Preview your onsite experience
The Forum agenda is built around the issues operating partners are working through now, spanning value creation across tech, GTM, finance, operations, and talent. Download the agenda to see how those discussions take shape.

For more information about the 2026 program or to inquire about speaking at this year's event, please contact  Marc Mele at marc.m@pei.group.
Download the agenda (opens in a new tab)
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9:00 AM
  1. Operating Partners Golf Outing and Experience (for operating partners only)
    Join us for an exclusive golf tournament at Silverado Napa’s renowned 18-hole golf course! This shotgun-format event includes green fees, a double-rider cart with GPS, range balls prior to start, pers …
11:30 AM
  1. Operating Partners Napa Winery Tour and Lunch Trip (for operating partners only)
    This excursion, solely for the operating partners attending the Forum, will include a tour of the estate with tastings of their exquisite wines and lunch provided. There will be shuttles departing at …
5:30 PM
  1. Operating Partners Napa Pre-Event Welcome Reception and Dinner, featuring the OP Forum Wine Experience (for operating partners only)
    Join the operating partners attending the Forum at our opening grand reception in Wine Country. Begin building connections over craft cocktails and gourmet fare before the conference kicks off. A rela …
7:30 AM
  1. Registration and breakfast
7:45 AM
  1. Think tanks for full-time operating partners — value creation war rooms (for operating partners only)
    These closed-door discussions led by your operating partner peers will allow you to learn and share best practices in value creation by functional area: Room 1: Tech, Digital, and AI Operating Partner …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Daniel Perry
    Daniel Perry, Resource Partner - Court Square Capital Partners
    Speaker image for Avra Schaaf
    Avra Schaaf, Operating Partner - GTM
8:30 AM
  1. Deep dive breakfast discussion 01 (for operating partners only) — Recruiting AI and tech talent for your portfolio companies: uncovering practical guidebooks
    This deep dive breakfast session designed solely for operating partners will allow the audience to join an interactive discussion with designated expert facilitators. What is the archetype of a Head o …
  2. Deep dive breakfast discussion 02 (for operating partners only) — Learnings from the leaders of GTM value creation in private equity
    This deep dive interactive breakfast session designed solely for operating partners will share insights from 50+ interviews with operating partners and deal partners to uncover: The impact of revenue …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Michael Smith
    Michael Smith, Senior Managing Director - Blue Ridge Partners
  3. Deep dive breakfast discussion 03 (for operating partners only) — Accelerating AI‑led transformations for higher EBITDA, cash flow, and exit multiples
    This deep dive breakfast session designed solely for operating partners will allow the audience to join an interactive discussion with designated expert facilitators. What are the barriers to turning …
  4. Deep dive breakfast discussion 04 (for operating partners only) — Optimizing the operating partner-CFO partnership across the lifecycle
    This deep dive breakfast session designed solely for operating partners will allow the audience to join an interactive discussion with designated expert facilitators. Maximizing finance value creation …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for  Ben Schlater
     Ben Schlater, Resource Partner - Court Square Capital
9:10 AM
  1. PEI’s welcome and chairperson’s opening remarks
9:30 AM
  1. Heads of value creation views: what does the future of portfolio operations look like?
    How is your operating team structured? Did you grow your operating team in recent years and is your team still growing? How are you measuring operating partner/team performance across the lifecycle? H …
10:10 AM
  1. Operating Partner-Deal Partner alignment: key insights from both sides
    How are deal partners most effectively working with operating partners? How are operating partners most effectively working with deal partners? What are the biggest challenges when it comes to achievi …
10:50 AM
  1. Networking break
11:20 AM
  1. Showcasing AI-adept leadership teams for your portfolios — what great looks like
    Building and developing AI-ready leadership teams for your portfolio companies How do you assess AI leadership readiness? What are some key signals that indicate potential risks in AI readiness and ad …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Nenad Milicevic
    Nenad Milicevic, Partner, Managing Director, Americas Co-Leader, Technology, Media, and Telecommunications - AlixPartners
    Speaker image for Nagaraju Bandaru
    Nagaraju Bandaru, Operating Partner - Diversis Capital
    Speaker image for Tom Polak
    Tom Polak, Director of AI Innovation - Ridgemont Equity Partners
12:00 PM
  1. Managing Partner Spotlight: Edison Partners’ integrated approach to value creation
    How Edison Partners has rethought the operating partner model in lower middle market growth equity The role of the firm’s six Centers of Excellence in the growth stage investment lifecycle What true v …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Chris Sugden
    Chris Sugden, Managing Partner - Edison Partners
12:40 PM
  1. Interactive Working Group 01 (for operating partners only) — Operating partner guidelines for navigating extended hold periods

    This session designed solely for operating partners will allow the audience to join an interactive discussion with designated facilitators.

    • How have extended hold periods impacted your role as an operating partner at your firm? What have you done to address these challenges?
    • What levers for value creation are most important in an extended hold period?
    • How does engagement between the firm, management teams, the CEO etc. change in an
    • extended hold period and how do you play a part in it?
    • How are extended hold periods impacting your investment in transformation and how you think about strategy within your portfolio companies?
  2. Interactive Working Group 02 (for operating partners only) — Driving topline revenue: end-to-end customer experience to optimize marketing, sales and customer success
    This session designed solely for operating partners will allow the audience to join an interactive discussion with designated facilitators. What it really means to have a shared methodology and common …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Drew Kiran
    Drew Kiran, Practice Director - Go To Market - K1 Investment Management
  3. Interactive Working Group 03 (for operating partners only) — Scaling an AI-powered organization: the CIO, CTO, and operating partner playbook
    As AI moves from pilot to production, scaling it across the enterprise requires more than new tools. This interactive discussion focuses on how PE firms, operating partners, and technology leaders are …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Brad Ptasienski
    Brad Ptasienski, Senior Partner, Mergers and Acquisitions - West Monroe
  4. Interactive Working Group 04 (for operating partners only) — The PE backed CEO in the age of AI: what does great look like?
    This session designed solely for operating partners will allow the audience to join an interactive discussion with designated facilitators. How is AI impacting/changing the role of the CEO? What are t …
1:20 PM
  1. Lunch discussion 01 (invitation-only for operating partners) — Driving value through pricing excellence: perspectives from sector experts
    This deep dive lunch discussion designed solely for operating partners will focus on strategic areas in pricing to enhance value in key sectors. Explore practical strategies to unlock growth and value …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Adam Echter
    Adam Echter, Partner - Simon-Kucher
  2. Lunch discussion 02 (invitation-only for operating partners) — Maximizing value on exits – the carveout opportunity
    This deep dive lunch discussion designed solely for operating partners will focus on strategic exit execution to enhance value. Which key initiatives are you mainly focused on in preparing for exit 24 …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Paul Pan
    Paul Pan, Private Equity Strategy Lead Partner - KPMG
  3. Networking lunch
2:20 PM
  1. Track 01 A “do-no-harm” approach to health plan focused value creation
    • Why a standardized process will be more effective than a standardized product/vendor mix
    • How to minimize broker and vendor friction/disruption
    • How to think about timing, timelines, and value expectations
    • Key plan metrics that indicate unlocked value
    • Best practices for measuring results

    PANELISTS:

    Butler Cooper, Director of Portfolio Procurement, New Mountain Capital

    Jana Wayne, Managing Director, Head of Procurement, Hunter Point Capital

  2. Track 02 The future of AI-powered digital marketing and customer experience: what you need to know
    PANELISTS: Renée Cohen, Principal, Marketing Operating Executive, Norwest Scott Graham, Operating Partner, Diversis Capital
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Scott Graham
    Scott Graham, Operating Partner - Diversis Capital
  3. Track 03 Successes and failures of Agentic AI in value creation: operating partner lessons learned
    Real examples of how Agentic AI can streamline processes, reduce costs, and improve productivity across all portco operations How do you go about deploying AI? What are the biggest wins in how you ope …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Bharani Bobba
    Bharani Bobba, Senior Vice President and Head of US Private Equity Practice - Genpact
  4. Track 04 Spotlight interview: What I learned as a finance operating partner in 10+ years
    Sharing genuine career advice from 10+ years to help finance operating partners on their journey What are some unique war stories from your journey? What would you do differently looking back? What ac …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Kyle Roemer
    Kyle Roemer, Managing Director, US Head of Data & AI - Accordion
    Speaker image for Subhi Sherwell
    Subhi Sherwell, Managing Director, Operations - TPG Capital
3:00 PM
  1. Track 05 From cost arbitrage to AI leverage: redefining global talent in PE
    • Examining what can be automated with a global perspective
    • Dissecting global talent as a cleanup act after automation rather than where AI gets deployed, monitored, and scaled
    • Understanding how global talent is no longer just about cost efficiency, but about capability and innovation
    • Discussing how PE firms are embedding AI into global workforce strategies to unlock new sources of EBITDA growth
  2. Track 06 Strategic pricing in the AI era: sharing success stories
    Why most AI pricing strategies are built on flawed assumptions — and what companies keep getting wrong What actually works: the emerging monetization patterns separating AI winners from also-rans Surv …
  3. Track 07 Tech value creation roadmaps: high impact execution across all phases of the lifecycle
    Breaking down the biggest tech risks facing portfolio companies in each phase of the investment lifecycle: how are you tackling these risks? Capturing value from AI and agentic capabilities throughout …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Miten Marvania
    Miten Marvania, Managing Director, Portfolio Resources Group - GTCR
    Speaker image for Russell Uyeda
    Russell Uyeda, Managing Director - Apollo Global Management
  4. Track 08 AI Finance case study: how operating partners align and deliver AI transformation with CFOs
    How is AI for finance actually being applied and where are the efficiency gains?  What kind of workflows do CFOs see as most useful or have turned entirely over to AI? What do we expect to see in the …
3:40 PM
  1. Break
3:50 PM
  1. Track 09 AI use cases for the human capital function: showcasing real world implementations
    Talent acquisition and retention playbooks in the age of AI AI human capital uses today: how do you identify core value creation to dos with AI? Where is AI less relevant in human capital?  Applying A …
  2. Track 10 AI and cybersecurity: operating partner war stories
    Variations in portfolio cyber risk – understanding where to focus attention and resources to help companies manage cyber risk using data from over 300 portfolio companies Discussing common areas of el …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Greg Slayton
    Greg Slayton, Managing Director - ACA Group
  3. Track 11 Agentic transformation for supply chain and procurement
4:30 PM
  1. Track 12 Assessing and building high-performance management teams: how are you thinking about it?
    Identifying strengths and gaps to mitigate investment risk When to swap out the whole team and when not to, when to make C-suite changes and when not to What does a high performing and aligned managem …
  2. Track 13 Technology that moves the multiple: a pragmatic approach to value creation
    Technology is increasingly central to private equity value creation, yet many portfolio companies carry years of accumulated technical debt, fragmented systems, and incremental technology decisions th …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Doug Parker
    Doug Parker, SVP of Sales & Marketing - JBS Dev
    Speaker image for Jeff Haslem
    Jeff Haslem, Operating Partner - TCV
  3. Track 14 The fundamentals of value creation for mid-market PE in the age of AI
    Overcoming value creation constraints of middle-market funds: how is AI a game changer that allows smaller firms to compete with mega-funds? AI opportunities: how mid-market PE Firms can outmaneuver m …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Bob Isaman
    Bob Isaman, Chief Portfolio Operations Officer - Dunes Point Capital
5:10 PM
  1. End of day 1 and networking cocktail reception
    The Resort’s Mansion Gardens will provide a delightful setting at the end of the first day for you to chat and hear what is on everyone’s mind after a full day of valuable insights. Venue: Mansion Gar …
7:30 AM
  1. Registration and breakfast
7:45 AM
  1. Think tanks for full-time operating partners — value creation war rooms (for operating partners only)
    Invitation-only think tanks for full-time PE and VC operating partners. These closed-door discussions led by your peers will allow you to learn and share value creation strategies of successful operat …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for PV Bóccasam
    PV Bóccasam, Managing Partner - Jörn Capital
    Speaker image for Pete Lamson
    Pete Lamson, Chief Operating Officer and Head of Portfolio Operations - Volition Capital
8:30 AM
  1. Deep dive breakfast discussion 05 (for operating partners only) — Driving alignment and buy in as operating partners with your deal teams and management teams
    This breakfast deep dive discussion designed solely for operating partners will allow you to join an interactive discussion with designated facilitators. Sharing success stories as operating partners …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Yale Kwon
    Yale Kwon, Partner - AlixPartners
    Speaker image for Saurabh Singh
    Saurabh Singh, Partner - AlixPartners
  2. Deep dive breakfast discussion 06 (for operating partners only) — Agentic commerce high impact use cases and the future of buying experiences
    This interactive breakfast session will define agentic commerce, map the current industry landscape, highlight high-impact use cases, and offer practical guidance for building and pricing solutions th …
  3. Deep dive breakfast discussion 07 (for operating partners only) — Leveraging AI in due diligence: sharing examples beyond theory
    This breakfast deep dive discussion designed solely for operating partners will allow you to join an interactive discussion with designated facilitators. Scrutinizing AI readiness of a company in due …
  4. Deep dive breakfast discussion 08 (for operating partners only) — The data center effect: how AI infrastructure trends are reshaping value creation across PE portfolios
    The AI infrastructure buildout is not just a story for data center owners. From power suppliers and cooling systems to managed service providers, resellers, and enterprise software companies, the ripp …
9:10 AM
  1. Chairman’s welcome
9:15 AM
  1. PEI and AlixPartners present the second annual technology value creation survey results
9:30 AM
  1. The five pillars of value creation: what every operating partner needs to know
    As multiple expansion and leverage recede as return drivers, operational value creation has become a competitive necessity. Here our panel will present a practical framework for manufacturing alpha ac …
10:10 AM
  1. Value creation experts: showcasing the most successful and innovative initiatives in their careers
    Sharing key tips for the current generation of operating partners How to drive impact and value in your role What’s one piece of practical advice for operating partners aiming to thrive? What are the …
10:50 AM
  1. Networking break
11:10 AM
  1. AI practical use cases across functions in human capital, GTM, finance, and tech
    What are you doing that is innovative when it comes to AI for your function? How have things rapidly evolved in terms of AI practical use cases for your function within the last 18 months? What comes …
11:50 AM
  1. The next generation of AI Operating Partners: comparing roles today and what comes next
    Sharing career paths/journeys to becoming a PE AI Operating Partner AI Operating Partner-Tech/Digital Operating Partner dynamics: how these roles impact each other today and how it will change how val …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Jessica Tvelia
    Jessica Tvelia, Partner - Acertitude
12:35 PM
  1. Track 15 Accelerating transformations and implementation in the first 100 days
    Creating a repeatable 100-day value creation acceleration engine Getting your data in shape with all the governance that goes around it to unlock transformations early How is AI impacting and accelera …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for Ryan McMullin
    Ryan McMullin, Operating Principal - Clearhaven Partners
  2. Track 16 Optimizing AI for the commercial function: the operating partner’s guidebook
    Uncovering how top teams are building AI into their revenue systems How are leading companies making the commercial shift and overcoming the challenges of implementations?  Sharing real examples of wh …
    Speakers
    Speaker image for James Utton
    James Utton, Director of Revenue Operations - Alpine Operations Group, Alpine Investors
  3. Track 17 Spotlight interview: What I learned as a tech operating partner in 10+ years
    How is AI changing the role of the tech and digital operating partner? What comes next? Sharing genuine career advice from 10+ years to help tech and digital operating partners on their journey What a …
1:15 PM
  1. Lunch discussion 03 (invitation-only for operating partners) — AI lunch workshop led by operational experts in the field
    This closed-door lunch for all tech, digital, and AI operating partners will provide an opportunity to hear key insights from top experts and swap notes.
  2. Networking lunch
2:15 PM
  1. End of conference