McDermott’s Fall FOCIS Forum is back! Hosted by our Family Office Capital & Investment Strategies (FOCIS) Group, this can’t-miss event provides a platform for family office principals, executives, chief investment officers (CIOs) and investment teams to share ideas, build connections and discover new strategies to optimize investments in both public and private markets.
Join us for a series of interactive panel discussions featuring diverse perspectives from industry leaders on the latest investment trends and opportunities impacting family offices, including investing in emerging sports and sports-adjacent industries, healthcare investing, venture capital (VC) investing and investment team executive compensation. Following the program, enjoy a networking cocktail reception with breathtaking views of the Manhattan skyline.
We hope to see you in New York City!
CONFIRMED PANELISTS
Managing Director, Global Joint Head of Healthcare Investment Banking, Healthcare Services, US
Jefferies LLC
PROGRAM
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1 - All times reflected in EDT
9:00 – 10:00 AM
Networking Breakfast & Opening Remarks
10:00 – 11:00 AM
Venture Capital in an Uncertain Environment: Uncovering Opportunities
VC investors and fundraisers are facing headwinds from sluggish IPO and M&A markets, elevated interest rates, robust public market activity, evolving domestic and geopolitical challenges, and the hangover from 2020 and 2021 VC FOMO. As evidence, VC funds are on pace to raise the lowest amount of capital since 2013, down more than 50% from 2023. That said, every distressed environment creates incredible opportunities, especially for VC funds with unique value propositions and family offices that can invest as limited partnerships and direct investors without the artificial constraints of many institutional investors. This panel will explore the current VC landscape with a focus on identifying these opportunities and the strategic advantages that family offices possess to succeed in this environment.
Panelists
- Alex Swieca | Managing Principal | QB1 Capital
- Devika Thapar | Co-Founder | Wilbe.com
- Gideon Yu | Co-Owner & Former President of San Francisco 49ers | Former CFO of Facebook & YouTube
Moderator
- Patrick J. McCurry | Partner | McDermott Will & Emery
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Market Trends in Healthcare Investing
Over 17% of the national GDP is spent on healthcare, and the sector is evolving rapidly due to technological advancements, an aging population, and emerging therapies. This panel will explore market trends, the regulatory landscape, and strategic investment opportunities for family offices in the healthcare sector.
Panelists
- Richard Agabs | Managing Director, Global Joint Head of Healthcare Investment Banking, Healthcare Services, US | Jefferies LLC
- Mark E. Manigan | President & CEO | RWJBarnabas Health
- Candace Richardson | Principal | General Catalyst
- Evan Wildstein | Partner, Healthcare Services Practice Lead | Kohlberg & Company
Moderator
- Kate McDonald | Partner | McDermott Will & Emery
12:00 – 1:00 PM
Networking Lunch
1:00 – 2:00 PM
Emerging Leagues, Emerging Opportunities: Strategic Investments in Professional Sports
As enterprise valuations of professional sports teams continue to dramatically increase, many family offices interested in control and minority investments in professional sports are turning to emerging sports leagues. These leagues offer not only an easier entry-level investment but also the excitement of getting in on the ground floor of fast-growing and exciting sports leagues. This panel will explore the current environment in the world of professional sports from a family office investor lens.
Panelists
- Larry Fitzgerald Jr. | Co-Founder, Trenches Capital | Arizona Cardinals (17 seasons)
- Jenny L. Klitch | SVP, Pro Player Relations & Competition | The Association of Pickleball Players
- Colin Neville | Partner | The Raine Group
- Michael Rabil | Co-Founder and CEO | Premier Lacrosse League
Moderator
- Thomas P. Conaghan | Partner | McDermott Will & Emery
2:00 – 3:00 PM
The War for Talent: Trends in Investment Team Executive Compensation
The need to structure competitive family office incentive compensation programs that align with the values and vision of the family clients is a growing focus for family offices. This panel will cover the considerations a family office faces when creating incentive and deferred compensation plans for employees. Discussion topics will include the philosophy of the incentive program; discretionary versus formula-based arrangements as long-term incentive arrangements to reward performance and foster retention; leveraged and non-leveraged co-investment opportunities; and the pros and cons of carried interest, phantom equity and profit sharing.
Panelists
- Ron Botoff | Principal Consultant | Botoff Consulting
- Marc Lisker | President | DFO Management, LLC
- Kash Sheikh | CEO | MRB Enterprises LLC
Moderator
- Thomas P. Ward | Partner | McDermott Will & Emery
3:00 – 3:30 PM
Networking Break
3:30 – 4:30 PM
Cutting Through the Noise: Opportunities in AI Investing
Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the economic landscape and has become a key investment theme for family offices. Investment opportunities in AI encompass both the emerging technologies and the ecosystems surrounding them. This panel will explore the trajectory of AI development, the applications of cutting-edge AI models, the industries most likely to benefit from AI advancements, and how family offices can harness AI’s transformative potential while navigating the complexities of this rapidly evolving field.
Panelists
- Mike Bechtel | Chief Futurist | Deloitte Consulting LLP
- Nick Ganju | Founder | Zocdoc
- David Weiden | Founding Partner & Managing Director | Khosla Ventures
Moderator
- Shawn C. Helms | Partner | McDermott Will & Emery
4:30 – 6:00 PM
Cocktail Reception
McDERMOTT FACULTY
ABOUT FAMILY OFFICE CAPITAL & INVESTMENT STRATEGIES (FOCIS)
FOCIS is a multi-practice team and mindset within McDermott that draws on the experience of our private client, tax and transactions lawyers to provide creative and holistic solutions across all levels of a family wealth structure. By taking a comprehensive and multi-level approach, we aim to achieve enhanced economic returns through optimal planning for your family, returns that would otherwise be lost when working with external advisors with a narrower lens.
CONTACT
DISCLAIMER
McDermott Will & Emery’s Fall FOCIS Forum is designed for the educational benefit of principals, CIOs, investment teams and other executives of single-family offices. Please be advised McDermott has the right to restrict attendance and may limit participation in this event.