• Limited partners return expectations for private equity and are firms delivering them? Are they achievable?
• The latest trends in asset allocation, fees, and terms
• Which markets and strategies show the most promise in 2011?

Welcome cocktail reception

Registration and refreshments

Australia in the global private equity landscape
The private equity industry has faced many challenges in the past few years. Barely recovered from the effects of the financial crisis, the industry is now facing new uncertainties caused by the European sovereign debt situations as well as political persecution in the US as Mitt Romney's opponents try to find fault in his past profession. Meanwhile, Asian markets such as China and Southeast Asia continue to prosper as local economies and consumers grow. As for Australia, while fundraising locally continues to be difficult, investment and exit activity has picked up, giving foreign LPs much reason to be excited. Our panel of senior global and domestic investors examines the outlook for private equity globally and considers the implications for Australia and other parts of Asia:

• Outlook for the global private equity industry: Will the industry continue to produce superior returns in today's volatile markets?
• Are Australian firms ready to take on the rest of Asia or does the home market produce enough opportunities?
• Global limited partners' appetite for US, Asian and Australian private equity funds: will top Australian partnerships continue to attract capital?
• What will it take for Australian LPs return to private equity?

Can the Australasian middle market deliver world class returns?
The Australasian mid-market has long been the engine of growth for the economy at large. The majority of the country's PE investments continue to be made in this segment. Indeed, the reduced availability of debt, given the emerging issues with finance not being rolled out by banks, for larger transactions has resulted in more investments being made into the mid-market leading to increased competition and a choked exit market.

• Can the mid-market sustain this growing level of interest?
• Do mid market businesses continue to provide superior value generation platforms?
• Which at industries have the most potential to provide growth in the medium to long term?
• What strategies can be employed for developed mid-market Australasian businesses to expand their brands and value propositions to markets globally?
  

• What are the key features of this new deal environment?
• What can PE fund managers do to position themselves and their portfolio companies to succeed?
• How do you build a portfolio of companies that complement each other and can assist in collective growth?
• PE talks about creating value and alpha but how do you go beyond words and actually deliver?
• How can Australian general partners create value in the current environment?
• What are the central pillars of a successful exit strategy?

• What can the industry as a collective do to enhance PE's reputation in Australasia?
• How can the industry lobby the super funds and government to continue their support of PE?
• What can be done at a trustee/CIO level to secure support for the industry?
• What are the consequences of the recent rulings on the PE revenue model and accepted offshore company structures?
• How can PE investments help improve the lives of Australians and have a positive social impact?

Venture Capital as a driver of innovation in Australia and beyond

• How can local firms harness the innovation that exists locally and develop world-class technologies for commercialisation?
• Do life sciences, ICT and cleantech provide the only real value for VCs, or are other sectors also on the radar?
• What are VC strategies in foreign markets and how do they apply to the Australian landscape?

• Is the rising interest in Australian firms by US-based VCs viewed as a positive turn of events by the domestic industry?
• Given the fact that funding for VC firms has abated in recent years, how will existing firms continue to raise capital and will the industry need to diversify to continue?

The fundraising market-accessing Australasian and global investors
Investments by PE and VC funds increased 44% year-on-year to US$3.6bn. However, much of this funding came before the global financial crisis, reflecting ongoing difficulties in raising new funds. PE and VC funds raised US$2.3 billion in 2011-72% more than the previous year-but the majority of this funding was raised by just three funds.

The importance of foreign capital in funding Australian businesses is clearer than ever, with around half of all new commitments to local fund managers sourced from overseas.
On this panel, successful fundraisers will share their insight on sources of new capital and the fundraising landscape for both Australian funds and their counterparts elsewhere. Topics for discussion include:

• Superannuation funds: Appetites, preferences and expectations
• Overseas limited partners: Who is interested in Australasia and what are they looking for?
• New sources of capital: Sovereign wealth funds, endowments and family offices: Who are they, and where can they be found

Registration and refreshments

Economist roundtable-Global economic and financial outlook

• What will drive global economic growth in the year ahead?
• Is Asia on the right track to a more balanced and sustainable growth?
• Will Australia continue to benefit from the rebalancing of the global economy towards Asia's emerging markets?
• What happens if China's growth slows?
• Is the buoyancy of the Australian economy really pegged to China
• What is the future for ASX? How can key exchanges across Asia be linked?

Hard Talk: Industry veterans answer the tough questions
Moderated by: Les Fallick, Founder & Chairman, PRINCIPLE ADVISORY SERVICES
Greg Minton, Managing Director, ARCHER CAPITAL
Tim Sims, Managing Director, PACIFIC EQUITY PARTNERS

Investing in Asia: Accessing the booming Chinese economy and other emerging markets in the region
Despite the ongoing uncertainty in the developed markets, the emerging economies of Asia continue to grow steadily. It is therefore not hard understand why countries like China, India and Indonesia consistently top the list of markets where investors see the most promising opportunities. Innovative Australian businesses have learned to embrace these markets, not just as a cheap manufacturing base, but a new market for their products. However, as many well seasoned dealmakers can attest, investors in these markets must reckon with a host of regulatory, cultural and corporate-governance challenges. A panel of experts will discuss the intricacies of investing in Asia, the markets that are generating the most buzz and the reality of delivering results in these markets.

• A strategic update of the key markets in Asian private equity
• Which economies present the most opportunities for Australian GPs/companies?
• Creating win-win partnerships with local investors
• Deal sourcing, due diligence and structuring in Asia's emerging markets 

•  What is so compelling about the Indian landscape?
• How can PE spur change at India's many stagnant listed companies?
• Will stretched stock-market valuations and low-quality  deals bring the party to an end?
  
• How can PE funds overcome the price objections of India's supersavvy promoters
  
• How can Australian firms enter the Indian market and source good deals for investment?

• What is driving investors' current view of the asset class?
• Is the withdrawal of limited partners a real concern, or simply a retreat of uncommitted latecomers?
• How are PE allocations likely to change in the near and long term?
• What can general partners do to attract limited partners to their fund?
• Given the poor performance of the public markets, do limited partners see this as a good time to invest in PE?

Conference concludes