On February 13, Wharton Women in Investing held its fifth annual conference at Convene in New York City, sponsored by the Harris Family Alternative Investments Program. Conference attendees were able to learn, network, and recruit with industry leaders across asset classes.
The fifth annual Wharton Women in Investing Conference convened students, academics, and professionals to learn directly from leading investors. This event focuses on real-world perspectives, current market dynamics, and meaningful connections with industry leaders.
Participants learned from inspiring keynote speakers, engaging panel discussions, and meaningful networking opportunities designed to foster community and advance leadership in the financial field.
Keynote Sessions
Ruulke Bagijn
The opening keynote featured Ruulke Bagijn, Global Head at Carlyle Alpinvest, in conversation with Jillian Jones, WG’26, Co-President of Wharton Women in Investing.
Farah Khan
The midday keynote featured Farah Khan, Managing Director at L Catterton, in a conversation moderated by Eliana Salmon, WG’26, Co-President of Wharton Women in Investing.
Ita Ekpoudom, WG’10
The afternoon keynote featured Ita Ekpoudom, WG’10, Partner at Gingerbread Capital, in a discussion with Roshna Bahauddin, WG’26, MBA Candidate at Wharton and Investor & Venture Scholar at Watertower Ventures.
Ellen Zentner
Closing remarks were offered by Ellen Zentner, Chief Economic Strategist and Global Head of Thematic and Macro Investing at Morgan Stanley. This conversation was moderated by Joia McGivern, WG’27, MBA Candidate at Wharton.
Panel Spotlight
The conference included breakout sessions, coffee chats, and engaging panels. These conversations highlighted the expertise among industry leaders and underscored the evolving opportunities across today’s investment landscape.
Amy Wang Huber, assistant professor of finance at Wharton, moderated a panel session titled, “The New Era of Deal Strategy in Private Equity.” Panelists included:
- Elizabeth Fuerbacher, W’11, Vice President at GTCR LLC
- Vijayalakshmi Vaithianathan, Principal at The Carlyle Group
- JJ Zhang, Goldman Sachs – Secondaries
Professor Huber reflected on LinkedIn, “Conversations like this are a useful reminder of how quickly market structure evolves — and how important it is for research and teaching to stay connected to practice.”
More panels focused on growth equity, venture capital, and private credit, featuring speakers from a16z, GTCR, Apollo, Susquehanna, Blackstone, Carlyle, Blue Owl, KKR, and many others.
Thank you to all who attended and contributed to a successful conference, and congratulations to the Wharton Women in Investing Club!
Learn more about the Wharton Women in Investing Club.
Go to the Harris Family Alternative Investments Program homepage.
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Photography by Art Studio Photo & Video