The Speakers

After last years' fantastic event, we are delighted to invite you to register* for our next US Forum taking place on Oct 8th - 9th 2024 in New York City at the prestigious Harvard Club. 

The New York Family Office Forum takes place on Oct 8th - 9th 2024, and gathers 100+ Family Offices and UHNWIs in a confidential setting where you can meet your peers, share your experience, and learn from each other.

Speakers Presenting: Many of the most successful families, private investors, and thought leaders from the Americas will join their international peers from our global network to share their experiences.

We started working on the 2024 conference programme; should you wish to be involved in a prestigious speaking capacity, please let us know at speaker@prestelandpartner.com.

To see the 2023 Agenda, please click here.

*Private Family Offices and UHNWIs without any solution or service offering may join our forums for free.

Speakers 2023 

Cassandra Heilbronn
CEO
Palmeraie des Cygnes Family Office

Cassandra is the CEO for the family office of a Saudi Royal family, and is responsible for their global affairs......

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During her time in Australia, she worked as lawyer specialising in Sports and Corporate Risk, where she advised on commercial matters in sports, entertainment and insurance. Cassandra's practice included strategic advice to Boards and CEOs on governance and risk management issues. She also acted in insurance disputes primarily in the management liability, professional indemnity, medical negligence and public liability space.

Cassandra is a speaker and MC, travelling worldwide to present on corporate risk and governance matters and has held a number of appointments or board positions, including to the Judicial Appointments Advisory Panel for Queensland, Australia and the Federation Internationale de Volleyball.

In 2017, Cassandra was named in the Top 20 under 40 in Queensland Business Monthly and has regularly been named in the Who's Who List of Australian Women.

Connie Morgan

Publicist, Director, advisor, Executive Board Member

Constance A. Morgan is a highly accomplished professional with a diverse background in the realms of art, design, production, financial technology, and investment.....

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With a strong foundation in financial stewardship and a keen entrepreneurial spirit, Constance has made significant contributions to the fields of publishing, advisory services, and executive leadership.

Constance holds an Executive Master's degree in Financial Stewardship from the prestigious Harvard Kennedy School, where she honed her expertise in financial management and strategic decision-making. Her education has provided her with the necessary knowledge and skills to navigate the complex financial landscape and make informed investment recommendations.

As a writer and entrepreneur, Constance successfully established her own publishing company, Constance Holst, based in New York. Under her leadership, the company thrived for many years, publishing a wide range of literary works and fostering creative talents. Constance's experience in the publishing industry has honed her ability to spot emerging trends, identify lucrative opportunities, and build successful business ventures.

Constance's career has expanded beyond publishing, as she has actively engaged in various roles within the art, design, production, and financial technology sectors. Her extensive network and deep understanding of these industries have positioned her as a sought-after advisor and director. Through her advisory services, she has provided strategic guidance and invaluable insights to organizations seeking growth, innovation, and financial success.

One area in which Constance has demonstrated exceptional expertise is in applying the Peter Principle to investment strategies, particularly in the analysis of startups and growth in companies. Drawing upon her knowledge of hierarchical dynamics and talent management, she has developed a unique approach to evaluating investment opportunities. By identifying the alignment between skills, roles, and growth potential, Constance maximizes the chances of success while mitigating risks associated with hierarchical structures.

Constance has held executive board positions in esteemed organizations, leveraging her expertise to drive strategic initiatives, shape business direction, and foster collaboration among diverse stakeholders. Her contributions as a board member have been instrumental in achieving sustainable growth and enhancing organizational value.

Born and raised in Copenhagen, Constance carries a rich cultural heritage and an international perspective. Her passion for finance and investment was further nurtured by her family's strong banking legacy. Constance is proud to come from a family of bankers, including her husband, John A. Morgan, an accomplished investment banker, and her father-in-law, Henry Sturgis Morgan, the esteemed founder of Morgan Stanley. This family heritage instilled in

Constance a deep understanding of the financial industry and a commitment to upholding the highest standards of excellence and integrity.

Currently residing in Connecticut with her family, Constance seamlessly blends her Danish roots with her global experiences, providing a unique lens through which she approaches her professional endeavors.

I am honoured to be a part of the esteemed Family Office Conference in London. With my extensive background in financial stewardship it should be a great experience.

As a publicist, director, advisor, and executive board member, I am passionate about fostering innovation, driving growth, and maximizing and empowering individuals and organizations to navigate the complexities of the financial landscape with confidence and foresight using the simple Peter principles in a new way.

Alyx Van der Vorm
Harvard Scholar
NextGen

Alyx graduated top of her class from Harvard in Computational Neuroscience. A former professional Marathon runner, Alyx’s passion is wellness.....

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At college she became aware of the intense loneliness Gen Z face. She launched a Gen Z social media in Miami & London, reducing the time to make plans to 62 seconds.

Gloria Starr Kins
Editor In Chief
Society & Diplomatic Review

Our President and Founder, Dame Gloria Starr Kins of Society & Diplomatic Review has been a long-time society and diplomatic editor of Irish Connections magazine and Irish Examiner newspaper.....

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Before that, she worked alongside Wyatt Cooper as an editor for the Status Diplomat and headed the New York office of Curtis Publishing encompassing Sat Evening Post, Holiday magazine, and Status magazine. She is a veteran UN Correspondent, society and diplomatic editor of many newspapers, and a correspondent for the Jewish Post newspaper.

She represented WOR Radio and Television as head of their United Nations Operations, and later headed Curtis Publishing as Managing Editor for New York and was an Associate Producer of NBC’s “Open Mind.”

Gloria is Vice-Chair of the Center for Global Action for Sustainable Development (CGASD) and was a founding member of UNICEF’s Manhattan chapter, the Islamic Council of Europe, and the Islamic Defense League in London. In addition, she also serves as a Government Liaison on the Board of Directors for the OCCAM Infopoverty World Conference, Oklahoma University liaison, and various other organizations and Chambers of Commerce. Recently, Gloria was made the head of the North American representative office of Association de la Plume pour la culture et le development, a Chad-based foundation.

She is also active on the Board of advisers of The Green Earth Enterprises, LLC, a company that uses aquaponics and hydroponics to solve the world’s food and water insecurities in addition to IAAI GloCha board of advisers. The Hope Foundation as well as the Halte Ebola Foundation made Gloria a member of their Board of Directors and the Japanese foundation, Mother Earth Cup Zero, added her on their Advisory Board in addition to co-founding the Earth Access Committee with Kenji Koga.

In 2021, the Sovereign Polynesian King of Atooi (Kingdom of Hawaii) appointed Ms. Kins as an Ambassador to the to the Office of the Sovereign. Gloria is a forming member of the National American and Indian Chamber of Commerce (NAICCO) and on the Advisory Board of the Romanian American Chamber of Commerce of New York.

Esther Wojcicki

TRICK

Esther Wojcicki is famous for three things: teaching a high school class that has changed the lives of thousands of kids, inspiring Silicon Valley legends like Steve Jobs....

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....and raising three daughters who have each become famously successful. What do these three accomplishments have in common?

hey are the result of TRICK, Esther’s secret to raising successful people: Trust, Respect, Independence, Collaboration, and Kindness. Simple lessons, but the results are radical.

Esther Wojcicki is a leading American educator and journalist. Mother of YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki, Fulbright scholar Janet Wojcicki, and 23&Me founder Anne Wojcicki, as well as a teacher and mentor to James Franco and Lisa Brennan-Jobs, Esther is widely heralded as the most successful parent and educator in the United States.

Esther offers essential lessons for raising, educating, and managing people to their highest potential. She is the author of Moonshots in Education (2014) and bestseller How to Raise Successful People (May, 2019).

She is co-founder of Pressto.ai an innovative way to empower students through writing using AI.

Lola Nashashibi Grace

Investor & Philanthropist

Investor and venture philanthropist, Lola Nashashibi Grace, has led an active career in investment banking and asset management and is engaged in philanthropic and community endeavors.....

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....relating to international development, education and cancer/genetic research.

In 2005, Lola founded the Middle East Children’s Institute (MECI), a non-for-profit focusing on women’s empowerment, economic development and holistic educational programs for women and children victims of war in the Middle East. MECI addresses the most urgent needs of refugee and severely disadvantaged women and children through its integrated multifaceted child-centered community development programs in the region. Working in partnership with government agencies, UNICEF and NGO’s, MECI’s programs have transformed the lives of tens of thousands of children.

Lola serves on the Advisory Board of Citi Private Bank EMEA. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, WEF delegate and an Honorary Trustee of the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, New York, where she served as Vice Chairman and Treasurer. She founded the Women in Science Switzerland for the Center for Integrated Genetics at the University of Lausanne. With her husband, she recently co-founded the Impact Cancer Foundation in Switzerland to support translational research and innovative immunotherapy cancer treatments.

Lola holds BA, MA, and MBA degrees from Stanford University. Prior to spending 15 years in the investment management and financial advisory business as Managing Director of Sterling Grace Capital Management, she was an investment banker at Morgan Stanley and First Boston in corporate finance. She received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor Award and is a member of the Prince Albert II Roundtable on Philanthropy. Lola has been honored as a Dame into the Sovereign Military Order of Malta for her work in charity.

Ira J. Perlmuter
Head of Direct Private Equity and Venture Capital Investing
Private SFO

Ira is a seasoned family office, finance, investment and restructuring professional. He currently serves on the Board of a bank he acquired for a significant family.....

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He has been the Chairman of the Credit and Compliance Committees for over 11 years. In addition to the bank, Ira also acquired 11 operating companies for the family. He served as Chairman of five of those companies.

Ira also serves as an outsourced Chief Investment Officer for another very significant family working with the Principal and the G2 family members on their various venture investments, financings, businesses and careers. Ira also assisted another substantial family to start a new, direct private equity buyout firm. He has worked on over $20 billion of transactions and has been named one of the top advisors to family offices worldwide.

Ira has also assisted numerous families with underperforming and distressed portfolio companies and real estate. This includes a troubled hotel with a five tier capital structure and multiple guarantees, a public, oil and gas exploration and production company he took private, a substantial, over-levered, real estate portfolio, a fast growing healthcare company, a legacy company with a sunk $30 million investment, he advised to shut down, etc.

Prior to his work in the family office world, Ira served as Bankruptcy Court-appointed, Trustee of the $750 million Daewoo Estate. He led his own financial advisory boutique in over $5.5 billion of complex, US and international restructurings, turnarounds, transactions and situations. He was also a Workout Officer and Special Liaison to the M&A Group for distressed transactions at The Chase Manhattan Bank.

Rami Idriss
CIO / SFO
Riyadh Cables Group

Currently , CIO of SFO for the family behind Riyadh Cables Group; the largest cable manufacturer in EMEA. ...

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Rami is a growth-oriented business executive offering experience in start-up operations, venture capital and family office. Investing in public / private markets: funds co-invest & direct with a keen interest in venture capital and emerging managers.

Previously founder of Quiqup a venture backed last-mile logistic company working with established e-commerce, grocery and restaurant players to enable last-mile fulfillment.

Quiqup is a leading player in the last-mile logistic space in the Middle East having raised more than 60mn$ from venture capitalist & strategic investors.

Barbara Guggenheim
Partner
Guggenheim, Asher Associates

Barbara Guggenheim is a partner in Guggenheim, Asher Associates, one of America’s best-known firms of art advisers.....

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For over twenty-five years, she’s built collections for major corporations, such as Sony and Coca-Cola, and individuals, including high-profile celebrities Tom Cruise and Steven Spielberg. Guggenheim holds a doctorate in Art History from Columbia University and has headed two departments at Christie’s.

Guggenheim has written commentaries on the art world for many journals, including The Robb Report, regularly appears on industry power lists, and has been the subject of numerous magazine articles, including profiles in Vanity Fair and Forbes. She’s written five books, including Art World: The New Rules of the Game and Little Known Facts About Well-Known Figures. In her spare time, Guggenheim writes humorous short stories published in Elle, W, and Harper’s Bazaar.

Christopher Aw

Entrepreneur, Investor

Chris is an entrepreneur and investor focused on finance and technology.....

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He is a government, family office, venture capital, and angel investor veteran who has built technology, consulting, and investing businesses. He has a particular interest in renewable energy, water, waste management, food, and affordable housing.

He served in the United States Air Force in technology and intelligence fields both operationally and in research and development. He has worked at a US government think tank supporting the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence in a $20B per year investment vehicle evaluating technology investments across multiple disciplines.

Chris is on the board of Operation Snow Leopard which supports Afghanistan refugees as well as the advisory board of Veterans in Media and Entertainment supporting fellow veterans in the industry. He also volunteers and advises programs that support female entrepreneurs and investors including Beyond The Billion, the Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards, FYLI, and Women In Tech (WIT).

His education includes a BA in Business (Information Systems) from the University of Washington, an MS in Information Systems from Bowie State University, an MBA from the University of Maryland, and an Asset Management program at the University of Pennsylvania Wharton Business School.

John A Corso

Producer, Director, Cinematographer and Author

A native New Yorker and the quintessential entertainment industry professional, John has worked with Hollywood’s most revered Oscar and Emmy award-winning talent...

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...and for every major studio and TV network on acclaimed feature films, TV series, national and international advertising campaigns, non-fiction content and indie projects.

Presently, John is at the helm of an impressive roster of high-profile feature film and TV projects including Eagle Scout, an original feature film drama about Sydney Ireland whose lifelong devotion and activism resulted in the Boy Scouts of America's historic decision to accept female scouts into the organization as full participants on par with male scouts, and is the first young woman to achieve the exalted rank of Eagle Scout, the highest award attainable in the BSA; Winged Victory, a streaming TV series à la Band of Brothers, dramatizing the achievements of the legendary Tuskegee Airmen; and Baikal: The Blue Pearl of Siberia, a giant-screen IMAX 3D science-nature feature for global distribution in IMAX theaters to be narrated and co-produced by Oscar-winner Robert Redford.

A graduate of New York University's prestigious Tisch School of the Arts Film School, and an award-winning student, John earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Producing and Directing. While studying at NYU and still in his teens, John filmed the historic debut of legendary “punk” music pioneers, The Ramones and Talking Heads on location at the prestigious New York City venue Max's Kansas City.

Early in his career, John filmed the Oscar-nominated Emmy-winning documentary Spaces: The Architecture of Paul Rudolph for renowned producer Bob Eisenhardt (Free Solo, The Rescue). More than four decades later, the film continues to receive international acclaim.

Currently, John is developing original, high-quality film and TV content for global distribution. As senior adviser to a private fund, he helped finance film, TV, media, technology and real estate ventures. He was co-founder of East Hampton Studios and served as senior adviser to national and international studio initiatives.

Beyond media and entertainment endeavors, John is an aviation enthusiast and avid supporter of both the National Aviation Hall of Fame in Dayton and The Living Legends of Aviation in Beverly Hills. He is developing a commercial aviation venture serving private business and the Federal Government. He is a devoted supporter of the Akshaya Patra Foundation and the organization’s mission to eradicate hunger.

Vinodh Bhat
Co-Founder
JioSaavn

Vinodh (Vin) Bhat is a consumer technology entrepreneur. He is a co-founder of Saavn (now JioSaavn), the largest music/audio streaming service in India....

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Vin has over two decades of experience in the media, entertainment and technology industries and helped define Saavn’s purpose and vision. As founding CEO from 2006-2014 and later as Chief Strategy Officer, he was instrumental in raising capital to finance growth, recruiting talented individuals to join the Saavn team, developing the company’s revenue streams, and building the company’s culture. Reliance Industries’ telecom venture, Jio Platforms Limited, acquired Saavn in 2018 to form JioSaavn. As a JioSaavn Board Member, he provides guidance on new product innovations, advises on expansion opportunities through investments and acquisitions, and helps manage the JioSaavn’s multi-faceted relationships with global technology companies such as Google, Facebook, and Amazon.

Vin is also a Founding Partner at New York City-based venture development firm, 212MEDIA. The ventures incubated at 212MEDIA include BEGiN Learning, creator of early education products and backed by companies such as LEGO, as well as LeagueApps, a youth sports management platform backed by organizations such as Major League Baseball and Contour Ventures.

Prior to Saavn and 212MEDIA, he co-founded Simile Software, a contextual advertising platform that provided software for various business units of Time Warner, Cox Media, Scripps and Hearst. Vin began his career at the investment bank Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette (DLJ) and helped advise and raise capital for major media, telecom & tech companies.

Vin graduated from McIntire School of Commerce at the University of Virginia with B.S. Finance and Marketing. His wife Kalpana is a former senior healthcare executive turned social entrepreneur. Vin’s hobbies and interests include reading, investing, mentoring, tennis, the New York Jets and the New York Yankees and most importantly, spending time with his two children Shoriya (14) and Zade (10).

Catherine Shiang
Managing Director
Asia Capital Advisor, Ltd Family Office

Catherine serves as Managing Director at Asia Capital Advisor, Ltd., a single family office, for the past 12 years......

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In this capacity she has participated in transactions from various roles, limited partner, principal and advisor with venture capital, private equity, mergers & acquisitions and long short hedge funds including: Projects of Energy Investments Corp (Panama), Sands China, Ltd. (Macau), Frontier Resource Group (then privately held, now listed on SEHK), Starr International Co. Inc. (Asia), Dragon Capital Group (Vietnam), Vision Investment Management (Hong Kong) in strategic developments and Equinox Group (Nigeria). She has served as a member and observer on various boards of portfolio interests, and has been seconded time to time to various organizations in special situations: She was Special Advisor to the Chairman of Equinox Group, a Nigerian based resource and real estate corporation on in bound investment projects; Special Advisor to the CEO of Sands China, Ltd., Special Advisor to the Deputy CEO of UC Rusal during their dual listing on the Securities Exchange of Hong Kong and NYSE-Euronext Paris Exchange, and Autorité des Marchés Financiers building out their compliance and institutional investor and retail programs; and Executive Advisor to the Chairman at Prudential Corporation Asia she advised on the proposed acquisition of $1.3Bn AIG Global Investments Asia Real Estate Fund portfolio.

Catherine holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Berkeley, in political science with minor in biochemistry, and Juris Doctor from Georgetown University Law Center with election to The Tax Lawyer as Associate Editor. Catherine is admitted to the New York State Supreme Court’s Appellate Division, First Department, and U.S. Federal District Court for the Southern District of New York and the State Bar of California.

Dominik von Eynern
Family Member Partner
Blu Family Office

Dominik has more than 18 years of experience in financial derivatives, principal investment and business development............

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He comes from a business family now in the 5th generation. Dominik began his career as a structured derivatives marketer for Merrill Lynch and Nomura. He has since held senior positions at a volatility strategy hedge fund and a Swiss based asset manager. Dominik became a Partner of Blu Family Office in 2013 and manages many of our strategic and business development functions.

Dominik holds a BA in Economics from the University of Augsburg (1997) and a Masters in Financial Engineering from the Goethe University in Frankfurt (2000).

Octavian Graf Pilati
Family Member
Sub Umbra

Octavian grew up in a family focused on the forestry and tourism industries...............

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Went to school in the UK and studied mechanical engineering at the Technical University Vienna.

In November 2014 the Family was hit by crisis due to a failed investment. In August 2015 it was decided that Octavian takes on the management of the crisis to try and navigate it.

Since then the crisis was passed and Octavian now manages his own small family office in Vienna focused on disstressed assets and venture capital.
"To turn adversity into business opportunity.”

William F. Vickers
Director
Benjin R. Vickers & Sons Ltd

Will Vickers belongs to the seventh generation of the Vickers family, who have been contributors to the lubricants industry since 1828. .....

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While he has learned much from, and respects the lessons and values passed down through his lineage, he believes in the importance of evolving with the times. He sits on both the Board of Directors of Vickers Oils and is Chief Executive of the family holding company, Mary Randall Vickers. The family are committed to investing in Medtech, Cleantech and Infrastructure with a clear focus on impact.

yHe studied Fine Art at the John Cass School of Art in London and has taken the learnings from his degree to make small yet meaningful steps to ensure the family enterprise remains relevant in today's world. Will lives between Stockholm and New York City, whilst visiting Leeds and the UK regularly for work and to visit family.

Samantha Ory
Co-Founder
Ouroboros Group

Ouroboros Group invests in Consumer, Healthcare and the Manufacturing and Distribution spaces.....

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Ouroboros uses active deal sourcing via an algorithmic sourcing strategy that the team developed to identify quality and proprietary investments at inception. Prior to Ouroboros, Samantha was on the investment team at Generation Equity Capital and has been active in sourcing, evaluating, and executing on investment opportunities as well as developing investment theses across various sectors. Prior to joining Generation, Samantha was at Corporate Fuel Advisors where she advised clients on a variety of M&A and financing transactions.

Prior experience includes working at a start-up quant hedge fund as an algorithm/back tester and Capital Markets at Morgan Stanley with a focus on the consumer sector. Samantha received her BBA in Design & Management, Summa Cum Laude, from Parsons The New School For Design. Most recently, she received an MBA from Brandeis University where she graduated top 5% with a concentration in Finance & Economics and a minor in Social Policy. Samantha’s interests include Golf, Blackjack, Skiing, Electric Guitar, Competitive distance running, and Mixed Martial Arts.

Samantha is passionate about incorporating fitness-for-a-cause into her routine and is an active fundraiser for The Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Charity events include boxing for cancer research with Haymakers For Hope, running the 2018 Boston Marathon, and most recently running the B.A.A. Half Marathon with Team Dana Farber to raise awareness and funding. Her firm also sponsors and teaches rising division one athletes about money management as they go on to become draft picks for the NFL and NBA. Samantha is also passionate about Broadway, music and the arts and serves on multiple committees within these spaces including at The Met, Frick, and MOMA where she hopes to instill learning and interest within the next generation.

Adam Caller
Founder
Tutors International

Adam Caller is an expert in private tutoring, an entrepreneur, and a highly respected education consultant.....

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In 1999, he founded Tutors International, a world-class private tutoring company for UHNWIs that specialises in full-time residential private tuition. Tutors International is based in Oxford, England, but has a global client base.

A former schoolteacher, Adam has academic excellence at the heart of his company. This, combined with his entrepreneurial acumen, has earned Tutors International a reputation for skilfully merging superlative standards and educational innovation. From sourcing tutors for families living on superyachts, to founding micro-schools in the Puerto Rican mountains, Adam has the expertise to support the most unique requests to suit lifestyles and educational ambitions across a wide range of families.

Adam has extensive experience with students of all ages and backgrounds. He began teaching in 1987 while still an undergraduate at Glasgow University, before receiving his teaching qualification from the University of York in 1991. He has received specialist training in the non-medicinal management of dyslexia and Attention Deficit Disorder. Adam has also worked as a private tutor for prestigious families across Europe. His experience, insight and drive ensure that he is at the forefront of improving standards across the industry and a leading voice in education affairs globally.

To distinguish himself and his company, Adam is committed to delivering a level of personalised service that is unmatched by other private tutoring firms. A customised global search is conducted for every tutor according to the individual specifications of each Client.

Adam is highly sensitive to the educational and personal needs of children. Having worked for high-net-worth families himself, he is adept at building rapport with all stakeholders, garnering a thorough understanding of the unique aspects of UHNW living.

Adam Caller is well-known and accomplished figure in premium education worldwide.

Hod Lipson
Prof. of Engineering and Data Science
Columbia University

Hod works in the areas of robotics and AI. He is an award-winning researcher, teacher, and communicator.....

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He received many recognitions, including Esquire magazine’s “Best & Brightest”, Popular Science’s “25 most Awesome labs in the US” and Forbes “Top 7 Data scientists in the world”, to name a few. His TED talk is one of the most viewed on AI, and just earlier this year he was centrally featured by the New York Times in their piece “What’s ahead for AI”.

Before joining Columbia University in 2015, he spent 14 years as a professor at Cornell University. He received his PhD in 1999 from the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, followed by a postdoc at Brandeis University and MIT. Hod Lipson’s work on self-aware and self-replicating robots challenges conventional views of robotics, and has enjoyed widespread media coverage. He has also pioneered open-source 3D printing, as well as electronics 3D printing, bio-printing and food printing. Lipson has co-authored over 350 publications that received over 40,000 citations to date. He has co-founded four companies, and is frequent keynoter both in industry and academic events. His TED Talk on self-aware machines is one of the most viewed presentations on AI and robotics. Hod directs the Creative Machines Lab, which pioneers new ways to make machines that create, and machines that are creative.`

Learn more about Hod at https://www.hodlipson.com/

Jessica Millstone, MPS, Ed.M
Managing Director
Copper Wire Ventures

Jessica is a leading expert and advisor on the use of educational technology at both home and school, and an early-stage investor in technology companies......

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Prior to launching Copper Wire Ventures, a venture capital fund focused on women-led companies, Jessica spent over 20 years building edtech products and services at companies like BrainPOP, Sesame Workshop, and Common Sense Media.

Now a full-time impact investor, she utilizes her education & product development background to identify and invest in companies making a positive impact through a responsible implementation of technology, and to encourage the next generation of investors to do the same.

Jessica holds master’s degrees from New York University's Interactive Telecommunication Program and Bank Street College of Education, and is the mother of two children residing in Brooklyn, NY.

Thomas Andrew Zenner
Managing Partner
Family Office 360 Grad AG

After training as a banker at Volksbank Baden-Baden * Rastatt eG. Mr. Zenner worked 17 years for the cooperative banking group, most recently as divisional manager investment advice and private clients in Karlsruhe/Germany......

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In addition, he was at that time lecturer at the cooperative bank academy as well at the state academy in Karlsruhe/Germany.

Following his training as Certified EFFAS Financial Analyst, he was Head of Research & Asset Management and Investor Relations at a securities trading bank in Frankfurt/Germany.

In August 2001 he took over to build up and management of the Weberbank Family Office in Berlin.

From October 2010 to September 2016, he was Managing Director of the Family Office of the biggest finance banking group in Germany (calles Sparkassenfinanzgruppe) under the name Nötzli, Mai & Partner AG in Zurich.

Since October 1, 2016, Mr. Zenner is managing partner of Family Office 360grad AG in Stans / Nidwalden. He has experience since 21 years consulting in family business and family entrepreneurs.

Oliver Neubert
Founder & Chairman
Neoviva AG

Following a successful career in communications, Oliver decided to turn his talents to something more meaningful and has subsequently been working in addiction treatment.....

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The boutique rehab clinic NEOVIVA is the result of a long journey that began with his own recovery from addiction some 35+ years ago. When his best friend queried him about his drastic career change and asked whether he wants to change the world, Oliver’s simple answer was “YES”. Years of research into best practices in addiction treatment and extensive site visits to treatment centres around the globe led to the creation of NEOVIVA. “It is my sincere wish that anyone suffering from addiction can find help, and I truly believe that anyone has the ability and the potential to recover from addiction,” Oliver says.

ertified as a Postgraduate in Addiction Psychology & Counselling and with a Master’s Degree in Addiction Studies from King’s College London as well as an “Expert in Animal Assisted Therapy” by the University of Basel, his team would also attest that Oliver is “certified as a little dreamy and a bit impatient”. His zest for action is undeniable, and he wants to implement his visions today rather than tomorrow. When he is not involved in something NEOVIVA-related, he likely is trying to birdie the next hole, training his three donkeys to become therapy donkeys, or enjoying a stroll with his old dog.

MSc in Addiction Studies (King’s College London)
PGCert in Addiction Psychology & Counselling (LSBU)
PGCert in AAT (University of Basel)

Matthew Le Merle
Managing Partner
Blockchain Coinvestor

Launched in 2014, Blockchain Coinvestors’ goal is to provide broad coverage of the emerging unicorns and fastest growth blockchain companies and crypto projects.....

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he strategy is now in its 9th year and has to date invested in more than 40 pure play blockchain venture funds in the Americas, Asia and Europe; and in a combined portfolio of 400+ blockchain and crypto projects including approximately 50% of all blockchain unicorns. Our funds rank in the top decile amongst all funds in their respective categories on both Pitchbook and Preqin. Headquartered in San Francisco with a presence in Grand Cayman, London, New York, Zug and Zurich, the alternative investment management firm, was co-founded by Alison Davis and Matthew Le Merle who, with Lou Kerner, also comprise the Managing Directors of Blockchain Coinvestors Acquisition Corporation 1. Matthew is also Managing Partner of Keiretsu - the most active early-stage venture investors backing over 300 companies a year.

Matthew’s career has spanned being a global strategy advisor, professional services firm leader, corporate operating executive, private equity and venture capital investor, and board director. His board work has included Chairman or Non-Executive Director roles in 15 public and private companies and active Advisory Board roles in fast growth companies. Matthew’s board experience includes a broad range of industries including Digital Content/videogames, eCommerce, Fintech/Blockchain, Business Services, Consumer and Retail.

Matthew has advised sovereign and regional economic entities on issues of innovation, entrepreneurialism and cluster growth. Clients have covered the globe from China, the EU, and the UK to the US including in his home state of California and the Bay Area/Silicon Valley.

Earlier in his career, Matthew spent 21 years as a strategy, operations and corporate finance advisor to Fortune 500 CEOs, boards and executive teams with McKinsey & Company, and as a practice leader with A.T. Kearney and Monitor Group where he led both firms’ West Coast practices and at Booz & Company. He was also a corporate executive at Gap Inc. where he was SVP strategy and corporate development and SVP global marketing.

Matthew is bestselling author (The Intelligent Investor – Silicon Valley, Blockchain Competitive Advantage, Corporate Innovation in the Fifth Era, Build your Fortune in the Fifth Era, The Ministry of Bitcoin and Second Chance) and keynote speaker. He received a B.A. (Double First) and Master’s from Christ Church, Oxford, and an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. He was born in London, UK, and is now a dual US/UK citizen and lives in San Francisco and London with his wife, Alison Davis.

Neeraj Varyani
Chief Everything Officer
Vista Group

Singaporean-South African Entrepreneur, with an Affinity for Architecture....

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Educated in Architecture at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Neeraj has delivered over 2 million square feet of commercial and industrial real estate development throughout Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Eswatini, Mozambique, and residential and hospitality real estate development throughout the United Arab Emirates.

An experienced entrepreneur, having managed family business investments and operations in the agriculture, education, energy, healthcare, logistics, and paper sectors, in emerging markets. His flagship project is establishing and delivering a premium STEAM University in Accra, Ghana. https://acity.edu.gh/

Throughout his tenure, he navigated legacy and next generation family businesses to establish the Vista Group Foundation, which today serves as their family office, and which he now manages.

Headquartered out of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Neeraj manages his family’s wealth in the real estate / public equity categories and is passionate about architecture, real estate, development, and investment.

In his spare time, Neeraj enjoys advising high-net-worth families in the MENA region and speaking on topics such as, navigating one's family business / es to establishing a family office, transitioning to the next generation, and implementing structure / governance to ensure wealth preservation.

Neeraj has been a type 1 diabetic on insulin since the age of ten, and shares his experience / guides families, who are going through similar situations with their children today.

Christian Rauch
CEO
Degussa Goldhandel GmbH

Christian Rauch, born in 1972 in Bavaria in southern Germany, is an executive with a long experience in multinational companies in the world of consumer and luxury goods.....

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With a decade of experience in Montblanc, first as Managing Director for Writing Culture, Leather Goods and Jewellery in the Hamburg HQ, he recently served as General Manager of the Italian branch. At Montblanc, Christian Rauch spent a total of almost 6 years, most recently as Managing Director in the Writing Culture, Leather & Jewelry division, before being appointed CEO at Montblanc Italia.

He held this position for just under 4 years and then moved to the luxury garden furniture manufacturer UNOPIU' in Milano, Italy.

After just over 4 years as CEO of the company, Christian Rauch moved to the position of Managing Director at Degussa Sonne/Mond Goldhandel GmbH, based in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, in March 2023. In this position, Christian Rauch represents the globally active and leading precious metals trader externally, also as spokesman for the managing directors.

Christian Bardenheuer
Senior Relationship Manager
Degussa Goldhandel GmbH

Telecom CEO, Executive and Entreprenuer in the USA, Europe and Asia with over 30 years experience on Strategic Transactions and Corporate Advisory. Art & Photography Gallerist and Collector.....

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Alfredo Munera
Senior Relationship Manager
Degussa Goldhandel GmbH

International Attorney with over 30 years experience as a CEO and Corporate and Investment Banker in LatAm, USA and Europe......

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Ankita Narula
Vice President
Akshaya Patra USA

Ankita Narula Vice President, Development, Akshaya Patra USA Ankita currently holds the role of Vice President for Development at Akshaya Patra USA.....

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Her work involves extensive travel, connecting with volunteers, donors, and board members nationwide to promote fundraising initiatives and foster community growth. She began her journey with Akshaya Patra as a Director of Development in 2015, immediately after completing her MBA in Boston. Over the years, her dedication and commitment have earned her multiple promotions within the organization, culminating in her recent appointment as the youngest Vice President on the team. Ankita's passion for non-profit work has been a constant in her life since her school days. She has dedicated her time to various non-profit causes and even served as a campus ambassador for the Art of Living, representing the organization at the national level among Ivy League schools during her full-time MBA program in Boston. Akshaya Patra holds a special place in Ankita's heart, as she has always aspired to be part of an initiative aimed at eradicating hunger.

Akshaya Patra is renowned as the world's largest mid-day meal program, providing nutritious school lunches to over 2 million children daily. These meals reach students in 19,000 plus schools across 14 states and 2 Union Territories in India. The organization operates 67 innovative kitchens that prepare and distribute hot, nutritious meals. A fleet of 800 custom-built trucks ensures the delivery of food at 65 degrees Celsius to schoolchildren. The organization employs over 7,300 individuals, with 30% of its workforce being women. To date, Akshaya Patra has served an impressive 3.3 billion meals and is the only NGO in India to be inducted into the ICAI Hall of Fame. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Akshaya Patra played a vital role by providing mire than 200 million COVID meals to migrant workers, frontline workers, and other beneficiaries in need.

Franck Mourier

Horse trainer, Bloodstock advisor

Franck Mourier is a horse racing and breeding expert with over 25 years’ experience and a licensed trainer in 16 jurisdictions.....

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Franck spent 20 years in Ocala, Florida, and Lexington, Kentucky training young horses (yearlings) into becoming racehorses. Franck developed a conditioning method based on patience, observation, and empathy to teach the young thoroughbreds to race. The yearlings learn via a system whereby they shadow a team of accomplished older horses, known as “schoolmasters”, in a gentle and calm environment.

Renowned for his natural and progressive training method, Franck has sold thoroughbreds to the most prominent investors of the sport; Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Stonestreet Farm/Barbara Banke, Team Valor International, and more.

Most recently, Franck has been selected to purchase 35 horses for Mukesh Ambani and is also acting as a special advisor for the Royal Family of Bahrain.

Franck is also a respected writer in his field and in 2020, was nominated for ‘Best Specialist Writer Derby Award’ (SkySport/HWPA) by an international panel of judges representing the industry. In 1996, he was a speaker at the 3rd International Workshop on Animal Locomotion (IWAL 3).

Notably, Franck has been a vocal and determined opponent of the use of therapeutic drugs on race day in America and has been instrumental in the formation of the ‘’Water Hay Oats Alliance’’ in 2012.

Holder of a Master's Degree in Exercise Physiology, Franck has also worked as a Research Associate in Animal Genetics for France's National Research Institute for Agriculture, (INRA), (years 1992-1994).

In the 1990s, he contributed to the innovation of an original gait analysis system based on body 3D acceleration measurement and software for automatic gait analysis and phenotyping horses' exercise ability, (Equimetrix {R}).

Amy Salzhauer
Founder & Managing Partner
Good Growth Capital

Amy Salzhauer is a Founder and Managing Partner at Good Growth Capital, a majority women-owned venture capital fund that is one of the top-performing funds in the US......

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Good Growth Capital finds, funds, and grows superior, defensible technology companies that fill pressing societal needs, creating portfolios that meet impact and DEI metrics while still investing for the highest possible return. Amy was previously the CEO of Ignition Ventures, where she helped start companies worth over US $1 billion out of science labs in areas such as chip-based fuel cells, self organizing networks, selective brain cooling, and advanced materials.

Amy is an inventor who holds several patents, speaks internationally about entrepreneurship and leadership, and serves on multiple for-profit and non-profit boards, including for GGC portfolio companies Coagulo, Leuko, and Tevard; ABM Medical; the Arizona State University Interplanetary Initiative; Medical Technology Enterprise Consortium; Southeastern Bio; and the Roper St Francis Hospital Foundation.

Her prior experience also includes writing for magazines like Newsweek, Science, Technology Review, and Harvard Business Review and serving as the Assistant Director of a non-profit environmental organization in Washington D.C. Her many recognitions include being selected by the World Economic Forum as one of its one hundred top “Global Leaders for Tomorrow," and being chosen multiple times as a top “40 Under 40” business leader.

Amy holds an MBA from MIT; an M.Phil in Plant Sciences from Cambridge University where she was a Herschel Smith Harvard Scholar; and an A.B. magna cum laude from Harvard University.

Sandrine Henton
Managing Director
EG Capital

EG Capital, based in Nairobi, Kenya, invests in high-growth businesses within the food, climate, health and education sectors in East Africa and Zambia.......

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Ms. Henton has over 15 years of professional experience in strategy consulting and finance, including private equity for businesses in emerging markets.

She holds an MSc in International Business from Maastricht University and was part of the inaugural class of the Oxford Impact Investing Programme at Said Business School.

In her free time, she is an avid urban kiz dancer and a gym rat. Furthermore, she is a sponsor of Plan International and a member of Women on Boards.

David Teten
Managing Partner
Versatile VC

Versatile VC, backing early-stage companies which help investors generate alpha and succeed....

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He is Chair of PEVCTech, a community of investors in private companies using technology and analytics to generate alpha. He was previously a Managing Partner with HOF Capital and Partner with ff Venture Capital, two early-stage NY VC firms. He is also Founder of Harvard Business School Alumni Angels of New York, the largest angel network on the East Coast.

David has previously advised such institutional investors as Birch Hill Equity Partners, Goldman Sachs Special Situations Group, Icahn Enterprises, LLR Partners, Real Ventures, Right Side Capital, and Orascom TMT Investments (Sawiris family office. He has served on the boards of Ionic (sold to Twilio), Authorea (sold to Wiley), Earnest Research (Observer), Signup.com, and Whisk (sold to Deem).

David was previously a Managing Director with Evalueserve, a 2,500-person global research and analytics company; Founder and CEO of Circle of Experts, an investment research firm acquired by Evalueserve; and ran an outsourced software engineering/IT services firm. He has contributed original research on investing topics to Entrepreneur.com, Forbes, Harvard Businesss Review, PE Hub, Institutional Investor, Techcrunch, and VentureBeat. He holds a Harvard MBA (Second Year Honors) and a Yale BA (Distinction in the major). He writes periodically at teten.com

Victoria Gibbs
COO
Tutors International

Victoria Gibbs is the COO at Tutors International, the bespoke education provider for high and ultra-high net worth families....

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With a background in audit from PwC, Victoria joined the corporate team at Tutors International in 2011. She had a pivotal role in the structural transformation of the company and continues to facilitate its evolution as a growing enterprise. Within the company, she is known for her calm and measured approach to problem solving, her diplomatic skills and her continuous pursuit of knowledge.

As COO of Tutors International, Victoria is involved with a range of projects, from the tiny details of daily operations right up to company structure, mergers, and acquisitions. She is a natural connector-of-people, and a capable generalist with the ability to fulfil many different functions and specialities within the company.

Victoria is passionate about education and is a self-proclaimed life-long-learner. She completed her TEFL and TESOL qualifications (teaching English to speakers of other languages) during her gap year, where she also sailed in the Tall Ships Races and discovered a love of sailing. She speaks reasonable Swedish and is currently brushing up her French and Spanish skills.

She read Politics with European Studies at the University of Exeter. Victoria went on to study an MA in War and Society and was elected Vice President of the Post Graduate Guild of Students. She has most recently completed an MA in Education from the University of Bath.

Victoria’s professional interests lie in the intersection between education and the future of work, with a particular focus on the role of educators in preparing children for remote working positions. She volunteers as a co-opted governor at her local primary school and serves as the honorary secretary for a local charity which combats homelessness.

Ryan Colley
Intelligence and Investigations Executive
Colley Intelligence

Ryan Colley is an Intelligence and Investigations Executive with more than a dozen years of progressive leadership serving the Fortune 500, global law firms....

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.... international organizations, and sovereign entities focused on conducting sensitive investigations and intelligence gathering to support litigation, defend reputations, and drive strategic opportunity. Current specializations include cyber-financial crime, executive reputation defense, cross-border disputes and litigation, and asset recovery.

Colley exhibits strong industry expertise by leveraging a data-driven approach to lead end-to- end client projects, from directing intelligence fact-finding, analysis, to managing multi- jurisdictional, bet-the-company investigations. To date, Ryan has successfully advised Counsel to litigate and settle 12+ fraud or litigation matters with loss or impact exceeding USD $1 billion, and has counseled and worked on behalf of professional athletes and A-list entertainers.

Today, Ryan is CEO of Colley Intelligence, based in firm’s Washington, D.C. offices. Colley Intelligence is a full-service international corporate investigations, intelligence, and advisory consultancy specializing in complex litigation support, international intelligence, and advisory. Established in 1987 in Columbus, the firm has closed over 11,000 cases in more than 90 countries and territories.

As a sought-after industry expert, Colley maintains industry-leading professional credentials and memberships including Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), Certified Anti-Money-Laundering- Specialist (CAMS-FCI); an Associate of the American Bar Association (ABA), former Global Executive Board Member of the Council of International Investigators (CII), the New York Police Department’s public-private SHIELD partnership, and is a long-standing member of the US Department of State’s Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC), and FBI’s InfraGard program.

Prior to joining Colley Intelligence, Ryan worked for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in Washington, D.C., and on Capitol Hill. In addition to his work and representation on behalf of clients, Ryan is active in pro bono and caused-based organizations, having worked on behalf of New York-based the Innocence Project, The Georgetown Law Center, and advised several high- profile environmental organizations on reputation management, and international safety and security risk.

Colley earned his B.A. in Classics, with a minor in Russian Studies from the College of Charleston in 2009. He speaks Spanish, Russian, and has a basic command of Italian. Ryan resides in Washington, DC with his family, and in his spare time is an avid skier.

Joanna Dunckley Phillips
Client Account Manager
Tutors International

Joanna Dunckley has worked with Tutors International for over 12 years, initially as a full-time tutor and, more recently, working on the corporate side in the role of Client Account Manager...

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As a daughter of teachers, Joanna was brought up in an educationally conscious environment. She started tutoring mathematics and flute to her peers, aged 16, and has been teaching or learning ever since. She is fully fluent in French, Spanish and English.

Having studied Marine Sciences at Southampton University, and having completed a Maitrise in Oceanography at the Universite de Bordeaux, Joanna embarked upon several years of travelling, volunteering and working as a marine scientist and diving instructor in Indonesia, the Seychelles and Fiji before she settled into a career as an educator on a full-time basis.

Joanna finished her PGCE in London, where she focused on secondary mathematics. In addition to being a maths specialist, Joanna is highly experienced across all the sciences, as well as several languages. This all-roundedness has seen her teach a wide variety of subjects and students, all around the globe, most notably onboard a superyacht in the South Pacific, as well as two years in Mustique.

Joanna particularly enjoys teaching through practical experiences and travelling with her students to bring learning to life. She believes a well-rounded education is so much more than just what happens in the classroom.

Her wealth of experience, working closely with UHNW families and depth of understanding of the bespoke nature of each tutoring role, is now being directed toward ensuring the all-important match between the client family and their tutor.

Sanjiv Chopra

Harvard Medical School

Sanjiv Chopra, MD, is Professor of Medicine and served as Faculty Dean for Continu¬ing Medical Education at Harvard Medical School for 12 years....

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He serves as a Marshall Wolf Distinguished Clinician Educator Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

Dr. Chopra has more than 170 publications and ten books to his credit. Dr. Chopra is Editor-in-Chief of the Hepatology Section of UpToDate, the most widely used electronic textbook in the world subscribed to by more than 1.5 million physicians in 195 countries.

He is a sought after inspirational speaker across the United States and abroad, addressing diverse audiences on topics related to medicine, leadership, happiness, and living with purpose.

He has received numerous rewards, including:

In 2003, The American Gastroenterological Association Distinguished Educator Award was  bestowed upon him.

In 2009 he was elected as a Master of the American College of Physicians, a sin­gular honor bestowed to only a select few individuals for being “citizen physicians, educational innovators, scientific thinkers and humanists who inspire those around him or her and sets the standards for quality in medicine.”

In 2021 he was bestowed Fellowship to the Royal College of Physicians (London).

He has written ten books including:

Dr. Chopra Says   Medical  Facts and Myths Everyone Should Know (With Allan Lotvin, MD)

Live Better, Live Longer. The New Studies That Reveal What’s Really Good and Bad for Your Health. 

Leadership by Example: The Ten Key Principles of all Great Leaders

His brother Deepak and he wrote a double memoir: “Brotherhood: Dharma, Destiny and the American Dream,” published May 21, 2013. It is a National Best Seller.

The Big 5 Five Simple Things You Can Do to Live a Longer, Healthier Life.

The Two Most Important Days…by Sanjiv Chopra and Gina Vild was published by St. Martin’s Press in December 2017. It has received singular advanced praise.

His three most recent books published:

Coffee The Magical Elixir Facts That Will Astound and Perk You Up.

Conquer Your Diabetes: Prevention . Control . Remission co-authored with Martin Abrahamson.

Ignite The Fire Within: Master Your Speaking and Writing co-authored with Rick Najera 

Pierre duPont

NextGen family member

Pierre duPont is a Partner at Cerity Partners. His primary activity is to help his clients live wisely with their wealth....

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....invest thoughtfully, operate their Family Offices, build their businesses and their philanthropic endeavours, and project their wealth forward to their descendants and the communities in which they live.

Pierre is also an active mentor of executives starting or growing their companies. Before joining Cerity Partners, Pierre was at Two Sigma Investments, where he raised capital for the firm's quant hedge funds, and he invested capital in private deals in the US, Mainland China and Israel. For most of his career, Pierre was a business executive and an entrepreneur, co-founding five software companies resulting in 1.5 IPOs, one acquisition and some spectacular failures.

After getting an engineering degree from Princeton University, Pierre started his career at Bolt, Beranek & Newman (BBN) as a research scientist and software engineer in AI, computational linguistics, parallel processing, computer graphics and what today would be called “big data.”

He is on the Management Committee of the New York Alternatives Investment Roundtable, and a Mentor at Cornell’s Smith Family-Business Initiative and for the Princeton Entrepreneurship Council. Pierre is on the Board of the International Foundation for Art Research and on the Advisory Boards of Shores Impact and HVN Travel Group, Inc.

Mark_Karake
Founder
Impact Africa Network & From Here Ventures

Mark Karake is the founder of Impact Africa Network, a startup studio in Nairobi on a mission to ensure young talented Africans have a chance at participating in the digital transformation of Africa.....

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....as creators and owners as well as Managing Partner at From Here Ventures, an early stage venture capital fund investing in early stage startups across Africa. After 17 years in Silicon Valley, Mark chose to repatriate back home to Kenya to immerse himself in the economic development challenge.

He and his team have the big-hairy-audacious-goal of developing 10 scale-ups that provide 10k jobs with a combined value of $10B by 2030. Since launching in January of 2019 they have created over 200 jobs, launched 3 fast growing startups with a combined value of $10m. His ultimate vision is to utilize venture building and entrepreneurship to develop the leaders who upon achieving personal success can turn around and transform society, he calls it 1000 Lee Kwan Yews, fashioned after the transformational founding father of Singapore.

David Homan
CEO
Orchestrated Connecting

David Homan is the CEO of Orchestrated Connecting, running an 1000+ community of influencers, family offices, CEOs, artists and many others.....

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He is the co-founder of Orchestrated Opportunities, an advisory firm working at the intersection of impact and access, which he launched after incubating an impact film company for the Dalio Family.

He serves on the Board of Ariel Rivka Dance, the Arthur Miller Foundation, First Republic FEA New York, and is an active classical composer most recently commissioned to re-score Stravinksy’s Firebird for Ballet Vero Beach.

He is the NYC Ambassador for NEXUS, and an advisor to circular economy fund Regeneration.VC along with several other companies.

Chris Baker
Director Sales
Fidelity Digital Assets

Fidelity Digital AssetsSM, provides enterprise-grade digital asset solutions for institutional investors.....

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Chris joined the digital assets team in 2018 and has spent the past five years working closely with Advisors and Family Offices to educate clients and help operationalize a digital asset strategy.

Prior to joining Fidelity Digital AssetsSM, Chris served for three years as Senior Regional Investment Consultant at Fidelity Institutional Asset Management. In this role, he developed and managed relationships with wealth management firms, broker dealers, RIAs, and insurance companies.

Chris holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Providence College.

Lilia Wernli
Co-founder, CEO
Maxwer Group AG

Lilia Wernli is a Co-founder and CEO of Maxwer Group AG.....

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....which provides alternative tailor-made trade financing solutions for commodity supply chains by attracting private and institutional investors to allocate their capital at good margins with low risks.

Together with creating commercial value for all the stakeholders, Maxwer Group is also focused on Impact Values by supporting commodity SMEs on the way to the smooth transition to green energy.

Before establishing Maxwer Group Lilia spent almost 20 years in the commodity trading business, out of which last 8 years on executive positions and in the Boards of Directors.

Lilia holds a Master of Arts degree and a Master Degree in Business Administration from Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich and University of Sankt Gallen.

She is an active speaker and panellist at the commodity and trade finance conferences all over the world.

Zeshan Khan
Founder, President, CEO
Xenon Ophthalmics

Zeshan Khan is a multifaceted innovator, celebrated as the visionary Founder, President, and CEO of Xenon Ophthalmics.....

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....a world-renowned medical technology company dedicated to advancing eye care through cutting-edge innovation.

Before venturing into the field of ophthalmology and optometry, Zeshan founded FaceConnect, a pioneering company specializing in traffic intelligence solutions. During the earlier phase of his career, Zeshan demonstrated his entrepreneurial spirit and technological prowess by developing groundbreaking traffic management systems that improved safety and efficiency on roadways.

Zeshan embarked on his journey as a researcher and engineer, earning an MS in Computer Engineering from the prestigious New Jersey Institution of Technology (NJIT). His academic journey provided the solid foundation upon which he would build a career characterized by innovation and dedication to vision health.

In addition to his academic achievements and entrepreneurial ventures, Zeshan showcased his versatility and competitive spirit during his years at NJIT by representing his school as a skilled billiard player in NCAA tournaments. This experience honed his strategic thinking and focus and demonstrated his commitment to excellence beyond the academic realm.

In 2017, Zeshan transitioned his focus to healthcare by founding Xenon Ophthalmics. With a clear mission to revolutionize eye care by developing cutting-edge ophthalmic devices and treatments, Zeshan has led the company to recognition as a leader in the industry. Xenon Ophthalmics is renowned for its commitment to innovation and patient well-being under Zeshan’s visionary leadership.

One of Zeshan’s most significant achievements is the invention of the XO Exam System, a revolutionary ophthalmic device that has transformed the way eye conditions are diagnosed and treated. This innovation has not only improved patient outcomes but has also revolutionized ophthalmics.

With Zeshan’s unwavering dedication to innovation, his role as Founder, President, and CEO at Xenon Ophthalmics continues to shape the future of ophthalmology and optometry, positively impacting countless individuals and the broader healthcare industry.

Eric Lerner

Magician

Eric Lerner started as a street performer, and now performs for Fortune 500 companies and the elite around the world. Here’s his story….....

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Eric Lerner’s first big break was presenting a report on Houdini in the 5th grade. He learned some magic tricks for the presentation and received his first standing ovation (just a coincidence that the class was dismissed for lunch immediately following his speech).

Eric hit the ground running and then honed his skills on the famed cobblestoned streets of New York City’s South Street Seaport busking during a summer in high school. Here through many trials by many fires he began to sculpt the type of entertainer he is today, funny, quick witted, mesmerizing, jaw-dropping, earth-shaking, and incredibly good looking.

After the honing and the sculpting, Eric has been flown around the world to perform for many Fortune 500 companies as well as private events. He brings something magical everywhere he goes.

Simon Irish
CEO
Terrestrial Energy

Simon Irish is Chief Executive Officer of Terrestrial Energy. He has 20 years of global investment banking and investment management experience in New York and London.....

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....nd has a formal education in the quantitative sciences and quantitative finance. Mr. Irish has established and managed multi-billion-dollar alternative investment businesses in North America.

Mr. Irish began his banking career at Credit Suisse Financial Products in London before moving to New York, where he led the investment effort in North America for Man Group Plc, a leading global investment management business. In 2010, he focused on investment opportunities in breakthrough energy technologies and specifically nuclear energy given its unique virtues, and the unparalleled commercial potential of Generation IV fission technologies in many industries and in an age of energy transition.

Mr. Irish holds an MA in Natural Sciences from Cambridge University and an MSc in Finance from the London Business School.