Private Equity Value Creation Forum & Awards
18 & 20 March 2025
FORUM
18 March
Actum Group’s Private Equity Value Creation Forum will bring together industry professionals to tackle private equity challenges in a volatile landscape shaped by geopolitical tensions, regulatory shifts, and economic fragmentation.
Experts will engage in discussions in topics related to pricing strategies, net-zero transition, CSRD compliance, GenAI for efficiency, CFOs’ evolving role in value creation, finance leadership, and talent operating partners’ impact on organisational effectiveness, among others. There will be ample opportunity to network with LPs and Operating Partners throughout the event.
AWARDS
20 March
Actum Group’s Private Equity Value Creation Awards will celebrate outstanding achievements in private equity and value creation, recognising advisors, GPs, LPs, and individuals who have demonstrated exceptional contributions to the field.
Honourees will be recognised for excellence across a diverse range of areas, including deals, revenue and growth strategies, people and organisational development, digital transformation, ESG initiatives, software solutions, value creation teams, expansion strategies, and other key areas.
8:30 – 9:15
Conference Registration & Networking
9:15 – 9:20
Actum Welcome

Raouf Fria
Co-Founder, Actum Group
9:20 – 9:30
Chair Opening Remarks

Mike Trenouth
Managing Director - Private Equity Performance Improvement, Alvarez & Marsal
9:30
Panel Introduction

Jessika Van Veen
Managing Director - Private Equity Performance Improvement, Alvarez & Marsal
9:30 – 10:15
Investment & Value Creation in the Age of GeoEconomics

Jan Timmermann (Moderator)
Senior Partner, Europe PE Portfolio Operations Lead, Kearney

Lorenzo Levi
MD & Operating Partner, Global Co-Head Portfolio Management - Direct Private Equity, CDPQ

Beata Javorcik
Chief Economist, EBRD

Gilbert Kamieniecky
Head of Private Equity Europe, Investcorp

Riccardo Basile
Operating Partner, Permira
10:15 – 10:45
Morning Networking
REVENUE GROWTH STREAM
SUSTAINABILITY STREAM
10:45
Chair Opening

Ray Timmer
Managing Director - Private Equity Performance Improvement, Alvarez & Marsal
10:45
Chair Opening

Will Rhode
Managing Director - Private Equity Performance Improvement, Alvarez & Marsal
10:45 – 11:30
Masterclass in Creating Value through Better Pricing

Moti Shahani
Managing Director, Blue Ridge Partners

Brian Bailard
Managing Director, Co-Leader Global Pricing Practice, Blue Ridge Partners
10:45 – 11:30
Net-zero Transition: Balancing Possibility & Optimism with Reality

Alessandro Casoli (Moderator)

Louise Ellison

Arnaud De Cremiers

Hanan Al Yafei
Executive Director, Responsible Investing, Mubadala Investment Company

Adinah Shackleton
Managing Director and Head of Sustainability, Permira
11:30 – 12:15
Improving Go-To-Market and Commercial Excellence to Drive Value-Creating Revenue Growth

Moti Shahani (Moderator)

Dirk Woessner

Niamh Coote

Peter Colman

Joe Tager
SUNSTAINABILITY STREAM
11:30 – 12:15
Improving Go-To-Market and Commercial Excellence to Drive Value-Creating Revenue Growth

Moti Shahani (Moderator)

Dirk Woessner

Niamh Coote

Peter Colman

Joe Tager
10:45
Chair Opening

Will Rhode
Managing Director - Private Equity Performance Improvement, Alvarez & Marsal
10:45 – 11:30
Net-zero Transition: Balancing Possibility & Optimism with Reality

Alessandro Casoli (Moderator)

Louise Ellison

Arnaud De Cremiers

Hanan Al Yafei
Executive Director, Responsible Investing, Mubadala Investment Company

Adinah Shackleton
Managing Director and Head of Sustainability, Permira
11:30 – 12:15
Navigating CSRD & EU Taxonomy Implementation Complexity

Cristian Echavarria Quiroga (Moderator)

Cornelia Gomez

Richard Manley

Guillaume Cravero

Jennifer Flood
12:15 – 13:30
Networking Lunch
GENAI & TECH STREAM
CFO & FINANCE STREAM
13:30
Chair Opening

Amir Malik
Managing Director - Digital, Alvarez & Marsal
13:30
Chair Opening

Christina Barakett
Managing Director - Private Equity Performance Improvement, Alvarez & Marsal
13:30 – 14:15
Tech-Led Value Creation - Cost Reduction, Capital Usage Optimisation and Top-line Growth

Liam Moore (Moderator)

Catherine Cutts

Gael Gibert

Jamaria Kong

Mikael Carlsson
14:15 – 15:00
Levering GenAI to Unlock operational Inefficiencies

James Trinder (Moderator)

Agata Cooper

Alex Mathers

James O’Day

Victoria Pereira
13:30 – 14:15
The CFO and Finance Function Role in Value Creation

Ham Patel (Moderator)

Thomas Dixon

Paul Reading

Dr Manfred Puffer

Mahshid Hadavinia
CFO & FINANCE STREAM
14:15 – 15:00
Levering GenAI to Unlock operational Inefficiencies

James Trinder (Moderator)

Agata Cooper

Alex Mathers

James O’Day

Victoria Pereira
13:30
Chair Opening

Christina Barakett
Managing Director - Private Equity Performance Improvement, Alvarez & Marsal
13:30 – 14:15
The CFO and Finance Function Role in Value Creation

Ham Patel (Moderator)

Thomas Dixon

Paul Reading

Dr Manfred Puffer

Mahshid Hadavinia
14:15 – 15:00
Sponsors & CFOs: Better Alignment for Greater Transformation

Atul Aggarwal (moderator)

Abhinav Trehan

Markus Nagel

Enrique Patrickson

Anne Huemme
15:00 – 15:45
Afternoon Networking
15:45
Panel Introduction

Nicola Barbini
15:45 – 16:30
Talent Operating Partner Crucial Role in Management and
Organisation Effectiveness

Roberto Del-Maschio (Moderator)

Carole Brozyna

Alessandro Moretti

Séverine de Wulf

Andrea Nunes

Matt Baird
16:30 – 18:00
Closing Remarks and Drinks Reception

HOSTED BY HUGH DENNIS
Hugh Dennis, actor, comedian, writer, impressionist and star of Outnumbered and Mock the Week, is a talented and captivating after dinner speaker and awards host, and is currently writing and presenting Radio 4's award winning comedy The Now Show.
While in his final year of university, by this time an active member of the Cambridge Footlights, Hugh was approached by a member of the intelligence services and invited to London for interview. At this point he decided not to take the matter further, although he often makes jokes or references to his days as a 'spy'.
After originally working as a brand manager for Unilever, Hugh turned a talent for impressions to better use and started providing voices for Spitting Image. He then became a regular guest on the Jasper Carott Show and joined the team on The Mary Whitehouse Experience, before his performing career kicked off in 1985 when he became one half of double act Punt and Dennis, with Steve Punt, with whom he still tours the UK.
In December 2009, Dennis joined Oz Clarke in presenting the 60 minute Christmas special Oz and Hugh Drink to Christmas, and in December 2010 the pair returned for a four-part series called Oz and Hugh Raise the Bar.
In 2011, Hugh Dennis became the host of an improvised sketch show called Fast and Loose. His TV work includes a plethora of programmes including the hit BBC series Outnumbered, Kombat Opera (BBC), and numerous appearances on Have I Got News For You (BBC). Other programmes include My Hero, TV To Go, Supergirly Show, Jack Dee's Happy Hour, Doctors, Me, You & Him, The Detectives, Saturday Live and Springing Lenin.