This year’s annual investor conference held special significance — a milestone gathering in Makena’s 20th anniversary year.
The day opened with Managing Partners Luke Proskine and Brian Rodde reflecting on two decades of the firm’s evolution, followed by Chief Investment Officer Jackson Garton sharing his perspective on the market environment and portfolio positioning.
The conference then brought together an exceptional group of external voices spanning asset classes and geographies. David George of Andreessen Horowitz shared his framework for understanding the AI opportunity in private markets. Seth Fischer of Oasis Management walked us through Japan’s corporate governance transformation and the investment opportunity it continues to create. Edmund Lazarus of EMK Capital spoke to the discipline and thesis-driven approach behind finding transformational growth in Europe’s lower mid-market. And Jordan Bettman of Radian Capital offered a grounded and nuanced perspective on navigating the software and AI landscape as a growth equity investor.
The conversations that follow capture some of the key insights from the day.