Private Equity Roundtable: Current Trends in the Acquisition Marketplace

6:00 pm - 6:30 pm -- Registration
6:30 pm - 8:00 pm -- Panel Discussion, Q&A
8:00 pm - 9:00 pm -- Cocktail Reception

Ropes & Gray presents The Private Equity Roundtable: Current Trends in the Acquisition Marketplace. This program will be held in Boston on Tuesday, April 12, 2005 and in New York City on Wednesday, April 13, 2005. Topics to be discussed include:

• What is the future outlook for deal flow? With auctions more prevalent than ever, are proprietary deals still possible? Where can proprietary deals be found and what is the best way to capture them?
  
• With auctions becoming a predominant method, how are Sponsors adapting in terms of costs, timing and deal terms?
  
• How does a Sponsor successfully differentiate itself in the growing private equity arena -- fund size, industry expertise, approach towards due diligence?
  
• Teaming up -- why are "club deals" becoming more common? What are the benefits and costs of participation?
  
• How does a Sponsor work with its financing sources in the competitive bid environment? How does a seller's market impact the use of debt financing?
  
• Sponsor-to-Sponsor sales in the LBO market -- is selling to another Sponsor more efficient than to a strategic investor? How does this auction process differ? How about the risk of double exposure to LP's?
  
• Can attractive returns still be possible -- what is the LP perspective? How do LP's distinguish between private equity firms in this crowded market?

Boston Speakers:
Tuesday, April 12, 2005

Moderator
Josh Lerner, Jacob H. Schiff Professor of Investment Banking, Harvard Business School

Panelists (in alphabetical order)
Milton Berlinski, Vice Chairman, Goldman Sachs Strategy and Corporate Development Group
Peter Dolan, Director of Private Equity, Harvard Management Company, Inc.
Robert Friedman, Senior Managing Director, The Blackstone Group, LP
Dana Schmaltz, Partner, J.W. Childs Associates, LP
Scott Sperling, Co-President, Thomas H. Lee Partners, LP
R. Newcomb Stillwell, Partner, Ropes & Gray


New York Speakers:
Wednesday, April 13, 2005

Moderator
Josh Lerner, Jacob H. Schiff Professor of Investment Banking, Harvard Business School

Panelists (in alphabetical order)
Ben Adler, Managing Director and General Counsel, Goldman Sachs Merchant Baking Division
Nicole Arnaboldi, Managing Director, Credit Suisse First Boston
Robert Friedman, Senior Managing Director, The Blackstone Group, LP
Erik Hirsch, Chief Investment Officer, Hamilton Lane
Alfred Rose, Partner, Ropes & Gray
Ros Stephenson, Managing Director, Lehman Brothers


Co-sponsored by RR Donnelley Global Capital Markets