Duke Fuqua Private Capital Conference 2026

Register (Current Student)
Register (All Other)

Wednesday, April 22, 2026

Location | Fuqua - Geneen Auditorium
Conference | 12:30PM - 5:00PM EST
Social Networking | 5:00PM - 8:00PM EST

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Attending Firms | Registration| Agenda | Conference Planning Committee | Duke Faculty & Advisors | Corporate Sponsors

Attending Firms

Registration

Current Fuqua Students

Register on Fuqua Connect

Current Fuqua MBA students can register and RSVP for the conference using the Fuqua Connect link above. Registration is free for current Fuqua students and includes access to all conference sessions and the networking happy hour.

All Others

Register on Eventbrite

Alumni, professionals, and students outside of the current Fuqua MBA program can register using the Eventbrite link above. The registration fee is $50 and includes access to the conference and the networking happy hour following the event. Please use this link to register and RSVP if you are not a current Fuqua MBA student.

Agenda

12:30 PM - 1:00 PM

Registration and Sign-In

Attendees will check in, receive event materials, and have time to network before the conference begins

1:00 PM - 1:05 PM

Welcome Address

Opening remarks from the conference organizers to welcome attendees and provide an overview of the conference agenda and sessions.

1:05 PM - 1:30 PM

Opening Keynote

Jeff Robinson

Jeff Robinson

Former Global Head of Special Situations at Bain Capital Special Situations, will share perspectives on private credit markets, distressed and special situations investing, and how investors navigate market cycles and investment opportunities in private capital.

1:30 PM - 2:00 PM

2nd Keynote

Campbell R. Harvey (Pending)

Campbell Harvey is a Professor of Finance at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and a Partner at Research Affiliates. His keynote will focus on financial markets, asset allocation, innovation in finance, and how emerging technologies such as AI and decentralized finance are shaping the future of investing.

2:05 PM - 2:45 PM

Breakout Session 1

Private Equity

Private equity professionals will share perspectives on the private equity industry, current trends in private markets, and their experiences working in private equity, followed by audience discussion and Q&A.

Kade Kenlon

Vice President
A&M Capital

Meahgan (O’Grady) Martin

Head of Business Development
Palladium Equity Partners

Ben Roberts

Vice President
Ironsides Asset Advisors

Private Credit

Private credit professionals will share perspectives on private credit and direct lending markets, current trends in credit investing, and their experiences working in private credit, followed by audience discussion and Q&A.

Raymond Li

Senior Associate
Audax Private Debt

Venture Capital

Venture capital investors will share perspectives on venture investing, startup investing, and trends in venture capital and innovation, followed by audience discussion and Q&A.

William Crowder

Co-Founder & Managing Director
Aperture VC

Gregg Bordes

Co-Founder, Managing Partner
Front Porch Venture Partners

Lohita Chamarti

Investment Associate
RevTech Labs Capital

Real Estate

Real estate investment professionals will share perspectives on real estate investing, market trends across real assets, and their experiences working in real estate investing, followed by audience discussion and Q&A.

John Barker

Founder & Managing Director
Liberty Investment Partners

2:45 PM - 3:00 PM

Break / Intermission

Coffee and snacks will be provided. Guests are invited to relax, network, and recharge before the program resumes.

3:00 PM - 3:45 PM

Breakout Session 2

LP Perspectives

Limited partners and institutional investors will share perspectives on allocating capital to private markets, evaluating funds and managers, and trends in institutional investing, followed by audience discussion and Q&A.

Evelysse Vargas

Investment Partner
BEA Venture Fund

Hannah Menachem

Portfolio Manager
North Carolina Investment Authority

3:50 PM - 4:20 PM

Panel: Secondaries

Discussion on trends in the private equity secondaries market, including liquidity solutions, LP portfolio management, and the evolving role of secondaries in private markets.

Kade Kenlon

Vice President
A&M Capital

Jonathan Roth

Co-President
Round2 Investment Partners

4:20 PM - 4:50 PM

Panel: AI in Private Markets

Discussion on how artificial intelligence is impacting private markets, including industry trends, investment implications, and how firms are adapting to new technologies.

Aaron Chatterji (Pending)

Chief Economist
OpenAI

Sam Payton

Senior Vice President
Vista Equity Partners

4:50 PM - 5:00 PM

Ending Remarks

Closing remarks from faculty and conference organizers to wrap up the conference, share final thoughts, and thank speakers and attendees.

5:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Happy Hour

Post-conference networking reception for attendees, speakers, and professionals to connect and continue conversations following the conference.

*Note that this agenda is preliminary and is subject to change

Conference Planning Committee

Jason Doan

Outgoing Co-President
MBA ‘26

Nazreen Nazeer

Outgoing Co-President
MBA ‘26

Willem Boelhouwer

Incoming Co-President
MBA ‘27

Miguel Ibanez

Career
MBA ‘26

Spencer Karrington

Marketing & Operations
MBA ‘26

Jay Pandit

Incoming Co-President
MBA ‘27

Tory Kim

Marketing & Operations
MBA ‘26

Bret Izzo

Treasurer
MBA ‘26

Duke Faculty & Staff Advisors

Ben Thomason

Managing Director
Private Equity & Venture Capital

Jack Oakes

Sector Director
Finance & Investment Banking

David Robinson

Professor & Research Director
Duke I&E

Stephen Windham

Director Student and Corporate Relations

Josh Cohen

Senior Director
MBA Entrepreneurship Programs & Startup Recruiting

Corporate Sponsors