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Over 250 attendees tuned in to hear about the initial considerations for planning the leap from a large firm and the transformation to becoming a founder.  Topics also included top questions to ask LPs as you build new partnerships and how important a track record is to the success of new fund launches.

Johara Global is a social enterprise membership organization that connects women from the Arabian Gulf Region and globally. Johara provides female leaders and the next generation’s change-makers with a trusted support network and a platform to share knowledge, experiences and the tools to succeed in all aspects of life. 

A year after losing her beloved husband, Reginald F. Lewis, the first African American billion-dollar dealmaker, Ms. Lewis took over TLC Beatric, a global food enterprise. In her riveting story, Loida shared how her desire to realize her late husband’s vision drove her to make that dream a reality. 

In her 80th year, Ms. Lewis’s memoir, on the date of the event, was the #1 New Release in Company Business Profiles in April 2023 on Amazon. Why Should Guys Have All the Fun? is an authentic story of what is possible for a working mother with love, determination and resilience. 

Jon’s perspective as a luminary to independent sponsors and new funds in formation has established his place at the center of private equity’s next generation of founders.

Sheryl shares her depth of knowledge working in asset management for large and small firms, including NY State Common’s Pension Fund, before launching Steward Asset Management and fulfilling her desire to create a wider deal pipeline for the industry. Sheryl and Jon touch on how Steward’s unique positioning in the marketplace and value-add helps them engage and build strong long-term partnerships with emerging and diverse managers.

Sheryl also shares her advice for emerging managers raising their first fund and GPs who have recently closed their first committed fund. She believes that emerging managers need to understand what need they are meeting for the investor — then listen, learn and refine their presentation. For managers who have recently closed their first fund, the best advice Sheryl gives is the need to learn how to balance leadership time effectively. She shares tips on how to avoid underestimating the effort that this balance takes.

His legal career spans experience at FINRA, SBIA and as a legal fellow on the Senate Banking Committee during the writing of the Dodd-Frank financial reform legislation in 2009.

 She worked on SK Capital Partners’ multinational carve-out to form chemical manufacturer, Archroma, and was Chief Transformation Officer for Burlington Stores. She also brings rigorous professional training and experience from Goldman Sachs and Morgan Lewis. Melanie received her J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law and a B.A. from Rutgers University. She currently serves on the board of Virtua Health Foundation.