EMPEA | LAVCA Private Equity Masterclass in association with ColCapital
Wednesday, 4 March 2020
Club El Nogal | Bogotá, Colombia


09:00 – 09:30 | Masterclass Registration


09:30 – 09:40 | Opening Remarks

  • Fuad Velasco, Managing Partner & CEO, Nexus Capital Partners
  • Ivonne Cuello, CEO, LAVCA

09:40 – 10:30 | GP-Only Track | Learning From Experience – How Successful Fund Managers Navigate the Current Fundraising Cycle?

  • How do Latin American fund managers differentiate and market their fund internationally?
  • How can a manager make the most out of the in-person pitch? What can managers do to put their best foot forward in the diligence process?
  • Disciplines of process selling vs. relationship selling
  • What are common fundraising pitfalls and lessons learned the hard way?
  • ESG considerations: Why it matters, what matters most, and how to navigate the guidelines and standards.

Faculty Firm & Presenters:

  • Fabiana Andrade, Managing Director, Aqua Capital
  • Alberto Hernandez, Managing Director, Acon Investments
  • Hector Cateriano, Managing Partner, MAS Equity Partners
  • Toni Vainio, Partner, Pantheon

Moderator: Ivonne Cuello, CEO, LAVCA


09:40 – 10:30 | LP/Government-Only Track | Private Equity Portfolio Construction 2.0: Strategy

  • How to outperform through developed and cutting edge strategies while effectively managing risk
  • How to promote your organization, team, and process to become an investor of choice?
  • What are the costs vs. benefits of becoming a thought leader and process leader among LPs?
  • Middle market: Are the varying risks/returns attractive?
  • How does cycle timing factor into the portfolio strategy?

Faculty Firm & Presenters:

  • Joncarlo Mark, Founder, Upwelling Capital Group & Trustee for the University of California Davis Foundation
  • Mike Dutton, Senior Advisor, Capital Group Private Markets

10:30 – 11:00 | Networking Break


11:00 – 12:30 | GP-Only Track | Legal Strategies: Protecting GP Interests and Maintaining Competitive and Marketable Positioning to LPs

  • What are the key elements and stages of the documentation process and how does this process work?
  • What are the latest trends in private equity terms and conditions?
  • What are industry standard terms & conditions, and what areas should GPs focus on to craft ideal term sheets?
  • How should GPs show alignment of interests while still shaping profitable agreements?
  • Strategies for Partnership Negotiation

Faculty Firm & Presenters:

  • David Grosgold, Partner, Debevoise & Plimpton
  • Sally Bergmann, Senior Associate, Debevoise & Plimpton
  • Luke Eldridge, Associate, Debevoise & Plimpton
  • Carlos Fradique-Méndez, Partner, Brigard Urrutia
  • Luis Gabriel Morcillo, Partner, Brigard Urrutia

11:00 – 12:30 | LP/Government-Only | Private Equity Portfolio Construction 2.0: Implementation

  • How to construct the optimal portfolio
  • How should LPs view the importance of using the secondary market to obtain liquidity for funds? When and for what reasons?
  • How is due diligence different for regional and local firms? What should be the key areas of focus?
  • How to benchmark a regional, local firm vs. an international, middle-market firm?
  • How important are unique cross-regional considerations such as currency risks?
  • Establishing a framework for measuring value creation with each manager

Faculty Firm & Presenters:

  • Joncarlo Mark, Founder, Upwelling Capital Group & Trustee for the University of California Davis Foundation
  • Susana Garcia Robles, Executive Advisor, LAVCA
  • Mike Dutton, Senior Advisor, Capital Group Private Markets

12:30 – 13:30 | Networking Lunch (Open to All)

13:30 – 14:40 | Business Due Diligence & the Implications for the Investment Decision (Open to LPs, Government, GPs, and SPs)

  • How is the due diligence process different in Latin America and what are the particular issues demanding attention?
  • Use the due diligence process to focus the attention of management and investors on strategic and operational areas of vulnerability and opportunity.
  • How to develop a local and regional understanding of questions to ask as they relate to tax, labor, and legal affairs?

Faculty Firm & Presenters:

  • Manuel Garcia Podesta, Managing Director, Advent International

14:40 – 15:40 | Mergers & Acquisitions (Open to LPs, Government, GPs, and SPs)

  • How to structure PE deals in emerging markets (i.e. common structuring drivers, structuring tools, tax aspects, investment treaties, common holding company jurisdictions, typical structures)

Faculty Firm & Presenters:

  • David Grosgold, Partner, Debevoise & Plimpton
  • Jaime Robledo, Partner, Brigard Urrutia

15:40 – 16:00 | Networking Break


16:00 – 16:45 | LP Seminar – Sourcing and Securing LP Commitments (Open to LPs, Government, GPs, and SPs)

  • Evaluating a first-time fund means largely assessing the team. What complementary skill sets are you looking for?
  • How important is operational expertise within the GP to drive value in portfolio companies?
  • What characteristics do you look for in the managers with whom you’ve maintained relationships with across multiple fund cycles?
  • Adding New Managers: Best-in-class generalists or promising managers with specialist strategies?

Faculty Firm & Presenters:

  • Kathleen Bacon, Senior Advisor, HarbourVest Partners
  • Susana García-Robles, Executive Advisor, LAVCA
  • Andrea Oñate, Private Equity Investment Officer, IFC
  • Javier Diaz, President, Bancoldex

Moderator: Paula Delgadillo, Executive Director, ColCapital


16:45 – 16:55 | The Perfect Pitch

*Advanced signup is required. Space is limited.
Learn how to craft the best pitch from our panel of judges as GP attendees present their two-minute “elevator pitch” and gain on-the-spot feedback.


16:55 – 17:00 | Closing Remarks

  • Paula Delgadillo, Executive Director, ColCapital
  • Susana Garcia Robles, Executive Advisor, LAVCA

17:00 – 18:00 | Networking Reception EMPEA|LAVCA & ColCapital Masterclass and Members-Only reception

Hosted with the generous support of Debevoise & Plimpton and Brigard Urrutia