News

April 10, 2019 – Kyiv, Ukraine: Horizon Capital, a U.S. private-equity firm investing in high growth companies in Ukraine and the near region, and Dobrobut, the leading private healthcare services provider in Ukraine, have announced that Horizon Capital’s latest $200 million fund, Emerging Europe Growth Fund III, LP (EEGF III) has acquired a minority stake in Dobrobut. Financial details for this transaction have not been disclosed.

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Excited to note PEWIN member firms - Development Partners International (DPI), Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) and General Atlantic are case studies in this report. Link to the report.

March 29, 2019 – Kyiv, Ukraine: Horizon Capital, a U.S. private-equity firm investing in high growth export-oriented and domestic companies in Ukraine and the near region, and Ajax Systems, a leading producer of smart security systems in Ukraine, have announced that Horizon Capital’s latest $200 million fund, Emerging Europe Growth Fund III, LP (EEGF III) has acquired a minority stake in the Company for $10 million. EEGF III’s investment was made through the purchase of a portion of the shares held by SMRK, an early-stage financial investor in Ajax Systems, and a portion of the shares held by Company management.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Congratulations Adele Oliva, Hollie Haynes, Kristina Heinze, and Kate Mitchell!  (more…)

January 23, 2019: Horizon Capital, a U.S. private-equity firm investing in high growth and export-driven companies in Ukraine and the near region, has closed its third fund, Emerging Europe Growth Fund III, L.P. (“EEGF III”, the “Fund”), at its $200 million hard cap, far surpassing the $150 million target.  (more…)

Boston, November 9, 2018 – The Private Equity Women Investment Network (PEWIN), a membership organization for senior women leaders in private equity dedicated to advancing diversity and forming business relationships among women investors in the private equity industry, held the inaugural event for its new Boston Chapter on November 1. (more…)

The champions were assessed on the seniority and influence of their role, their internal and external work to champion women, their recent and significant business achievements, and the testimonial that was provided with their nomination. Financial Times Article Runa Alam is one of the most influential women in private equity, being one of few women CEOs managing over US$1 billion in direct investments. Within DPI, Runa prides herself on promoting equality across every level of the business. Three of the six partners are women, while a 2015 study from Harvard Business School found that the typical number of women in senior positions in Private Equity is 5%. This diversity is apparent across all levels of DPI – nearly half the professionals are women. Runa believes that the top quartile returns of DPI’s funds are due to the talent and diversity of its team. Externally, Runa played a role in the establishment of the African Private Equity and Venture Capital Association, where she served as the Chair and is currently the Chair of the Sustainability Committee. She is also a Board and Africa Council Member of the Emerging Markets Private Equity Association, a steering committee member of PEWIN, an organisation for women leaders in private equity, as part of the Dean’s Advisory Board of the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University. Runa has over 35 years’ experience in private equity, entrepreneurship, investing, investment banking, and is a graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Business School.

From TheStreet: https://www.thestreet.com/investing/private-equity-firms-finally-realize-they-need-more-women-on-boards-14670125

From VCJ: https://www.pehub.com/vc-journal/scales-kate-mitchell-on-generational-transition-and-managing-carried-interest/

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE New York, New York, May 23rd, 2018 -- The Private Equity Women Investment Network (PEWIN), a membership organization for senior women leaders in private equity dedicated to advancing diversity and forming business relationships among women investors in the private equity industry, held its 10th anniversary all members meeting in New York. (more…)

From Institutional Investor: Allocators and managers picked OPTrust’s Wei Xie as the top candidate of six peers to be a future chief investment officer, followed by Texas ERS deputy Sharmila Kassam.

From Institutional Investor - The Hardest Way to Be a CIO …… is to be one of two CIOs. But that’s what Carnegie Corporation asked of Kim Lew and Meredith Jenkins. Lew — now sole investment chief for the multibillion foundation — reflects on how they made it work, together.

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Prelude Growth Partners (“Prelude”) today announced the first and final closing of its debut consumer-focused private equity fund, Prelude Growth Partners I, L.P., with $80 million in committed capital.  (more…)

Kinzie Capital Partners (Kinzie) proudly announces Danielle Cupps has joined Kinzie as a Managing Director and member of Kinzie’s Investment Committee.  (more…)

It is with great pleasure that we announce that 7 PEWIN members were honored as part of Merger and Acquisition’s 35 Most Influential Women in Mid-Market M&A 2017 list (more…)

There are opportunities for investors that traditional capital markets cannot reach - Article by Runa Alam and Ibrahim Sagna

Founder of RG + Associates and Consortium conference series to aid in developing new strategic partnerships across small, emerging and diverse manager business (more…)

Congrats to Runa for receiving the prestigious 2017 Financial Times & HERoes ranking: Champions of Women in Business List. (more…)

We are proud to announce that our member, Norice Rice, Principal, The Yucaipa Companies, was presented the Joyce Johnson award at the NASP conference in June.  (more…)

From GAO.gov: http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-17-726

From Recode.net - https://www.recode.net/2017/9/12/16284058/melinda-gates-venture-capital-gender-equity-diversity-minshew-gouw-fonstad-hoffman

Fireside Chat with Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza - a PEWIN Midwest summer event held on July 24, 2017 in Chicago, IL. (more…)

Ahead of the Institutional and Alternative Lending Conference in New York on 27-28 June, Ryan Flanders from Preqin and Sylvia Owens from Aksia confront the key questions for LPs seeking to invest in the burgeoning private debt market, including: • What are the most attractive sectors for prospective investors? • How should investors allocate capital to private debt, whilst ensuring maximum liquidity and returns? • How do you choose a GP to achieve the best underwriting standards amid a highly aggressive fundraising environment? Read More - Institutional and Alternative Lending

Luminate Capital Partners Announces Closing of Inaugural Fund with more than $265Million of Capital Commitments  (more…)

Chicago, IL, June 12, 2017 – Chicago-based private equity firm Kinzie Capital Partners LLC (Kinzie) launched earlier this year, led by Suzanne Yoon.  (more…)

From Carnegie.org - https://www.carnegie.org/news/articles/kim-lew-named-cio-year/

Modernventures.com: https://www.moderneventures.com/blog/2017/5/3/wall-street-journal-pro-rising-star-constance-freedman-is-real-estates-venture-capitalist

New York - On March 27, venture capitalist Tracy Chadwell, Founding Partner of 1843 Capital, joined a panel of other accomplished women at NYC’s MIT Enterprise Forum (MITEF) for a lively conversation about investing in women entrepreneurs. (more…)

Bloomberg.com: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2017-03-08/kkr-s-alisa-wood-says-investors-see-compressed-returns

Article by Aubrey Hruby and Joanne Yoo Women in the sector generate better returns and faster growth but barriers remain (more…)

From Lovell Minnick Partners: http://us6.campaignarchive1.com/u=4f12e91315de2438489c00821&id=b93706c217&e=1c3bc764ac

From GeekWire: http://www.geekwire.com/2017/nearly-decade-madrona-elise-hebb-sets-sail-seattle-venture-capital-firm-maveron/

 

Firm Focused on Value Investments in the Lower Middle Market   (more…)

The Private Equity Women Investor Network, a global networking organization for senior women in private equity, with chapters in the US, Europe, Africa and Asia, has now expanded to Nigeria, following the formal launch of PEWIN Africa earlier in the year, in South Africa.  (more…)

Article by Aubrey Hruby and Joanne Yoo
Parallel to the global narrative about Africa’s economic progress, the discussion about private equity in the region has taken on a bipolar nature—either there is too much money chasing too few deals or there is a dearth of capital for African countries’ entrepreneurs. (more…)

New York, NY (August 2016) – Aksia LLC announced the recent additions of Leo Fletcher-Smith and Sylvia Owens. (more…)

Chicago, Illinois (July 27) – Chicago Pacific Founders (“CPF”), a strategic healthcare investment fund focused exclusively on healthcare services and caring for aging populations, today announced that Krista Hatcher has joined the firm as a Partner. (more…)

“Candidate search: ParkerGale faced some hurdles last year when it set out to hire a pre-MBA associate. The Chicago PE firm, founded in 2015, wanted to increase its ranks of minorities and women to "help close the gender gap," said Kristina Heinze, a partner. It chose not to use a recruiter and instead advertised on Twitter and LinkedIn. That didn't work. "We didn't get any female applicants," Heinze said. It was then the firm made a crucial decision. It changed its recruitment profile to include candidates outside of investment banking or consulting. It worked. After the firm's partners hit up their own personal networks, ParkerGale received about dozen applicants, Heinze said. The technology-focused ParkerGale did end up hiring an associate in November from a Big 4 accounting firm with several years experience in M&A advisory (an internship at a PE firm didn't hurt). Oh yeah, the candidate did not have any LBO modeling experience so ParkerGale sent her to boot camp. And they're very happy with their decision, Heinze said.”

From Financial News: http://www.efinancialnews.com/story/2016-04-25/financial-news-40-under-40-rising-stars-in-private-equity-2016

Featuring PEWIN member Kate Mitchell, founding partner at Scale VC From Silicon Beat: http://www.siliconbeat.com/2016/04/19/time-come-woman/

From Women’s PE Briefs:
Member Jeri Harman Addresses Diversity in PE and VC
As chair-elect of the Small Business Investor Alliance, Avante Mezzanine Partners CEO and Managing Partner Jeri Harman recently testified before a field hearing of the House Small Business Committee on increasing diversity in private equity and venture capital. Click here to read her testimony.
Jeri also recently wrote “Investing in Rising, Diverse Entrepreneurs.” Click here to read the article.
The Small Business Investor Alliance is an organization for lower middle-market private equity funds and investors.

Debevoise Launches Website Devoted to the Interests of Women in Law and Business http://www.debevoise.com/insights/news/2016/03/launches-website-devoted