professionals based in the Group's offices in New York, London, Hong Kong, Zurich, Chicago, Columbus, Detroit, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, and Portland.

CFIG specializes in developing customized private equity investment programs that address the specific needs of investors and which benefit from leveraging the Credit Suisse platform(2). CFIG develops fund investment programs for active institutional investors who have a specific portfolio need and for emerging institutional investors who have a need for assistance with asset allocation, portfolio development and administration, due diligence, and other advisory services, or any combination thereof. Once established, CFIG takes a service-oriented, long-term partnership approach to its customized accounts.

CFIG's clients include sophisticated institutions and high-net worth investors. Credit Suisse's extensive transaction experience, which includes coverage of many top-tier private equity sponsor groups, allows CFIG to access and analyze many leading private equity and venture capital funds. CFIG currently has more than $5.5 billion in commitments to funds sponsored by small and emerging managers for sophisticated institutional investors including the Teacher Retirement System of Texas, Virginia Retirement System, and New Jersey Division of Investment(3). Through this active investment in small and emerging managers on behalf of client programs, CFIG has grown exceptionally familiar with the small and emerging market and its impact on the future growth of the economy.

(1) Includes approximately US$6.8 billion of commitments relating to funds that CFIG currently manages, but which were not raised by and which were not invested by CFIG.

(2) CFIG is an independent business unit within Credit Suisse. CFIG's contact and interaction with Credit Suisse's Equity Research practice and all other practices within Credit Suisse, along with its ability to share information with clients (e.g., via FundCentral, in connection with CFIG's collaborative investment process, etc.), are subject to Credit Suisse internal compliance, confidentiality, regulatory and other applicable restrictions.

(3) Please note that the use of the client names herein does not imply an endorsement of CFIG or its advisory services.

SOURCE Credit Suisse AG