Michigan Private Equity Conference Will Host Industry Experts Bradley Cooper of Capital Z Partners and NBA Executive Arn Tellem

ANN ARBOR, Mich., Sept. 13, 2016 -- The 11^th annual Michigan Private Equity Conference covers current and emerging topics in the global credit markets that pose challenges and new opportunities for those in private equity and institutional investing. Hosted by the Center for Venture Capital and Private Equity Finance and the Zell Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies at the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business, more than 250 private equity, investment banking and business professionals from around the United States are expected to attend, including many alumni. This year, the conversation will revolve around the effect Britain's decision to leave the European Union has had on the global market.

"Britain's exit from the E.U. has contributed to global uncertainty and opened up unprecedented investment opportunities for U.S. investors, who are also facing difficulty borrowing money in the United States to finance deals and the rising prices for acquisition targets in the public markets," said David J. Brophy, director of the Center for Venture Capital and Private Equity Finance. "The Private Equity Conference will give some of the leading minds in the industry a forum to discuss these issues and look ahead to where private equity is heading next."

The main program will kick off on Friday, Sept. 30 with a keynote from Bradley Cooper, managing partner at Capital Z Partners, one of the longest-tenured private investors in the financial services industry. The program will also feature a fireside chat with Arn Tellem, vice chairman of Palace Sports & Entertainment (owner of the Detroit Pistons), on the art of negotiation and how NBA owners are applying an M&A mindset and model to the management of professional basketball teams. Warde Manuel, director of athletics at the University of Michigan, will deliver the final keynote on how his return to Ann Arbor has brought him full-circle from an accomplished student-athlete and athletic administrator at U-M to a distinguished career as an athletic director.

The day will also feature two panel discussions on the opportunities and challenges facing LPs in today's global market and on deal-winning strategies for private equity firms in a newly competitive era. Featured panelists include:

• Kenan Basha, Rockbridge Growth Equity
• Robert Coury, Greenwich Capital Group
• Brian Gimotty, UAW Retiree Medical Benefits Trust
• Neil Graziano, W.K. Kellogg Foundation
• Matthew Heinz, Aon (New York)
• Brett Hickey, Star Mountain Capital
• Steven Hilfinger, Foley & Lardner (Detroit)
• Karl LaPeer, Peninsula Capital Management
• Greer Love, Huron Capital Partners
• Susan E. Pravda, Foley & Lardner (Boston)
• Shawn Winnie, State of Michigan Department of Treasury
• Shannon Zoller, GCA Savvian Advisors

Pre-conference events on Sept. 29 will kick off with a golf outing at the University of Michigan Golf Course, followed by a networking and cocktail reception at Crisler Arena. After the reception, participants will attend a tailgate-themed dinner and have the chance to shoot hoops on the court.

Online registration is open through Sept. 27. Those interested in the Private Equity Conference can register here. For more information, please contact Mary Nickson at [email protected] or 734-615-4424.

About the Samuel Zell & Robert H. Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies 
The Institute and its Center for Venture Capital and Private Equity Finance bring together an impactful combination of deep-seated knowledge, enriching experiences and strategic opportunities from the front lines of entrepreneurship and alternative investment. Students' learning experiences are further enhanced through internships, entrepreneurial clubs, business competitions and campus-wide events that foster valuable networking and engage the business community. The School's five student-led investment funds, with over $8.5M under management, immerse students in the entrepreneurial business sourcing, assessment and investment process. Founding Zell Lurie advisory board members include Samuel Zell, chairman of Equity Group Investments, and Eugene Applebaum, founder of Arbor Drugs Inc. For more information, visit the Institute's website at www.zli.bus.umich.edu.

About Michigan Ross
The Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan is a vibrant and distinctive learning community grounded in the principle that business can be an extraordinary vehicle for positive change in today's dynamic global economy. The Ross mission is to develop leaders who make a positive difference in the world. Through thought and action, members of the Ross community drive change and innovation that improves business and society.

Ross is consistently ranked among the world's leading business schools. Academic degree programs include the BBA, MBA, Part-time MBA (Evening and Weekend formats), Executive MBA, Global MBA, Master of Accounting, Master of Supply Chain Management, Master of Management and PhD. In addition, the school delivers open-enrollment and custom executive education programs targeting general management, leadership development and strategic human resource management.

CONTACT: Emily Lospennato, Version 2.0 Communications, 617-426-2222, [email protected]; Shannon Beeman, Samuel Zell and Robert H. Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies, 734-936-3528, [email protected]

/PRNewswire-USNewswire -- Sept. 13, 2016/

SOURCE Samuel Zell & Robert H. Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies

Related Links

http://www.zli.bus.umich.edu