WAVE 2023 Women in Alternative Investments Career Forum

Post By: Cassandra Barbino (October 13th, 2023)

The Seventh Annual Women in Alternative Investments Career Forum hosted by the Women’s Association of Venture and Equity (WAVE) brought together a talented group of scholars and professionals from a variety of backgrounds with the hope of promoting diversity and enhancing opportunities for young women to break into the alternatives industry.

When I first entered the event I was impressed at the sheer scope of the conference. Hundreds of young professionals from 40 states and 8 different countries were gathered, all eager to learn about careers in alternative investments. Not only that, but everyone there was looking to meet others in the field and grow their peer network. I quickly was able to find other women to sit with and chit-chat about their flight into the city, where they were from, where they had worked that summer, and of course how good the complimentary breakfast was.

The first panel, Leading Ladies in Alternative Investments, was a perfect start to the day. One panelist that I resonated with was Chrissy Lamont Svejnar, a Partner in the Ares Secondaries Group. She talked about coming from a non-target school and the grit that is formed when you need to work to build your network and pave a way for opportunities that aren’t always readily apparent. As a UConn student, it was amazing to see someone from a state school who had become such a success and is now giving back to others, serving on the Ares Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council and attending events such as this one to promote and educate about the career path.

Another panel I found particularly interesting was the Male Perspectives on Diversity panel. They spoke a lot about recruiting out of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Levoyd Robinson, CEO and CIO at CFI Partners related to his experience with The Academy Group, which was co-founded by Mark Walter, the CEO of Guggenheim Partners where I will be working after graduation. The Academy Group is an opportunity program that provides students from 65+ schools across Chicago, 95% of which are students of color, with a rigorous mentorship and education acceleration curriculum. Their mission is to create pathways for students by providing access and opportunities that create more equitable possibilities for success. Adding this perspective to the mix felt important to the message of the conference, providing a holistic outlook on the inequities in finance, but also highlighting the work that passionate, talented professionals are doing in this space to create a more even playing field. It was also great to hear the name of my future employer and learn about the positive impact that someone from my firm has had.

The conference placed a large emphasis on networking and forming genuine connections with the people there. After the panels, there were small roundtable discussions where we were able to speak directly with people who were highly experienced in the field. I was able to meet Helen Quick, the President of WAVE, and hear about her journey to becoming a C-Suite executive and how she navigated mentorship and finding the right people in your career who will support your growth and development. I also talked with Julie Gionfriddo of Agent Capital and Ilona Ioffe of APG Asset Management about trends in the healthcare industry and how it affects their investment decisions.

The conference culminated in a career expo. Engaging with a diverse array of firms, I had the opportunity to explore their distinctive offerings and unique characteristics. This provided a valuable platform not only to present ourselves to these firms but also to pose direct inquiries. It was an excellent opportunity to discern whether each organization resonated with our career objectives and aspirations, allowing for a more informed decision-making process.

After attending the conference, I departed with some impressive swag bags, a freshly taken professional headshot, and a renewed enthusiasm to delve deeper into the world of investing careers. I had a wonderful time learning about alternative investments, connecting with old friends who were also in attendance, and making new friends throughout the day. Witnessing the dedication of individuals who carved time out of their hectic schedules to create an empowering platform for aspiring young women in the field was truly uplifting. Their efforts instilled in me a newfound confidence, leaving me well-prepared and optimistic about my future career endeavors.

SDG Action Weekend

Post By: Tom Drumm (October 3rd, 2023)

UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, opened the SDG Action Weekend with a few remarks on the state of the SDGs and why they were created. In his own words, “The SDGs are not about checking boxes, they are about righting historical wrongs, healing historic divisions, and environmental activism”. Oftentimes in the private sector, leading businesses in developed nations only strive within their corporate boundaries to become more sustainable. Unfortunately, if all businesses and nations think this way, we will fail in our attempt to achieve the SDGs by 2030. A major theme throughout the weekend was that we are far behind where we need to be, and the only way that we can make up our deficit is by working as a collective, not independent nations. Now at the midway point from the original implementation of the SDGs in 2015 from the Paris Agreement, we need to make large strides for the betterment of our world.

The variety of conversations accessible to me throughout the weekend was astonishing. I started by learning about the struggles of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the Republic of Kenya due to restrictive lending limitations often exclusively targeting businesses with male leaders, proven credit history, and strong financial performance. In another conference on the progression of renewable energy (SDG 7), with government leaders from Saint Martin, Chad, South Sudan, and the United States. Surprisingly, a majority of the conversation was not spent on understanding how countries were succeeding in integrating renewable energy into private sector infrastructure, rather it was the ongoing war in Sudan. Officials in Chad are facing an ongoing crisis of refugees entering the nation which is already facing significant limitations with access to food, water, and sufficient housing. Also, in a breakout discussion on the state of immigration, one of the most impactful representatives I had the opportunity to hear speak was the Mayor of Lampedusa, Filippo Mannino. He shed light on the ongoing distress that Lampedusa is in, trying to support the flocks of boats carrying refugees while also being able to sustain the performance of the nation at the same time.

Overall, if there was any major takeaway that I had from this conference is the importance of growing together. The SDGs are not attainable without collective action and support of struggling nations from both a financial and moral perspective. I’m grateful for this opportunity to learn more about the current state of sustainability on a global scale and to take this perspective into my career and work with the UConn Consulting Group.