Chicago Booth Private Equity Conference 2026
Overview
The 25th Annual Chicago Booth Private Equity Conference, hosted by the Chicago Booth Private Equity Group and the Polsky Center, is an annual event that brings together investors, students, and entrepreneurs to network and share insights into the dynamics of investing in a constantly changing economy. The conference builds on Booth’s tradition of bold and thoughtful conversation to provide private equity practitioners with knowledge from both industry and academia that would be hard to find in any other setting.
Keynote Speakers
Bryan Cressey | Cofounder & Managing Partner, Cressey & Company
Blair Jacobson, MBA '99 | Partner & Co-President, Ares Management Corporation
Marty Nesbitt, MBA '89 | Founding Partner & Co-Chief Executive Officer, The Vistria Group
Konstantin Sokolov, MBA '05 | Founder & Chairman, IJS Investments
Keynote Moderators
Duane Jackson | Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Author Capital Partners; Investor-In-Residence, Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Steven Kaplan | Neubauer Family Distinguished Service Professor of Entrepreneurship and Finance, Chicago Booth; Kessenich E.P. Faculty Director, Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Michael Minnis | Deputy Dean for Faculty and Fuji Bank and Heller Professor of Accounting, Chicago Booth
Madhav Rajan | Dean and George Shultz Professor of Accounting, Chicago Booth; Chief Global Strategist, University of Chicago
Featured Panel Discussions
Large-Cap Buyouts
Explore the strategies and operational frameworks that define success in large cap buyouts. This session will cover sourcing competitive deals, driving operational improvements at scale, and managing complex capital structures across mature portfolio companies.
Craig Martin (Moderator) | Willkie Farr & Gallagher
Cristina Iftimie, AB '07, MBA '12 | Carlyle Group
Stacy Kirshner | Alvarez & Marsal
Stephen Master, MBA '12 | GTCR
First Institutional Capital in Founder-Owned Businesses
Gain insights into investing as the first institutional partner in founder-led companies. Panelists will discuss aligning incentives, building trust, and structuring deals to support long-term value creation in the lower middle market.
John Zukin (Moderator) | McDermott, Will and Schulte
Steve Jarmel, MBA '98 | Periscope Equity
Angela McCoy | May River Capital
Brian O'Connor, MBA '08 | NextGen Growth Partners
Carr Preston | Akoya Capital
Optimizing Asset Ownership - Value Creation within a Portfolio
This session dives into the tools, KPIs, and frameworks used to optimize performance across a portfolio. Learn from operating partners and investment professionals about cross-portfolio initiatives, margin improvement strategies, and post-close playbooks.
Mark Agnew, MBA ’06 (Moderator) | Chicago Booth
Joshua M. Damon | Madison Dearborn Partners
Rory Kenny, MBA '18 | Shore Capital Partners
Ami Mehta | Periscope Equity
Talent Management in Portfolio Companies
Talent is often the most critical driver of portfolio company success. This session will explore best practices for recruiting C-suite leaders, building scalable org structures, and aligning management incentives with value creation goals.
Tara Borre (Moderator) | Artemis
Rob Kirk | McNally Capital
David Neenan, MBA '95 | Advent
Doug Potters | CIVC
Kelly Wagner | Erie Street Growth Partners
Integrating AI into Portfolio Value Creation / Internal Fund Operations
Discover how leading firms are incorporating artificial intelligence and automation into their value creation strategies. From predictive analytics to process automation, learn what tools are shaping the next generation of operational excellence.
Andrew Pomranke (moderator) | Ropes & Gray
Ryan Beauchamp | GTCR
Alex Kelleher | Quantum Rise
Michael Sharifi, MBA '18 | Wynnchurch
Cass Ziebel, MBA '20 | ParkerGale Capital
First Time Funds - Strategies & Challenges
Launching a first-time fund is both an exciting and daunting endeavor. Learn from fund managers and LPs about the nuances of fundraising without a track record, developing an investable thesis, and building institutional trust from day one.
Ira Weiss, MBA '99, PhD '01 (moderator) | Chicago Booth
Nick Brand, MA '05 | Author Capital Partners
Chrissie Chen Pariso, MBA '08 | MPowered Capital
Sonia Nagar | SNAK Venture Partners
Questions? Interested in Sponsorship?
Please contact Juliet Twomey at [email protected]
Thank you to our 2026 Sponsors!
Platinum Level
Gold Level
Silver Level
Dress Code
Attendees are expected to dress in business professional attire.