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MFA Ops: Human Capital 2026 - Agenda

October 8, 2026
Conference
320 Park New York, NY
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    Agenda

    8:15 am – 9:00 am

    Networking breakfast

    9:00 am – 9:10 am

    Welcome remarks

    Speaker
    Shelley Guiley , Chief Administrative Officer , MFA

    Shelley Guiley serves as Chief Administrative Officer at MFA.

    Shelley joined MFA after spending thirteen years in the private equity industry. She oversees MFA operations and finance, including accounting, budgeting, people and culture and information technology. Most recently, she served as Senior Advisor to Hunter Point Capital, a GP Stakes firm, from 2021-2023 where she worked with the Strategic Value Group on their investor relations and fundraising initiatives. Prior to that, Shelley served as Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer of Fundraising at The Carlyle Group Inc., a private equity, alternative asset management and financial services company.

    Prior to joining Carlyle, Shelley was a Senior Vice President and the Director of Investor Relations at Allied Capital Corporation.  She has also worked at Capital One Financial Corporation and Price Waterhouse LLP.

    Shelley earned her B.S. in Commerce from The University of Virginia and an M.B.A. from The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College.

    9:10 am – 9:45 am

    Human capital at an inflection point: Leading through technology, growth, and constant change

    • Examine the forces reshaping the workforce, from technological advancement to evolving employee expectations.
    • Discuss how HR leaders are helping firms navigate growth, transformation, and organizational change.
    • Unpack strategies for balancing innovation, culture, and workforce stability in an increasingly dynamic environment.

    Speakers
    Sarah Fass , Chief People Officer , Two Sigma

    Sarah Fass is Two Sigma’s Chief People Officer, leading the Human Resources team in building programs and experiences that support employees’ technical expertise while strengthening the company’s culture of collaboration and continuous learning. She is a member of the Investment Management Executive Committee, helping shape strategy and drive innovation for the firm’s investment engine.

    Prior to joining Two Sigma in 2025, Sarah was Chief Human Resources Officer at Bridgewater Associates, where she oversaw the HR and Real Estate functions, shaping people strategy, programs, and policy. Throughout her career, she has built a strong track record of developing talent and elevating the employee experience within complex organizations. Before moving into HR leadership, Sarah spent nearly a decade practicing as an employment attorney.

    Sarah holds a BA from the University of Vermont and a JD from the University of Miami School of Law.

    Thomas Gaissmaier , Chief People Officer , Balyasny Asset Management

    Thomas Gaissmaier is chief people officer at Balyasny Asset Management (BAM). He is a member of the firm’s Management Committee, and oversees people strategy, talent development, people operations and total rewards. Prior to joining BAM in 2023, Gaissmaier served as chief people officer at Match Group and as EVP and chief HR officer at 21st Century Fox. Before that, he was a partner, managing director, and head of the North America Human Resource Practice at BCG. Gaissmaier is an active member of the American Council of Germany which is focused on strengthening German-American relations. He has a master’s degree in Political Science, Journalism, and Law from the University of Hamburg and an MBA from INSEAD.

    Rory Melick , Partner, Head of Human Capital Management , Lord Abbett

    Rory Melick serves as the Head of Human Capital Management. In this role, he advises the business on all aspects of its investment in people and culture. He is responsible for leading the firm’s efforts in the areas of talent acquisition, employee experience, diversity and inclusion, learning and development, compensation and benefits, and organizational change. He also serves on the firm’s Executive Committee.

    Mr. Melick joined Lord Abbett in 2018 and was named Partner in 2022. Prior to his current role, he served as Head of Employee Experience responsible for enhancing our employee experience through people strategy design and development, performance management and talent alignment to strategy, learning initiatives, and engagement of our employees to embrace our values and achieve our vision. His prior experience includes serving as Director/Manager at PwC; Group Remuneration and Reward Manager at Toll Holding and Manager, Regional Reward at National Australia Bank. He has worked in the financial services industry since 2002.

    He earned a Bachelor in economics and finance from the University of Sydney and a Masters of Commerce in professional accounting from the University of New South Wales in Australia. He also is a holder of the Chartered Accountant (CA) designation.

    Moderated by
    Speaker To Be Announced

    9:45 am – 10:15 am

    Talent market trends and compensation design practices

    Speakers
    Chris Connors , Managing Director , Johnson Associates

    Chris Connors is a Managing Director at Johnson Associates, bringing a decade of expertise in compensation consulting to financial services firms. He has advised 300+ publicly and privately held organizations, ranging from global financial powerhouses to specialized, boutique firms. His sector expertise covers traditional asset management, private equity, venture capital, infrastructure, private credit, real estate, hedge funds, trading firms, fintech, investment and commercial banking, and insurance.

    Chris combines deep market intelligence with creative and tailored approaches to client needs. He specializes in designing and optimizing compensation structures to align pay with performance and strategic objectives. His work spans annual and long-term incentive plans, equity-based programs, carried interest structures, performance management, and succession planning. Additionally, he guides firms through the intricacies of annual compensation cycles, advising on market pay levels and composition.

    Beyond his advisory work, Chris has been engaged as an expert witness across a variety of litigation settings, from employment cases to marriage dissolution, where his testimony on compensation matters has informed critical decisions.

    A recognized thought leader, Chris is frequently quoted in major financial publications, including The Wall Street Journal and Financial Times, offering expert commentary on compensation trends, regulatory impacts, and the evolving financial services talent market. He has also appeared on televised panels and interviews.

    Chris holds a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Columbia University.

    Michael Perniciaro , Principal , Johnson Associates

    Michael Perniciaro is a Principal at Johnson Associates. For the entirety of his career, Michael has helped hundreds of financial services clients with both data-driven compensation analytics and design solutions for annual and long-term compensation structures, including equity and carried interest plans. As a compensation expert, he has led and executed a wide range of consulting assignments including, but not limited to: competitive market analyses, annual incentive design, long-term / equity program design, carried interest design, employment agreements, Board of Director compensation, M&A, litigation, etc. Michael works with publicly and privately held companies, ranging from major diversified and global financial institutions to regionally-focused and boutique firms.

    Michael is dedicated to helping clients solve complex issues and implement compensation solutions to achieve strategic objectives. His consulting approach combines deep market intelligence and data-analytics with innovative compensation designs and strategic advice. Michael guides firms through the intricacies of annual compensation cycles, advising on market pay levels, composition, and current trends. He is at the forefront of alternatives compensation with in-depth experience and knowledge designing and implementing carried interest programs across firm types and asset classes.

    Michael graduated magna cum laude from Fordham University in 2018 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Accounting and Finance and a minor in Economics.

    10:15 am – 10:45 am

    Employment law and the latest regulatory developments: What HR leaders need to know

    • Review recent legal, regulatory, and enforcement developments across jurisdictions that impact hiring, compensation, workplace policies, and employee relations.
    • Discuss how firms are adapting HR practices to keep pace with evolving employment requirements and increased regulatory scrutiny.
    • Explore practical strategies for managing compliance risk while supporting business objectives and workforce needs.

    Speakers
    Shawn Butte , Senior Employment Counsel , The Voleon Group

    Throughout his career, Shawn has served as a strategic adviser to corporations and emerging companies in a variety of industries, including technology, financial services, life sciences, hospitality, and e-commerce. His experience includes cross-border employment matters, internal investigations and state and federal court litigation involving restrictive covenants, employee raiding and misappropriation of trade secrets. As a counselor, Shawn has advised on employment and equity matters in connection with corporate transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures. Shawn is also a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/US) and has experience helping companies navigate domestic and international privacy issues.

    Shawn is currently Senior Employment Counsel at The Voleon Group, a multibillion-dollar hedge fund that applies machine learning techniques to real-world problems in finance. Previously, Shawn was the Head of Legal at Wish, a global e-commerce platform.

    Prior to going in-house, Shawn was an employment law associate in the New York offices of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP and BakerHostetler LLP.

    Jill Whitelaw , Vice President and Senior Counsel, Regulatory Affairs , MFA

    Jill R. Whitelaw is Vice President and Senior Counsel with the MFA’s Global Regulatory Affairs team.

    In this position, she analyzes the impact of regulatory and legislative developments on MFA members, works with MFA members in developing Association policy, drafts comments to regulators, oversees outside counsel/consultants and engages directly with policy makers and regulators.

    Prior to joining the MFA, Ms. Whitelaw was Executive Director at Morgan Stanley Investment Management, responsible for a wide variety of investment advisory, distribution, and investment company legal and regulatory matters. Prior to Morgan Stanley, Ms. Whitelaw served as Vice President and Chief Counsel – Funds Management for the investment management business of Lincoln National Life Insurance Company, advising the company on investment adviser and investment company legal and regulatory matters.

    Before joining Lincoln, Jill was Of Counsel at Montgomery McCracken Walker & Rhoads, focusing her practice on investment advisers to private funds pursuing alternative investment strategies; Director at Merrill Lynch & Co., as the lead attorney for a closed-end fund complex specializing in alternative investment strategies, and was a senior member of the Gartmore Global Investments legal team, advising its global hedge fund business on formation, distribution and regulatory matters.

    Jill’s extensive industry experience also includes positions as Managing Director and General Counsel—Mutual Funds for New York Life Investment Management, as Senior Counsel in PNC Bank’s fund servicing business and as an Associate in Business & Finance at Ballard Spahr.

    She received her J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School and her B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania. She is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar and registered as In-House Counsel in New York.

    Additional Speaker TBA
    Moderated by
    Pankit Doshi , Partner , McDermott Will & Schulte

    Pankit J. Doshi serves as the Office Managing Partner for the Firm’s San Francisco and Silicon Valley Office.

    Pankit focuses his practice on preventative counseling and representing employers in both state and federal courts up through trial and appeal. Pankit serves as lead counsel on cases involving issues related to prosecution and defense of unfair business competition claims, including trade secret misappropriation and restrictive covenant enforcement, independent contractor misclassification, whistleblower complaints, wage and hour disputes and individual claims for wrongful termination, sexual harassment, discrimination, retaliation and breach of contract claims. Pankit also regularly defends employers in complex wage and hour class action and representative actions around the country.

    Pankit provides advice and counseling to employers of all sizes, ranging from Fortune 100 companies to startups, on a full-spectrum of labor and employment issues, among them structuring of restrictive covenants, advising on employment compliance strategies, evaluating independent contractor and exempt status relationships, preparing executive employment agreements and protecting intellectual property. He has also assisted companies with nationwide wage and hour and misclassification audits, as well as highly sensitive workplace harassment investigations.

    Pankit is experienced in handling employment matters across numerous industries, including automotive, construction, consulting, entertainment, financial services, healthcare, hospitality, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, retail, security, technology, telecommunications and transportation.

    Pankit represents employers at trial, administrative hearings and during investigations by various state and federal agencies, including the US Department of Labor, the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing and the California Department of Industrial Relations – Division of Labor Standards Enforcement.

    Pankit frequently lectures at annual meetings on employment law issues around the country.

    10:45 am – 11:15 am

    Networking break

    11:15 am – 11:45 am

    The new talent equation: How AI Is reshaping human capital in alternatives

    • Examine the reality of AI-driven workforce transformation in alternative investment firms, including where firms are seeing changes in headcount, team structures, and operating models.
    • Explore how AI is reshaping recruiting, workforce planning, employee development, and career progression, and identify the skills and capabilities that will be most critical in the future workforce.
    • Discuss how AI is changing management and leadership expectations, and how HR leaders are evaluating AI tools, driving adoption, and balancing innovation with risk and governance.

    Speaker
    Joanna Albright , Co-Chief Operating Officer , Coatue Management LLC

    Joanna Albright is Co-COO at Coatue. Prior to joining Coatue in 2010, Joanna held positions as Vice President at Glocap Search and Morgan Stanley. Joanna graduated with a B.A. from Brown University.

    Taras Kowaliw , Managing Director, Head of People Analytics , The Blackstone Group

    Taras Kowaliw is a Managing Director in Human Resources and Head of the People Analytics team. He leads HR’s team of data scientists, reporting specialists, and data managers to partner with other HR professionals and management teams across the firm. Through self-serve reporting and bespoke advanced analytics, he and his team help make data-driven decisions to help employees firmwide, especially in hiring, experience, and retention.

    Before joining Blackstone, Taras spent ten years with Goldman Sachs, working as a quantitative strategist in their Public Equity, Alternative Investments, and People Analytics teams. This included work in fund performance attribution, portfolio optimization, predictive modelling for recruiting and retention, and behavioural finance systems for equity portfolio managers. Prior to this, Taras did academic research in machine learning and synthetic biology, including with the CNRS in France.

    Taras has a PhD in artificial intelligence from Concordia University and a BSc in mathematics from the University of Toronto.

    Kady O'Grady , Chief People Officer , RA Capital Management
    Moderated by
    Jessica Rosenberg , Partner, Labor and Employment , Akin

    With over 15 years of experience representing public and private companies and their senior executives before state and federal courts, administrative agencies and arbitration panels, Jessica guides clients through a variety of complex and sensitive workplace challenges.

    Jessica is ranked by Chambers USA, where clients describe her as “an excellent lawyer” with “terrific judgment” who is “experienced, knowledgeable and practical” and who is “good on her feet and at examining witnesses.” As noted by Chambers, she is “a strong advocate who argues her position effectively and commands respect.”

    Jessica is an accomplished trial lawyer and regularly defends clients against a wide variety of employment claims involving discrimination, harassment and retaliation; contract, compensation and restrictive covenant disputes; and tort claims including fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, tortious interference and defamation. Jessica has served as lead trial counsel defending against class and collective action suits asserting violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), various state labor laws and Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) claims.

    Prior to joining Akin, Jessica served as co-chair of the employment practices and litigation group at a leading national litigation firm. She also previously served as an Assistant District Attorney in the New York County District Attorney’s Office and was an Adjunct Professor of Trial Advocacy at Fordham University School of Law. Jessica regularly speaks on trends in employment law.

    11:45 am – 12:15 pm

    Keynote interview | The psychology of high performance: Unlocking human potential in demanding environments

    Speakers
    Dave Popple , PhD, Corporate Psychologist, Managing Director , Psynet Group

    Dave Popple, PhD, is a corporate psychologist and the Managing Director of Psynet Group. He has delivered more than 1,000 executive assessments, 150 of them on portfolio managers, and currently assesses PMs for a dozen multi-strategy and single-strategy firms. He has coached 250 executives, including traders working back from a drawdown, and evaluates leadership teams for private equity firms both before and after a deal closes. The Wall Street Journal profiled this work in November 2025.

    Dave built Psybil, a fourth-generation psychometric completed by more than a quarter million people, along with a behaviorally anchored multirater review and a protocol that detects assessment cheating, including cheating by AI.

    His book Unified coming in 2027 from HarperCollins Edge, explains how misalignment among a leader’s self-states produces the patterns that derail otherwise capable people.

    In his free time, he runs marathons and is learning guitar so he can start his career in rock music if he ever retires.

    Moderated by
    Shameel Danish , Director, Prime Finance, Consulting/Advisory , Bank of America

    Shameel focuses on all aspects of hedge fund strategy, with an emphasis on talent and people development.

    Shameel Joined Bank of America in 2022. He was most recently a Partner and COO of Akaris Global Partners, which he helped launch in 2018. He was responsible for all non-investment functions, including operations and business development. Prior to that Shameel was Partner and Head of Trading and Portfolio Construction at Eisenstat Capital (formerly Dabroes Management) from 2008-2018, focused on non-investment activities in addition to execution and risk responsibilities and running a Capital Markets strategy.  Eisenstat Capital spun out of Caxton Associates, where Shameel worked as Head of Trading for the Eisenstat Team in New York, which he joined in 2005. He started his career at Citigroup in London in 2001, sales-trading for Hedge Funds. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from Balliol College, University of Oxford.

    12:15 pm –1:15 pm

    Networking lunch

    1:15 pm – 1:30 pm

    Transition to roundtable discussions

    1:30 pm –2:20 pm

    Roundtable discussions
    Select one

    Participate in a small-group discussion with your peers on one of the featured topics. Space is limited, and advance registration will open closer to the event.

    1) AI in HR: Practical approaches to talent and workforce transformation

    • Explore how organizations of different sizes are leveraging AI to enhance talent management, workforce planning, and employee experience.
    • Discuss governance, risk management, change readiness, and stakeholder engagement strategies that support successful AI adoption.
    • Share approaches for measuring AI effectiveness, driving adoption, and demonstrating impact on business and workforce outcomes.

    Facilitated by
    Liz Maughan , Director of Talent and HR , Whale Rock Capital Management

    Liz Maughan is the Director of Talent & HR at Whale Rock Capital Management, a Boston-based asset manager investing globally in public and private technology companies. In her role, Liz leads the firm’s strategic and operational human capital initiatives, including talent acquisition, development, engagement, and retention. She brings over a decade of experience in human resources and professional development within the asset management industry. Prior to joining Whale Rock, Liz served as Director of Human Resources at Taconic Capital Advisors, a global event-driven hedge fund. She previously held the role of Senior HR Associate at TriNet Ambrose, and began her career at EF Education First, an international education company. Liz earned a BA in Human Services from Villanova University in 2010 

    2) Leadership and management development: Building effective leaders at every level

    • Share approaches for developing managers and leaders across different stages of their careers.
    • Discuss strategies for leading teams through organizational change, workforce transformation and periods of uncertainty.
    • Explore how firms are building leadership capabilities that support high-performing teams.

    Facilitated by
    Speaker To Be Announced
    3) The HR playbook for situations no one wants to face

    • Discuss best practices for managing employee relations issues and workplace investigations.
    • Share lessons learned from handling sensitive personnel matters and complex workplace situations.
    • Explore crisis response strategies that protect employees, culture, and the organization.

    Facilitated by
    Mark Russo , General Counsel , ZAIS Group

    Mr. Russo serves as General Counsel and a Managing Director at ZAIS Group, LLC. Mr. Russo was appointed General Counsel in April 2017. Before joining ZAIS in February of 2007, Mr. Russo was an attorney at Thacher Proffitt & Wood LLP in the Structured Finance Practice Group from 2004 to 2007. He received a B.S. with distinction from The Pennsylvania State University and a J.D. from St. John’s University School of Law.

    4) HR analytics beyond time-to-hire

    • Examine workforce metrics that provide meaningful insight into talent and business performance.
    • Discuss how firms are using data to inform workforce planning and strategic decisions.
    • Share techniques for translating HR data into actionable insights for senior leaders.

    Facilitated by
    Speaker To Be Announced
    5) Immigration, global mobility, and cross-border talent

    • Explore current challenges and opportunities related to international hiring and mobility.
    • Discuss strategies for supporting employees working across multiple jurisdictions.
    • Share approaches for navigating immigration requirements and global workforce planning.
    Facilitated by
    Speaker To Be Announced
    6) Succession planning, talent mapping and change management

    • Discuss strategies for identifying and developing future leaders across the organization.
    • Explore approaches for strengthening bench depth and reducing key-person risk.
    • Examine how firms are linking succession planning to business strategy, organizational growth, and long-term leadership continuity.
    Facilitated by
    Katherine Ladd , Executive Director , UBS Securities

    Katherine is a member of the UBS Prime Brokerage Business Consulting team based in New York and is a subject matter expert across a multitude of areas including hedge fund compensation, staffing structures and human capital matters, budgeting, expense best practices, counterparty concentration and more. Prior to joining UBS, she was part of the Prime Brokerage Business Consulting team at Morgan Stanley. Katherine graduated from Georgetown University in 2014 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with degrees in Finance and Marketing.

    2:20 pm – 2:50 pm

    Networking break and transition to main stage

    2:50 pm – 3:20 pm

    What investors are really looking for in human capital due diligence

    • Gain insight into how allocators and ODD teams evaluate talent and organizational strength.
    • Discuss the workforce, leadership, and succession factors that influence investment decisions.
    • Explore ways firms can better demonstrate organizational resilience and long-term sustainability.

    Speakers
    Irina Ludkovski , Partner, Operational Due Diligence , Albourne America LLC

    Irina Ludkovski has over 20 years of alternative assets experience and is a senior member of the global ODD Group, leading and contributing to internal strategic initiatives.  Irina is a member of the ILPA Driving Inclusion in Alternatives (“DIA”) Steering Committee. Irina holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Toronto and is a CFA charterholder.

    Reginald G. Sanders , Managing Director, Hedge Funds and Fixed Income , W.K. Kellogg Foundation

    Reginald G. Sanders, CFA, CAIA is managing director of Hedge Funds & Fixed Income for the
    W.K. Kellogg Foundation, reporting to the Chief Investment Officer. In this role, he
    supports the foundation’s efforts to promote thriving children, working families and
    equitable communities. Sanders previously served on the foundation’s Impact Investment
    Committee for 16 years.

    Prior to the Kellogg Foundation, Mr. Sanders was Manager of Pension Investments for
    Eastman Kodak Company. Prior to Eastman Kodak, Mr. Sanders was an equity analyst for
    AEW Capital Management and T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. Additionally, Mr. Sanders was
    a utilities industry analyst for A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc.

    Mr. Sanders holds a BS from Florida A&M University, where he was an SEO Career
    Program intern, and an MBA from Harvard Business School, where he was a Robert A. Toigo
    Fellow. Mr. Sanders currently serves on the State of Michigan Investment Board and on the
    Investment Advisory Committees of Michigan State University and the Harry and Jeanette
    Weinberg Foundation. Mr. Sanders also serves on the Investment Committee of Nantucket
    Multi Managers, LLC and on the Board of Trustees, Finance, and Investment Committees of
    the Cranbrook Schools. Mr. Sanders also sits on the advisory board of Rock the Street, Wall
    Street, serves on the Limited Partner Advisory Council for SEO, is a founding steering
    committee member of Allocator Collective, and serves on the CFA Institute’s Inclusion
    Steering Committee. In 2022, Sanders’ leadership of the hedge fund team was
    recognized by Institutional Investor, who selected the W.K. Kellogg Foundation as
    Foundation of the Year at its Annual Hedge Fund Industry Awards.

    The W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF), founded in 1930 as an independent, private foundation
    by breakfast cereal innovator and entrepreneur Will Keith Kellogg, is among the largest
    philanthropic foundations in the United States. Guided by the belief that all children should
    have an equal opportunity to thrive, WKKF works with communities to create conditions for
    vulnerable children so they can realize their full potential in school, work and life.

    Additional Speaker TBA
    Moderated by
    Jillian Snyder , Managing Director and Head of Americas Capital Introductions , Citi

    Jillian Snyder joined Citi as Managing Director and Head of Americas Capital Introductions in December 2025. In her current role, Jillian and team leverage deep expertise in and connectivity to institutional hedge fund allocators to advise the bank’s hedge fund and asset management clients on their capital raising efforts. Jillian joined from Bank of America, where she spent almost 8 years in Capital Strategy split across Hong Kong and New York, most recently as Managing Director and Head of APAC Capital Strategy. Jillian’s prior work experiences include buy-side roles as Head of Marketing and Investor Relations for a hedge fund, Riverloft Capital, and a Real Estate PE firm, Mast Capital, making her well-positioned to understand and address clients’ needs across a variety of products. Jillian rejoins Citi after working at the firm from 2008 to 2015, most recently as a Vice President on the Americas Capital Introductions team. Jillian holds a B.S. in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University.

    3:20 pm – 3:50 pm

    Exploring your employee value proposition: Attracting and retaining top talent

    • Define the elements of a compelling employee value proposition and how leading firms differentiate themselves in a competitive talent market.
    • Examine how culture, leadership, flexibility, and career growth influence both a candidate's decision to join and an employee's decision to stay.
    • Discuss how firms are evolving strategies to attract, engage, and retain high-performing talent.

    Speakers
    Sarah Salta , Global Head of Talent Acquisition , Man Group

    Sarah Salta is Global Head of Talent Acquisition at Man Group, leading the firm’s global talent strategy across all levels and geographies. She manages a team of talent acquisition professionals focusing on four key pillars: candidate-centric experiences, consultative partnerships, cost-effective hiring practices and technology-enabled solutions. Sarah partners with senior leadership to align talent acquisition strategies with organizational goals while championing a culture of high performance.

    Sarah joined Man Group in 2021 and prior to her current role, she served as Head of Recruitment, US & APAC. She brings extensive experience in financial services, having held senior talent acquisition roles at Brookfield Asset Management, Cambridge Associates, and John Hancock. Sarah began her career in retail banking through a leadership development program, leveraging her financial services sales background to successfully transition into talent acquisition.

    Sarah holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Economics with a minor in Political Science from State University of New York Cortland.

     

    Additional Speakers To Be Announced
    Moderated by
    Tracy Backofen , Global Head of Human Capital Management , Schonfeld Strategic Advisors

    Tracy Backofen is the Global Head of Human Capital Management at Schonfeld, where she is responsible for driving the firm’s people strategy around talent acquisition, talent management, professional development and total rewards.

    Prior to joining Schonfeld, Tracy spent over 25 years at Goldman Sachs, where she held a number of senior roles focused on shaping human capital priorities and developing initiatives to attract and retain talent, most recently as Head of People Strategy for Public Investing within Asset and Wealth Management. She received her BA in Psychology from the University of Maryland.

    3:50 pm – 4:20 pm

    The future workforce: What will differentiate firms over the next five years?

    • Identify the workforce, leadership, and organizational trends expected to have the greatest impact on alternative investment firms over the next five years.
    • Explore how firms are preparing for changing skill requirements, new ways of working, and an increasingly technology-enabled workforce.
    • Hear investor, industry, and talent advisor perspectives on the capabilities and strategic priorities that will separate leaders from laggards in the years ahead.

    Speakers
    Gail Burlant , Chief Human Resources Officer , Oak Hill Advisors

    Gail Burlant has responsibility for all aspects of human resources with a focus on talent management and development, including recruiting, evaluation and compensation practices, training and organizational structure, and diversity and inclusion initiatives. She currently serves as a member of OHA’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council and as Chair of the Advisory Board for Girls Who Invest. Ms. Burlant joined OHA after serving for four years as Chief Human Resources Officer at Commonfund. Previously, she was General Counsel of HDG Mansur Capital Group, where she established and oversaw the legal and human resources functions. Early in her career, Ms. Burlant was Associate General Counsel and Head of Human Resources at HSBC Securities in New York. She earned a J.D. from the George Washington University Law School and a B.S./B.A. from Boston College.

    Additional Speakers To Be Announced
    Moderated by
    Arpita Mazumdar , Head of HR and Workplace Strategy Consulting , Goldman Sachs

    Arpita (Arpi) Mazumdar leads HR Consulting for the U.S. Prime Services Consulting Team in the Global Markets and Banking Division at Goldman Sachs. In her role, she guides fund managers through the process of starting a hedge fund, and provides on-going strategic guidance and support across the HR discipline, focusing on large-scale global change initiatives, people management and communication strategies.

    Prior to assuming her current position in March 2020, Arpi held various roles within Goldman Sachs including that of chief operating officer for U.S. Regional Sales within the Franchise Strategy Group in Global Markets from 2017 to 2020, chief of staff to the Global COO of the Global Markets Division from 2015 to 2017, Americas Franchise Manager for Fixed Income Sales from 2010 to 2015 and Compensation Specialist within the Equity Compensation team in HCM from 2004 to 2010.  She joined Goldman Sachs in 2004.

    Arpi received her BS in Business Administration from the University of Albany – SUNY and is a 2014 Council of Urban Professionals (CUP) Fellow and Executive member. She is also a member of Chief, the new and well coveted private network focused on connecting and supporting women leaders. She is very engaged in women’s rights and is currently a sponsor for “Women for Women International,” a nonprofit humanitarian organization that provides practical and moral support to women survivors of war.

     

    4:20 pm – 4:25 pm

    Closing remarks

    Speaker
    Nell Mathews , Vice President, Content and Programming , MFA

    Nell Mathews is MFA’s Vice President, Content & Programming. She is based in the NY office and is responsible for the development and execution of event programming, content and panel origination for our global conference offering.

    Nell has 20 years of experience in marketing and communications, with acute expertise in event activations. Prior to MFA, Nell worked at Bloomberg in a variety of marketing roles, most recently as a Financial Products Marketing Lead, working with Sustainable Finance Solutions and BloombergNEF, one of the company’s research divisions focused on the energy transition. In this role, Nell led the marketing strategy and implemented thought leadership campaigns to raise awareness and help drive revenue. Before joining the financial products marketing team, Nell managed several high-profile brand initiatives at Bloomberg, including the Morgan Stanley digital signage launch in Times Square (2015-2020), and the content development and promotion of the company’s annual sustainability report (2018-2021). Nell began her career in Communications and spent seven years in event marketing at Citi Smith Barney and Morgan Stanley before joining Bloomberg in 2014.

    Nell graduated from the University of Arizona with a bachelor’s degree in Communications.

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