February 19–21
Newport Beach, CA
An interactive dealmaking event, where thought leaders come together to meet and collaborate with industry professionals. Join the IPA community in exploring and advancing the dynamic and ever-expanding private markets for alternatives.
Agenda at a glance
6:00-9:00 PM
Rising Leaders Dine Around (invitation only)
11:00 AM
Registration Opens
12:00-1:30 PM
Exploring 506(c) Offerings
While Regulation D, Rule 506(c) offerings provide a viable tool for accredited investors seeking alternative investments, navigating the regulatory requirements and compliance nuances can be complex for all parties involved. This roundtable is designed to facilitate a closed-door dialogue around Rule 506(c) to share insights, perspectives and challenges. This session will bring together industry leaders, compliance experts, and distribution partners to discuss key regulatory guidelines and marketing boundaries, address common concerns and perceptions about 506(c) offerings, share how 506(c) offerings should be effectively used, and explore practical solutions, resources and compliance best practices.
This session is for those attendees who identify as distribution partners only (e.g., broker dealers, RIAs, wirehouses). Pre-registration is required; sign-up for this offering here. Attendees must be registered for IPAConnect.
While Regulation D, Rule 506(c) offerings provide a viable tool for accredited investors seeking alternative investments, navigating the regulatory requirements and compliance nuances can be complex for all parties involved. This roundtable is designed to facilitate a closed-door dialogue around Rule 506(c) to share insights, perspectives and challenges. This session will bring together industry leaders, compliance experts, and distribution partners to discuss key regulatory guidelines and marketing boundaries, address common concerns and perceptions about 506(c) offerings, share how 506(c) offerings should be effectively used, and explore practical solutions, resources and compliance best practices.
This session is for those attendees who identify as distribution partners only (e.g., broker dealers, RIAs, wirehouses). Pre-registration is required; sign-up for this offering here. Attendees must be registered for IPAConnect.
2:00-2:15 PM
Welcome
Anya Coverman
President & CEO,
Institute for Portfolio Alternatives
Institute for Portfolio Alternatives
2:15-3:15 PM
General Session 1: Navigating the Convergence of Public and Private Markets: Strategies, Challenges, and Opportunities
As the lines between public and private markets continue to blur, investment managers must adapt to a landscape where both types of assets coexist on the same platform. This session will dive into the unique benefits and challenges of public/private market convergence, examining factors such as the evolving role of non-listed structures in going private, strategic positioning of investment offerings to optimize fees and appeal to end investors, and the technical and regulatory aspects impacting these markets. Experts will also explore emerging private market opportunities—including infrastructure, sports investing, and data centers—along with practical approaches to managing liquidity, fundraising from both institutional and retail investors, and performance transparency in alternative investments.
As the lines between public and private markets continue to blur, investment managers must adapt to a landscape where both types of assets coexist on the same platform. This session will dive into the unique benefits and challenges of public/private market convergence, examining factors such as the evolving role of non-listed structures in going private, strategic positioning of investment offerings to optimize fees and appeal to end investors, and the technical and regulatory aspects impacting these markets. Experts will also explore emerging private market opportunities—including infrastructure, sports investing, and data centers—along with practical approaches to managing liquidity, fundraising from both institutional and retail investors, and performance transparency in alternative investments.
Kimberly Flynn | Moderator
President, XA Investments
Kyle D. Kniffen
Managing Director, Global Head of Alternatives, Third Party Wealth, Goldman Sachs
Marco Bertolino
Americas Product Development, KKR
Miguel Sosa
Client Portfolio Manager, Head of Market Research & Strategy, Bluerock Capital Markets LLC
3:15-5:30 PM
General Session 2: IPA Alts Talks: Rapid-Fire Insights into Core Private Market Sectors
This engaging session offers expert perspectives on four key areas in private markets: infrastructure, private real estate, private equity, and private credit. Over the course of four 20-minute segments, industry leaders will deliver actionable insights into the trends and opportunities shaping these essential asset classes. The discussion on infrastructure will delve into evolving risk-return profiles, including energy and digital infrastructure. For private real estate, speakers will explore shifting demand across asset classes such as multifamily housing and logistics, driven by macroeconomic and demographic changes. The private equity segment will highlight sector-specific opportunities and value creation strategies in an increasingly competitive landscape. Finally, the private credit discussion will address emerging themes such as direct lending, distressed debt, and managing credit quality in a high-interest-rate environment. This session is designed to equip attendees with actionable insights essential for constructing more resilient and optimized portfolios in today’s dynamic market environment.
This engaging session offers expert perspectives on four key areas in private markets: infrastructure, private real estate, private equity, and private credit. Over the course of four 20-minute segments, industry leaders will deliver actionable insights into the trends and opportunities shaping these essential asset classes. The discussion on infrastructure will delve into evolving risk-return profiles, including energy and digital infrastructure. For private real estate, speakers will explore shifting demand across asset classes such as multifamily housing and logistics, driven by macroeconomic and demographic changes. The private equity segment will highlight sector-specific opportunities and value creation strategies in an increasingly competitive landscape. Finally, the private credit discussion will address emerging themes such as direct lending, distressed debt, and managing credit quality in a high-interest-rate environment. This session is designed to equip attendees with actionable insights essential for constructing more resilient and optimized portfolios in today’s dynamic market environment.
Chris Hunter
Managing Director and Head of Private Wealth Solutions, HPS
David Robbins
Member, Stepstone Private Wealth
Michael D. Underhill
Founder & Chief Investment Officer, Capital Innovations LLC
Brandon Short
Executive Director and Portfolio Manager, PGIM Real Estate
5:30-7:00 PM
Networking Reception & Exhibits
7:00 PM
IPAConnect Dine Arounds
7:00 AM
Registration Opens
7:00-9:00 AM
Networking Breakfast & Exhibits
8:00-9:45 AM
Due Diligence Symposium
Broker Dealers, RIAs and Presenting Sponsors Only
10:15-10:30 AM
Welcome
Anya Coverman
President & CEO,
Institute for Portfolio Alternatives
Institute for Portfolio Alternatives
10:30-11:30 AM
General Session 3: Alts Talk: Distribution Partner Perspective and Outlook on Private Offerings
Join this forward-looking discussion featuring the heads of alternative investments from the industry’s leading distribution partner firms, including wirehouses, independent broker-dealers, and registered investment advisers. This session will offer valuable insights into how top decision-makers assess private offerings, including the latest products capturing their attention and the evolving strategies they employ to meet client demand. Panelists will also share perspectives on key trends shaping the private offerings landscape for 2025, such as the expanding role of private banks, the impact of economic shifts on alternative investments, and the influence of heightened regulatory scrutiny on distribution channels.
Nicholas Bibbo | Moderator
Senior Vice President, iCapital
Andrew Deck
Vice President, Alternative Investments Strategy & Product Management, Wealth Management Solutions, LPL Financial
Madison Tuberville
Manager, Alternative Investments, Independent Financial Group, LLC
Anthony Aufiero
Managing Director, Head of Private Markets Sales Strategy, Investment Solutions Group, Bank of America
11:30 AM-12:15 PM
General Session 4: Expanding Defined Contributions (DC): Integrating Alternative Investments into 401(k) Plans
As demand for diversified, non-correlated opportunities within DC plans grows, asset managers are pioneering new ways to bring alternative investments to retirement portfolios. This session will explore the use of Collective Investment Trusts (CITs) and interval fund structures as vehicles to incorporate alternative assets, such as private equity and real assets, into 401(k) and other DC plans. Experts will discuss the potential benefits and challenges of the DC market, focusing on regulatory considerations, liquidity solutions, and the operational adjustments required to manage alternatives within DC plans. Attendees will gain insight into the evolving landscape of retirement investing and the role alternatives can play in enhancing returns for long-term retirement savers.
Kevin Walsh | Moderator
Principal, Groom Law Group
Steve Ullian
Managing Director, Defined Contribution/Retirement, Apollo
Jeffrey Taylor
Partner and Global Chief Operating Officer, Ares Wealth Management Solutions
Jani Venter
Executive Director, Investment Specialist, Head of Defined Contribution Real Estate Solutions, JP Morgan Asset Management
12:15-1:30 PM
Lunchtime Session: A Conversation with FINRA
Join us for an engaging lunchtime discussion featuring FINRA staff, Joseph Sheirer and Gabriela Aguero, as they explore FINRA Regulatory Notice 24-17 (with a comment period ending March 20, 2025) and its implications for the alternative investments space. This moderated conversation will also provide key insights into FINRA’s latest regulatory updates and compliance considerations, and attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions.
Jason Goode | Moderator
Partner, Alston & Bird
Gabriela Aguero
Director, Corporate Financing, FINRA
Joseph Sheirer
Senior Vice President, Corporate Financing & Advertising Regulation, FINRA
1:30-2:15 PM
General Session 5: Advanced Tax Strategies for Real Estate and Private Markets: Opportunities, Risks, and Innovations
As tax policies evolve, so do the strategies available to real estate investors, financial advisors, and private market participants. This comprehensive session will cover advanced tax strategies around private real estate, credit, and equity, including the use of 1031 DST Exchanges, Opportunity Zones, and 721 UPREIT transactions to help investors navigate tax obligations. Attendees will explore the trade-offs between control, liquidity, and risk associated with these approaches, while gaining insights into how pending legislative changes and innovative tax solutions may impact portfolios. The session will also address the unique challenges and opportunities in the M&A landscape within retail investment management, highlighting tax considerations that drive deal activity in this space.
Shiukay Hung | Moderator
Partner; Co-chair, National REIT Tax Practice, DLA Piper
Carolyn Bidwell
Managing Director, Tax Global Client Group, Brookfield Asset Management
Steven Holtkamp
Senior Managing Director, Chief Revenue Officer, Accruit
Richard LaFalce
Partner, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
Kendra Isaacson
Partner, Mindset
2:15-2:30 PM
Networking Break & Exhibits
2:30-3:45 PM
Due Diligence Symposium
Broker Dealers, RIAs and Presenting Sponsors Only
3:45-4:00 PM
Networking Break & Exhibits
4:00-4:45 PM
General Session 6: Unlocking the Potential of Separately Managed Accounts (SMAs) in Private Markets: Bridging the Allocation Gap
SMAs have become a compelling tool for institutional and high-net-worth investors seeking bespoke solutions in private markets. This session will explore how SMAs are reshaping private market allocations, addressing the needs for greater customization, transparency, and control. Experts will delve into the benefits and challenges of SMAs, their role in solving the private markets allocation gap, and the innovative portfolio construction strategies that are enabling investors to better align their investments with their goals.
Eve Cout
Managing Director, Portfolio Design & Solutions Pillar, U.S. Wealth Advisory, BlackRock
Mark Thomas
Executive Vice President, PIMCO
Vadim Avdeychik
Partner, Clifford Chance
4:45-5:30 PM
General Session 7: Strategies for Private Offerings: Direct Insights from Financial Advisors Serving Their Investor Clientele
The Yale Model, pioneered by Yale University’s Endowment under David Swensen, emphasizes diversification, active asset allocation, and alternative investments. Meanwhile, the traditional 60/40 balanced portfolio, once a cornerstone for investors, struggles to keep pace with shifting market dynamics. As equities and fixed income in public markets deliver diminishing returns, investors increasingly look to private market alternatives for higher yields. Financial advisors now advocate for innovative portfolio strategies that reduce overconcentration in traditional assets and embrace diversification into unconventional, return-enhancing investments.
Mark DeSario
Chairman & CEO, Beacon Ridge Capital Management
Vikram Sasi
Chief Strategy Officer, Manhattan West
Chris Vizzi
Partner and Co-Founder South Coast Investment Advisors
5:30-7:00 PM
The Power Social
Our closing networking event and reception is your last chance for you to solidify those new partnerships as we close out our time together in Newport Beach, CA. Enjoy hors d'oeuvres, music, and the chance to connect with peers with the beautiful backdrop of the VEA Hotel.
7:00 PM
IPAConnect Dine Arounds
7:30 AM
Registration Opens
7:30-8:30 AM
Due Diligence Symposium Breakfast
Broker Dealers, RIAs and Presenting Sponsors Only
8:30 AM-12:00 PM
Due Diligence Symposium
Broker Dealers, RIAs and Presenting Sponsors Only
12:00 PM
Conference Concludes
The Venue
VEA, Newport Beach
VEA Newport Beach basks you in all the luxurious must-haves spacious suites, emergent food and drink, a lush spa enclave, and a spirited poolscape from dawn to dusk. Whether staying the night or just for a nightcap, new possibilities abound at the Fashion Island hotel in Newport Beach.
$375/night plus tax and fees
Guest room reservation block ends on Tuesday, January 28.
Guest room reservation block ends on Tuesday, January 28.
Event Registration
IPA Members & Non-Members
General Sessions / Networking
Registration Price: $1,599
Early bird registration $1,399 through Dec. 20.
Non-Member Registration: $5,499
Member On-site Registration Fee: $1,799
Register now
Broker-Dealers / RIAs Only
Includes Due Diligence Symposium
Broker-Dealer/RIAs: Complimentary
Limited to two (2) broker-dealers/RIAs per firm. Please see travel policy below. Multiple sponsors will cover the costs of registration, hotel and flight as a bona fide due diligence expense.
Register now
Attending Firms
- 1776 Wealth LLC
- Accretive Wealth Management
- Accruit
- Alliance Advisors
- Alliance Global Partners
- Alston & Bird LLP
- American Trust Investment Services
- Ameriprise Financial
- Apollo Global Management
- Ares Management Corporation
- Arete Wealth Advisors
- Arkadios Capital
- Avantax Wealth Management
- Baker & McKenzie LLP
- Bank of America
- Beacon Ridge Capital Management
- Berilium
- BlackRock
- Bluerock
- Bridge Investment Group
- Brookfield Asset Management
- Cantor Fitzgerald
- Capital Group Private Client Services
- Capital Innovations LLC
- Carter Funds
- Cetera Financial Group
- CFG Wealth Management
- Commonwealth Financial Network
- Core Spaces
- Crosspoint Financial, LLC
- DLA Piper
- Eagle Point Credit Management LLC
- FactRight, LLC
- Fidelity Investments
- FINRA
- FNEX
- Forum Investment Group
- Four Springs Capital Trust
- Franklin Templeton Alternative Investments
- General Partner, Inc.
- Global Wealth Management LLC
- Goldman Sachs
- GRAnderson Wealth Management Group, Inc.
- Groom Law Group
- HPS Investment Partners, LLC
- IBN Financial Services, Inc.
- iCapital
- Independent Financial Group, LLC
- Inland Private Capital Corporation
- Inland Securities Corporation
- Commonwealth Financial Network
- JP Morgan Asset Management
- Kingswood U.S.
- KKR
- LPL Financial
- Magnolia Private Wealth
- Manhattan West
- Merchants Capital Trust
- Mindset
- Mitchell Financial Management, LLC
- Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
- Morgan Stanley
- MSF Capital Advisors
- NI Advisors
- Nobles & Richards, Inc.
- Osaic
- PGIM Real Estate
- Pi Wealth Plan LLC
- PIMCO
- Redbrick LMD, LLC
- South Coast Investment Advisors
- SS&C Technologies
- StepStone Private Wealth
- UBS
- VISTRA
- WealthForge
- XA Investments
Due Diligence
Symposium FAQ's
As part of the IPA’s Commitment to connecting Asset Managers and Distribution Partners, each of our events includes a Due Diligence Symposium (DDS). This unique opportunity allows Asset Managers to introduce their firms to Distribution Partner members in a focused, private setting. These symposia enable small-group meetings, ensuring that Asset Managers connect with all participating Distribution Partners during the conference. Sponsorship provides Asset Managers access to the DDS, but spaces are limited to ensure meaningful engagement and we encourage you to sign up today to become a DDS Sponsor. The DDS is open to Distribution Partners from wire houses, independent broker-dealers, family offices, and registered investment advisors (RIAs).
What is the format of the Due Diligence Symposium?
What are the expectations for Asset Managers?
What are the expectations for Distribution Partners?
Travel Reimbursement Policy
What do Distribution Partners receive for participating in the DDS?
General FAQ's
What is the difference in registration rates for this event?
Are meals included with registration?
Does IPAConnect Private Markets offer Continuing Education (CE) credits?
What is the event dress code?
Who do I contact if I have an accessibility request?
How do I become a sponsor of IPAConnect Private Markets?
What dining options are available at the hotel and in the local area?