Chicago Mid-West
Private Capital
Forum 2026
April 14, 2026 | Gleacher Conference Center
A boutique, independent forum for serious dialogue on private capital governance. LP-first. Chatham House Rule. No pay-to-play program structure.
Institutional LP participation is complimentary and invitation-led.
About the Forum
The Chicago Private Capital Forum is a one-day, invitation-led gathering designed to foster candid, off-the-record dialogue among institutional allocators, private capital managers, academics, and civic leaders. The Forum focuses on governance, fiduciary decision-making, and long-term capital stewardship across private equity and private credit.
Discussions are conducted under the Chatham House Rule to encourage openness, intellectual rigor, and peer-level exchange. The program is independently curated and academically informed, with participation based on perspective and experience rather than commercial involvement.
The Forum is intentionally structured to prioritize substance over scale, dialogue over presentation, and fiduciary integrity over promotion.
Purpose of The Event
Our mission:
- Contribute to Chicago’s role as a center for responsible, long-term private capital
- Create a high-integrity context for allocators and managers to interact with each other as equals.
- Advance operational excellence, governance and alignment over fundraising or marketing.
- Improve education and knowledge sharing about the trends that are transforming private markets.
- Support long-term stewardship by acknowledging the balance between returns, governance and social impact.
- Connect private markets with civic, academic and nonprofit partners to help build a stronger ecosystem.
Why Attend
- LP-First Structure: sessions designed around allocator priorities.
- Independent Agenda Management: content guided by an Advisory Committee, not commercial influence
- Boutique Scale: A one-day program with ~200 curated participants to maximize intimacy and impact.
- Cross-Pollination: LPs, GPs, academia, non-profit, and civic voices together.
- Structured Formats: closed-door sessions, peer labs, and evidence-led case discussions.
- Diverse perspectives integrated throughout the program, reflected in leadership, speakers, and participants.
Forum Highlight
- Closed-Door LP Benchmarking: private allocator-only sessions.
- Emerging Manager Talent Lab: LPs provide live feedback to new managers.
- Ops in Action Demos: practical demonstrations of AI tools in compliance, ESG dashboards, and risk management.
- The ESG Reality Check: allocators highlight what truly matters.
- Civic Capital And Private Markets: discussion of local directives and mandates.
- Invite-Only Advisory Breakfast: an intimate LP–GP gathering before the plenary.
- GP-Only Huddle: “What We Wish LPs Knew”: reverse feedback to allocators from managers.
Advisory Committee
The Advisory Committee guides the Forum’s fiduciary and governance priorities and ensures the program reflects authentic institutional perspectives.
Advisory Committee Profiles
An independent advisory Committee ensures the Forum remains sponsor-neutral and balanced in content.
Members of the Advisory Committee are:
Institutional LPs: senior allocator voices.
Academics: leading researchers in governance and finance.
Nonprofit & Ecosystem Leaders: advocates for diversity and impact.
Civic/Public Leaders – connecting public mandates to private markets.
Fiduciary Experts: professionals who ensure integrity and compliance.
The Advisory Committee continues to expand to include additional academic, institutional, and civic voices contributing to the Forum’s development.
Partners Aligned With Our Mission
The Chicago Private Capital Forum welcomes a limited group of aligned institutional partners who support the Forum’s fiduciary-first, governance-focused mission. Partnership opportunities are selective and curated to maintain the integrity of the program and the LP-centered environment.
Partners gain visibility within a serious institutional dialogue among pensions, endowments, foundations, family offices, academics, and civic leaders.
Civic Partners
Additional Partners (to be announced)
The Forum is supported by a select group of Partners who are aligned with the Forum’s mission of trust and alignment:
Professional Associations: organizations working as advocates for governance and fiduciary standards.
Academic Institutions: institutions contributing thought leadership and talent.
Civic & Development Partners: champions of Chicago’s role as a capital hub.
Nonprofit & Advocacy Groups: supporters of diverse managers and impact capital.
Advisory & Fiduciary Firms: legal, consulting and administrative experts who are willing to share their viewpoints.
- Media Partners: leading business and finance publications that amplify allocator voices, highlight governance and stewardship trends, and bring Chicago’s capital corridor story to a broader audience
Strategic Partnership
A limited number of organizations align with the Chicago Private Capital Forum to support its LP-first, closed-door structure and governance-led mandate.
Partnership reflects institutional alignment with the Forum’s fiduciary focus while maintaining a clear separation between commercial participation and editorial independence.
Engagement tiers include:
- Governance Underwriter (Founding Partner)
- Program Supporter
- Ecosystem Supporter
Organizations interested in partnership alignment are invited to submit an inquiry to receive the 2026 Partnership Overview and discuss appropriate engagement.
Partnership is limited to preserve allocator balance and institutional integrity.
Featured Event Speakers
The Forum convenes a selective group of academic, institutional, civic, and industry voices to guide discussions on governance, fiduciary duty, and the evolving structure of private capital.
Below are the initial confirmed speakers for the 2026 edition.
To Be Announced
Featured Speaker Profiles
The Forum will feature a curated mix of recognized voices, including:
Institutional LP Leaders: CIOs and senior allocators.
Fund Managers: managing partners, COOs, CFOs from private equity and private debt firms.
Operational Executives: compliance and finance officers managing governance.
Academic Voices: faculty members offering research-driven perspectives.
Nonprofit & Ecosystem Leaders: advocates for diverse and emerging managers.
Civic & Public Stakeholders: connecting private markets with public priorities.
Speaker Opportunities
Academic, civic, and media contributors may inquire regarding participation.
Attendees
The Chicago Private Capital Forum is an invite-only, boutique forum bringing together senior decision-makers across the private markets ecosystem:
- Institutional Allocators (LPs): pensions, endowments, foundations, family offices, insurers, sovereign wealth funds.
- Fund Managers (GPs): private equity, private debt, emerging and mid-market firms, hybrid/innovative structures.
- Operations Leaders: COOs, CFOs, GCs, CCOs, and senior IR.
- Advisors & Partners: placement agents, fund administrators, legal & compliance experts (by invitation).
- Academics & Civic Voices: university faculty, civic leaders, nonprofit and policy partners.
- Public Sector & Regulatory Stakeholders: state pensions, treasurers, and market policy representatives.
Suggested Topics
Key Themes
- SEC 2026: Compliance Readiness & LP Expectations
- ESG Integration: Beyond Marketing to Data-Driven Accountability
- NAV Lending, Liquidity, and Alignment of Interest
- Cybersecurity, Data Privacy, and Operational Risk
- The Future of Fund Reporting: GenAI and Automation
- Private Capital’s Role in Economic Development
Curated Conversations
- Public-Private Partnerships: How Private Capital Can Align with Public Good
- LP Voices: Pension Fund Priorities for 2026
- Governance in Practice: Oversight, Accountability, and Decision Rights in Private Capital
Forum Format
The Forum is delivered through a curated mix of:
- Plenary discussions and moderated panels
- Fireside conversations
- Closed-door roundtables
- Small-group workshops
Program Overview
Purpose
The Chicago Private Capital Forum examines how governance standards, fiduciary judgment, and risk tolerance in private markets are evolving quietly but materially.
The program is structured to surface allocator priorities, test market practices against evidence, and explore where governance breakdowns most often occur in private equity and private credit.
Agenda Spine
- What LPs Are Changing Now
Strategy, risk, liquidity, and tolerance resets already underway at leading institutions. - When Operations Become Governance Failures
Reporting, valuation, controls, and data quality as fiduciary issues and where escalation now occurs. - Evidence vs. Practice
What academic research shows about performance, fees, leverage, and liquidity and where market behavior diverges. - Private Credit, Liquidity, and Long-Duration Risk
Where risk is underestimated, structures face more scrutiny, and IC approval increasingly fails. - Civic and Public Accountability
What fiduciary responsibility looks like when private capital becomes systemically important.
Format and Operating Principles
- LP-first framing
- Academics provide evidence
- GPs respond
- Moderated discussions, firesides, and closed-door sessions
- No selling, no pitching
Participants
Senior LPs and allocators, experienced private capital managers, leading academics, and civic leaders.
Participation is by invitation, based on role and perspective.
LOCATION
Get direction to the Venue
Situated in the heart of downtown Chicago, the Gleacher Conference Center offers modern facilities overlooking the Chicago River.
Venue
Gleacher Conference Center
Address
450 Cityfront Plaza Dr, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
How to Get There:
- By Air: O’Hare (40–60 mins) or Midway (25–40 mins).
- By Train (CTA “L”): Grand (Red) or State/Lake (multiple lines), 10–15 mins walk.
- By Car/Taxi: Nearby parking and drop-off at entrance.
FAQ
What is the Chicago Private Capital Forum?
The Chicago Private Capital Forum is a one-day, boutique gathering convened to enable serious, off-the-record dialogue on governance, fiduciary responsibility, and long-term capital stewardship in private equity and private credit.
Who is the Forum designed for?
The Forum is designed for institutional allocators, senior GP leadership, academics, and select civic and industry stakeholders who are directly involved in decision-making, oversight, or research related to private capital.
Is the Forum open to the public?
No. Attendance is by invitation or approved request. Participation is intentionally limited to preserve the quality of discussion and peer-level exchange.
Who organizes the Forum?
The Forum is convened by Sky Expo Consulting, an independent advisory platform focused on LP-centric, non-commercial events at the intersection of capital allocation, governance, and institutional strategy.
What does “boutique” mean in this context?
Boutique refers to scale and intent. The Forum is deliberately small, carefully curated, and focused on substance, depth of discussion, and peer-level engagement rather than volume or promotion.
How is the program governed and protected?
The Forum’s agenda and tone are guided by an Advisory Committee composed of senior academics and experienced practitioners. The Advisory Committee provides strategic oversight to help ensure the program reflects fiduciary rigor, balance, and institutional integrity.
The Committee’s role is intentionally focused on safeguarding the intellectual quality of the Forum and maintaining a clear separation between editorial content and commercial considerations.
What role do commercial partners play in the Forum?
The Forum works with a limited number of commercial partners whose involvement is aligned with the Forum’s principles. Commercial partnerships are designed to provide appropriate visibility and opportunities for relationship-building with a carefully curated audience, without influencing the editorial content, speaker selection, or program structure.
All commercial partnerships are structured to preserve the Forum’s independence and LP-first orientation.
Are commercial partners permitted to sell or market their services?
ommercial partners may engage in business development and relationship-building outside the formal program sessions. However, sales activity, product presentations, or promotional messaging are not permitted within the Forum’s editorial program or on stage.
Participation in the program is clearly separated from commercial activity and does not affect speaker roles or session content.
For further details regarding visibility opportunities or partnership structures, please contact: events@
Is fundraising or capital solicitation permitted?
No. The Forum does not permit fundraising or capital solicitation activities.
Are discussions conducted under the Chatham House Rule?
Yes. All sessions are conducted under the Chatham House Rule to encourage candid, thoughtful, and open dialogue without attribution.
What topics does the Forum cover?
Topics focus on governance, fiduciary decision-making, risk oversight, operational discipline, and the evolving role of private markets within institutional portfolios. The emphasis is on long-term stewardship rather than short-term performance.
Are speakers paid or sponsored?
No. All speakers participate as independent thought contributors, not as sponsors or promoters. There are no paid speaking slots.
Is media participation permitted?
The Chicago Private Capital Forum is an invite-only, off-the-record event. Press are not admitted to closed sessions.
The Forum may designate limited on-record moments; any approved details are communicated in advance. Media partnerships provide visibility and editorial briefings, not access to closed discussions.
All participation is structured to preserve the Chatham House Rule and the integrity of candid, peer-level dialogue.
For full details, please see our Press & Media Policy.
Where and when does the Forum take place?
The Forum will take place on April 14, 2026, at the Gleacher Conference Center in Chicago.
How can I request an invitation?
You may request an invitation through the website.
Still Have Questions?
Have questions? please don’t hesitate to reach out with more. We’d love to hear from you.