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
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Raouf Fria
Co-Founder, Actum Group
9:20 – 9:30
Chair Opening Remarks
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Mike Trenouth
Managing Director - Private Equity Performance Improvement, Alvarez & Marsal
9:30
Panel Introduction
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Steffen Kroner
Managing Director - Private Equity Performance Improvement, Alvarez & Marsal
9:30 – 10:15
Investment & Value Creation in the Age of GeoEconomics
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Alberto Fumo (Moderator)
Senior Partner & Global Practice Lead – Private Equity and Principal Investors, Kearney
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Sarah Breeden
Deputy Governor, Financial Stability, Bank of England
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Lorenzo Levi
MD & Operating Partner, Global Co-Head Portfolio Management - Direct Private Equity, CDPQ
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Gilbert Kamieniecky
Head of Private Equity Europe, Investcorp
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Riccardo Basile
Operating Partner, Permira
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Beata Javorcik
Chief Economist, EBRD
10:15 – 10:45
Morning Networking
REVENUE GROWTH STREAM
SUSTAINABILITY STREAM
10:45
Chair Opening
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Ray Timmer
Managing Director - Private Equity Performance Improvement, Alvarez & Marsal
10:45
Chair Opening
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Will Rhode
Managing Director - Private Equity Performance Improvement, Alvarez & Marsal
10:45 – 11:30
Masterclass in Creating Value through Better Pricing
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Moti Shahani
Managing Director, Blue Ridge Partners
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Brian Bailard
Managing Director, Co-Leader Global Pricing Practice, Blue Ridge Partners
10:45 – 11:30
Net-zero Transition: Balancing Possibility & Optimism with Reality
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Alessandro Casoli (Moderator)
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Jen Braswell
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Arnaud De Cremiers
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Hanan Al Yafei
Executive Director, Responsible Investing, Mubadala Investment Company
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Adinah Shackleton
MD & Head of ESG, Permira
11:30 – 12:15
Improving go-to-market and Commercial Excellence to Drive Value- Creating Revenue Growth
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Moti Shahani (Moderator)
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Dirk Woessner
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Peter Colman
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Joe Tager
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Owen Cartier
SUNSTAINABILITY STREAM
11:30 – 12:15
Improving go-to-market and Commercial Excellence to Drive Value- Creating Revenue Growth
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Moti Shahani (Moderator)
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Dirk Woessner
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Peter Colman
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Joe Tager
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Owen Cartier
10:45
Chair Opening
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Will Rhode
Managing Director - Private Equity Performance Improvement, Alvarez & Marsal
10:45 – 11:30
Net-zero Transition: Balancing Possibility & Optimism with Reality
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Alessandro Casoli (Moderator)
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Jen Braswell
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Arnaud De Cremiers
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Hanan Al Yafei
Executive Director, Responsible Investing, Mubadala Investment Company
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Adinah Shackleton
MD & Head of ESG, Permira
11:30 – 12:15
Navigating CSRD & EU Taxonomy Implementation Complexity
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Pieter van Dijke (Moderator)
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Cornelia Gomez
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Richard Manley
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Candice Brenet
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Jennifer Flood
12:15 – 13:30
Networking Lunch
GENAI & TECH STREAM
CFO & FINANCE STREAM
13:30
Chair Opening
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Amir Malik
Managing Director - Digital, Alvarez & Marsal
13:30
Chair Opening
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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
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Liam Moore (Moderator)
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Catherine Cutts
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Gael Gibert
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Jamaria Kong
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Mikael Carlsson
14:15 – 15:00
Levering GenAI to Unlock operational Inefficiencies
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James Trinder (Moderator)
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Agata Cooper
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Alex Mathers
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Marja Verbon
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James O’Day
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Victoria Pereira
13:30 – 14:15
The CFO and Finance Function Role in Value Creation
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Ham Patel (Moderator)
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Thomas Dixon
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Paul Reading
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Dr Manfred Puffer
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Mahshid Hadavinia
CFO & FINANCE STREAM
14:15 – 15:00
Levering GenAI to Unlock operational Inefficiencies
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James Trinder (Moderator)
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Agata Cooper
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Alex Mathers
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Marja Verbon
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James O’Day
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Victoria Pereira
13:30
Chair Opening
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Christina Barakett
Managing Director - Private Equity Performance Improvement, Alvarez & Marsal
13:30 – 14:15
The CFO and Finance Function Role in Value Creation
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Ham Patel (Moderator)
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Thomas Dixon
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Paul Reading
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Dr Manfred Puffer
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Mahshid Hadavinia
14:15 – 15:00
Sponsors & CFOs: Better Alignment for Greater Transformation
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Atul Aggarwal (moderator)
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Abhinav Trehan
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Markus Nagel
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Matt Baird
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Enrique Patrickson
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Anne Huemme
15:00 – 15:45
Afternoon Networking
15:45
Panel Introduction
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Amit Laud
15:45 – 16:30
Talent Operating Partner Crucial Role in Management and
Organisation Effectiveness
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Roberto Del-Maschio (Moderator)
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Erem Kassim-Lakha
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Carole Brozyna
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Alessandro Moretti
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Séverine de Wulf
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Andrea Nunes
16:30 – 18:00
Closing Remarks and Drinks Reception
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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.