Speakers

Brendan McDonald is the Founding Partner of Solas Private Market Advisors, a boutique advisory firm specialising in secondary market intermediation and capital raising within private markets.

Brendan began his career in the Manager Research team at Willis Towers Watson, where he progressed to Consultant level and qualified as a Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries (FIA) and Chartered Enterprise Risk Actuary (CERA).

Prior to founding Solas, Brendan spent five years as a Director at Equitix, a UK headqurtered infrastructure manager. Earlier in his career, he worked within BlackRock’s OCIO team, advising institutional clients on strategic allocations to private equity and infrastructure, as well as providing advice on private fund secondary transactions.

Brendan holds a BSc in Actuarial Science from Queen’s University Belfast and an MSc in Actuarial Management from Bayes Business School, London.

Solas Private Market Advisors

Solas Private Market Advisors (Irish / Gaelic: “light”) was founded in 2024 to support institutional investors and General Partners navigating private markets, with a particular emphasis on secondary transactions.

The firm specialises in secondary market intermediation and capital raising, advising institutional asset owners on liquidity solutions and supporting fund managers in structuring and executing secondary transactions. Solas provides tailored guidance across LP stake sales, GP-led transactions, and continuation vehicles, helping clients navigate pricing, process design, and buyer engagement.

Solas works exclusively with fund managers and investors focused on sustainability and climate solution investments, aligning capital with long-term environmental impact.