Uncorrelated Emerging Manager Readiness Series
The Emerging Manager Readiness Series focuses on how emerging managers are evaluated from the allocator’s perspective — operationally, structurally, and in practice.
The afternoon is designed as a progression from operational readiness, to allocator interpretation, to lived family office and intermediary experience. Rather than focusing on “how to raise capital,” the emphasis is on where early judgments are made, what signals matter most, and why readiness often determines outcomes long before capital is deployed.
This is a practical, experience-driven session grounded in how institutional decisions are actually made.
Agenda
1:30 PM–2:30 PM
From Zero to Scalable: Emerging Manager Readiness
From Zero to Scalable brings together practitioners across legal, operations, tax, and distribution to walk through what emerging fund managers need to get right early — and what can wait.
Moderated by Christian Katzman, Portfolio Advisory - Institutional & Private Client Services, Northwestern Mutual, this session focuses on the sequencing and judgment required to build a credible, investable platform from day one. The discussion moves across personal GP planning, fund structure, administration, offshore considerations, and early capital formation, highlighting where first-time managers most often misallocate time, capital, or attention.
Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of early-stage priorities, common (and costly) mistakes to avoid, and how operational, structural, and capital decisions interconnect as managers move from launch toward scale.
2:35 PM–3:25PM
What Drives Family Office Investment Decisions with Andrew Eberhart, Chief Investment Officer & Managing Partner, Wingspan Capital
This fireside chat features Andrew Eberhart, CIO and Managing Partner, Wingspan Capital and CIO of a private single-family office, drawing on decades of experience across institutional investing and family offices.
The discussion focuses on how family offices evaluate opportunities today — how expectations have evolved, what consistently resonates, and the common missteps managers make when engaging increasingly sophisticated investors. The emphasis is on judgment, focus, and alignment rather than strategy promotion.
Attendees will gain a clearer view into how family offices think about opportunity selection and manager evaluation, and what emerging managers often overlook when positioning themselves for long-term relationships.
3:30 PM–4:30 PM
Perfecting the 30-Minute Investor Meeting features Lisa Vioni, CEO of Hedge Connection, and Thomas Zucosky, Founder and Chief Investment Officer of Lucidity Capital Partners, as they share practical insights from both the hedge fund marketing and allocator perspectives.
This one-hour session focuses on how managers can clearly communicate their value proposition, anticipate allocator priorities, structure the conversation, and avoid common pitfalls, all within a tight 30-minute, in-person meeting. Attendees will gain actionable tips on preparation, messaging, meeting flow, and follow-up designed to increase engagement, build credibility, and improve the likelihood of advancing the investor relationship.