About
The EMPEA Team
Cate Ambrose
Chief Executive Officer, Member, EMPEA Board of Directors
EMPEA
Cate Ambrose
Chief Executive Officer, Member, EMPEA Board of Directors
Cate Ambrose is CEO and Board Member of EMPEA, the global industry association for private capital in emerging markets. Members include 300+ fund managers, institutional investors, family offices, sovereign wealth funds, development finance institutions, and industry advisors who manage more
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EMPEA
Holly Radel
Managing Director
Institutional Relations & Membership
Holly Radel
Managing Director
Holly Radel is a Managing Director for Institutional Relations & Membership at EMPEA, including managing the organization’s operations, strategic direction and growth initiatives. In this role, Holly handles including directing EMPEA's investor relations activities and develop its global community of
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Institutional Relations & Membership
Jeff Schlapinski
Managing Director
Research
Jeff Schlapinski
Managing Director
Jeff Schlapinski is the Managing Director of Research at EMPEA, where he leads a team producing industry data, analysis and in-depth reporting on private equity, private credit, infrastructure and real assets investing in emerging economies. In addition to providing bi-annual
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Research
Ethan Koh
Asia Research Director
Research
Ethan Koh
Asia Research Director
Ethan Koh is the Asia Research Director at EMPEA, where he manages the overall Asia data and leads the production of all Asia-related research reports and presentations. Ethan is also responsible for communicating key findings and themes to members and
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Research
Julie Ruvolo
Managing Director
Venture Capital
Julie Ruvolo
Managing Director
Julie Ruvolo is Managing Director of Venture Capital at EMPEA. In this role, she manages venture investor relationships globally, runs venture/tech-related programs, facilitates early stage investor meetings, and oversees tech reports for investors. She is a regular presenter and speaker
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Venture Capital
Olivia Weiss
Managing Director
Marketing & Communications
Olivia Weiss
Managing Director
Olivia Weiss is the Managing Director of Marketing & Communications for EMPEA. In this role, she is responsible for leading media relations, strategic partnerships, marketing, branding, social media, and editorial content.
Olivia also oversees marketing and communications at the Association for
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Marketing & Communications
Belgica De Los Santos
Director
Finance & Operations
Belgica De Los Santos
Director
Belgica De Los Santos is Director of Finance & Operations for EMPEA. In this role she is responsible for the organization’s financial, accounting, and operational functions, including member billing, audits, and budgeting.
Belgica also heads up Finance & Operations for the
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Finance & Operations
Kaela Kennedy
Director
Events
Kaela Kennedy
Director
Kaela Kennedy is Director of Events for EMPEA where is responsible for the planning and execution of member conferences and programs.
Kaela is also is the Director of Events for the Association for Private Capital Investment in Latin America (LAVCA) where
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Events
Olivia Drouhaut
Senior Manager
Programs
Olivia Drouhaut
Senior Manager
Olivia Drouhaut is a Senior Manager of Programs & Business Development at EMPEA, where she is responsible for organizing and coordinating conferences, trainings, and web seminars within EMPEA’s programs portfolio, including the IFC/EMPEA Global Private Equity Conference, the Private Equity
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Programs
Megan Smith
Senior Manager
Programs
Megan Smith
Senior Manager
Megan Smith is a Senior Manager of Programs & Business Development at EMPEA, where she is responsible for organizing and programming conferences, trainings, and webinars, including the IFC/EMPEA Global Private Equity Conference, the Sustainable Investing in Emerging Markets Summit, and
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Programs
Paulina Portilla
Manager
Membership
Paulina Portilla
Manager
Paulina Portilla serves as Manager of Membership at EMPEA where she coordinates onboarding, maintenance, and engagement for both current and prospective EMPEA members. Paulina is also the Manager of Membership for LAVCA,
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Membership
Sabrina Katz
Manager
Research
Sabrina Katz
Manager
Sabrina is a Manager at EMPEA, where she covers the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America, as well as the wider emerging market Impact Investing and ESG space. Sabrina graduated from the London School of Economics and Columbia University’s Dual
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Research
Anissa Eleuterio
Manager
Marketing & Communications
Anissa Eleuterio
Manager
Anissa Eleuterio is a Marketing & Communications Manager at EMPEA, where she delivers detailed and comprehensive marketing and communication plans across a variety of platforms. Prior to joining EMPEA, Anissa managed a video production department and an editorial team for
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Marketing & Communications
Dina Kavaleuski
Sr. Analyst of Finance & Operations
Finance & Operations
Dina Kavaleuski
Sr. Analyst of Finance & Operations
Dina Kavaleuski is the Sr. Analyst of Finance & Operations for EMPEA. In this role, she is responsible for the management of the organization's financial, accounting, and operational functions, which include member billing, company audits, and annual budgeting.
Prior to joining
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Finance & Operations
Katherine Stepanian
Senior Analyst
Research
Katherine Stepanian
Senior Analyst
Katherine Stepanian is a Senior Research Analyst at EMPEA, where she covers Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and supports the China team. She produces CEE-focused data and analysis, as well as strategy- and sector-specific reports. In addition to crafting market
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Research
Alan Williams
Senior Associate
Marketing & Communications
Alan Williams
Senior Associate
Alan Williams is a Senior Marketing Associate at EMPEA. He is responsible for supporting the Marketing & Communications department in addressing the global marketing and communications needs of the organization. As a Senior Associate he assists with the development and
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Marketing & Communications
Catherine O’Connor
Analyst
Research
Catherine O’Connor
Analyst
Catherine O'Connor is a Research Analyst at EMPEA, where she covers China. She earned her master's degree in International Economics and Political Economy from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and completed a certificate in Chinese and American Studies
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Research
Alex Fichter
Analyst
Research
Alex Fichter
Analyst
Alex Fichter is a Research Analyst at EMPEA, where he covers private capital in Emerging Asia and contributes to EMPEA’s industry data collection and report generation. Alex previously worked as a Research Analyst with an investment advisory firm in China
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Research
Essa Saifie
Analyst
Research
Essa Saifie
Analyst
Essa Saifie is a Research Analyst at EMPEA, where he focuses on private capital in India. Previously, Essa worked at 500 Startups’ Southeast Asia-focused fund and prior to that at Tiro Capital, a boutique M&A advisory firm in Singapore. Essa
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Research
Sanan Hajiyev
Executive Assistant
EMPEA
Sanan Hajiyev
Executive Assistant
Sanan serves as Executive Assistant to EMPEA CEO, Cate Ambrose, and as Office Manager in New York, where he supports the EMPEA and LAVCA team across a variety of functions including research, sustainability, and operations.
Sanan is a graduate of Union
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EMPEA
Steven Okun
Southeast Asia Senior Advisor
EMPEA
Steven Okun
Southeast Asia Senior Advisor
Steve Okun has served as EMPEA’s Southeast Asia Senior Advisor since 2017. Steve is Founder and CEO of Singapore-based APAC Advisors and is a seasoned private equity professional. Steve supports member relations and expanding EMPEA’s industry stakeholder network in the
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EMPEA
EMPEA represents the leading global investors in EM. I look forward to working alongside to drive much-needed capital for
financing entrepreneurs and businesses worldwide.
Renuka Ramnath | Founder, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Multiples Alternate Asset Management Private Limited
EMPEA plays an important and energetic role across the markets it represents, driving outreach and research initiatives, and promoting the role of private capital.
Brian Lim | Partner and Head of Asia and Emerging Markets, Pantheon Ventures
The developed markets have no equivalent to the role EMPEA is playing as a convener and source of trusted information in the emerging markets.
David Rubenstein | Co-Founder and Co-Executive Chairman, The Carlyle Group
I’m honored to join fellow industry pioneers in the leadership of an unparalleled network, filled with first movers, shaping the future of industries and communities.
Dr. Andrew Kuper | Founder and CEO, LeapFrog Investments
EMPEA's market and industry intelligence opens doors to new sources of capital. I look forward to the future success of EMPEA and its members.
Torbjorn Caesar | Senior Partner, Actis
While there are certainly challenges for the industry, the opportunities abound in our target markets and globally, making a global association like EMPEA more relevant than ever.
Drew Guff | Managing Director & Founding Partner, Siguler Guff & Company
