Kick off the day at Registration and enjoy a light refreshment. Check in, grab a coffee and bite to eat, and connect with fellow attendees before the program begins.

As market conditions grow more nuanced, private equity dealmaking demands both discipline and ingenuity. This panel unites investors, lenders, and advisors to examine how transactions are being sourced, priced, structured, financed, and ultimately closed in today's environment. With a focus on New York as a center of gravity for middle-market activity, panelists will share how the dynamics of one of the country's most competitive markets are shaping deal strategy and driving broader industry trends.

Located at the heart of the forum, the Connection Café will be the haven outside the content. Grab-and-go refreshments and soft seating will create a location for an intentional or spontaneous pit stop between sessions. It will be the go-to spot for attendees to refuel, gather to chat, jot notes or take a clarity break.

Attendees will have the opportunity to connect with speakers 1:1 in a conversational setting during Meet the Speakers. Panelists will remain in the room for additional questions - a prime opportunity to make an introduction!

Private equity has moved from the margins to the center of healthcare transformation, and the real action is in the middle market. Hands-on operators are building platforms, scaling differentiated service lines, and driving measurable improvements in both care delivery and EBITDA across subsectors from behavioral health and physician practice management to home-based care and tech-enabled services. Join fellow practitioners to examine where capital is being deployed, what's working at the portfolio level, and how firms are creating durable value amid regulatory headwinds, labor pressures, and reimbursement volatility.

The bar for consumer investment has never been higher and neither has the cost of getting it wrong. In a market defined by persistent macro pressure, evolving trade policy, and shifting consumer spending, middle-market sponsors are demanding more from their theses upfront and working harder to protect value once deployed. This panel will explore what separates the consumer businesses worth backing from those that only look compelling on paper and what stress-testing assumptions around brand strength, pricing power, supply chain resilience, and customer loyalty looks like before and after close. Panelists will discuss how the full deal team is aligned around value protection as much as value creation, and what it takes to carry a consumer platform confidently from entry to exit.

As sponsors pursue acquisitions in an evolving credit environment, financing strategies are expanding beyond traditional bank lending. Private credit remains a key source of deal financing, while structured capital solutions—including whole business securitizations (WBS), asset-backed facilities, and other specialty finance structures—are providing new ways to enhance leverage, reduce funding costs, and create flexibility. At the same time, NAV loans and other fund finance products are playing an increasingly important role in supporting acquisitions, portfolio growth, and liquidity needs. As the lines between private credit, structured finance, and fund finance continue to blur, sponsors must navigate a broader and more specialized capital landscape. This panel will explore how sponsors are combining these financing tools to execute M&A transactions, optimize capital structures, and drive value creation, while examining the evolving relationship between sponsors and their capital partners in today's market.

Fundraising has become one of the most consequential tests of a private equity firm's overall strength and in today's environment, capital is flowing to a narrower set of managers than ever before. LPs are making fewer, more deliberate commitments, and the bar for both new relationships and re-ups has risen meaningfully. This panel explores what is driving allocation decisions, how manager-investor relationships are being built and maintained through a challenging cycle, and what middle-market sponsors can do to position themselves competitively when they come to market.

Located at the heart of the forum, the Connection Café will be the haven outside the content. Grab-and-go refreshments and soft seating will create a location for an intentional or spontaneous pit stop between sessions. It will be the go-to spot for attendees to refuel, gather to chat, jot notes or take a clarity break.

Attendees will have the opportunity to connect with speakers 1:1 in a conversational setting during Meet the Speakers. Panelists will remain in the room for additional questions - a prime opportunity to make an introduction!

The Table Talk networking break brings structure to connection. With thoughtfully themed tables and guided conversation, attendees can network with purpose, explore timely topics, and walk away with new insights and real relationships. Table topics coming soon!

Close out your day with all the connections you’ve made and insights you’ve gained. Enjoy casual networking while sipping and savoring among thoughtfully designed food + wine pairing stations.