Events Calendar

Luncheon at Briar Club

Topic: Countdown to the Fed Cut: Fireside Chat with JP Morgan's Fixed Income CIO Presentation Summary: The future of fixed income is anything but certain, with a number of pivotal events on the horizon. J.P. Morgan Asset Management’s Kay Herr will discuss the outlook for the economy, the implications that has for bond markets, and key risks to keep on the radar. She will also explore the role that fixed income plays in an overall portfolio and what a shift in monetary policy could mean for allocating to bonds. CFA Houston Director and Past President, Jun Gu, will moderate this fireside chat. Speaker Details: Kay Herr, managing director , is the U.S. Chief Investment Officer for the Global Fixed Income, Currency, and Commodities team, responsible for all fixed income investment strategies in the U.S. Prior to becoming the U.S. CIO, Kay was the Head of Research for the GFICC team. Kay returned to Fixed Income in 2019 after having spent the prior 17 years in Equity Research, as a portfolio manager, research analyst, and Associate Director of Global Developed Market Equity Research.  An employee since 1999, Kay was a credit research analyst for investment grade and high yield securities in U.S. Fixed Income before moving to U.S. Equity in 2002.  Kay is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and a member of the Investment Advisory Committee to the American Bankers Association. She holds a B.A. in economics from the University of Virginia, where she was an Echols Scholar, and an M.B.A. with distinction from New York University Stern School of Business. She is also a CFA charterholder.​ This presentation will give 1.0 of PL credit. Garage parking and valet parking are available. To avoid the meal fee, reach out to karina@amc-texas if you need to cancel your registration. Click MORE INFORMATION to register

Book Club at Post Oak Grill

It's time to embark on another thrilling literary journey as we dive into the compelling story of " Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber " by Mike Isaac. Isaac’s captivating narrative takes us inside the rise and tumultuous journey of Uber, from its inception in a small San Francisco garage to its emergence as a global transportation powerhouse. The book explores the intense battles over corporate culture, leadership challenges, and fierce competition in the ride-sharing industry. Through the lens of key players, including founder Travis Kalanick, Isaac unveils the complexities of ambition, innovation, and the ethical dilemmas faced by the company. Join us as we unpack this fascinating saga of disruption and transformation in the tech world. Happy reading, and see you at the book club meeting! This is a members only event! CFA Houston members, click MORE INFORMATION to register!

Luncheon at Brennan's

Topic: Commercial Real Estate - Investing after the Storm Presentation Summary: As private commercial real estate markets have gone through eight quarters of price degradation, we look forward to what comes next for the sector.  Speaker Details: Omar Thowfeek Senior Managing Director, Fund Management Hines Omar Thowfeek is Chief Operating Officer of Hines Global Income Trust, as well as Senior Managing Director of Fund Management at Hines. He leads the underwriting and capital deployment efforts for all real estate acquisitions and is responsible for the execution of Hines Global Income Trust’s business plans and operations, including real estate and debt investments and portfolio strategy. Omar joined the firm in 2014 and assumed responsibility for international acquisitions and portfolio management for Hines Global Income Trust in 2017. During his tenure at Hines, he has underwritten over $20 billion in global real estate across multiple asset classes throughout the U.S., Europe and Asia. In addition to his responsibilities at Hines, Omar participates as a guest lecturer at the University of Texas at Austin and Rice University, and previously held positions at IDI Gazely (Brookfield) and Kimco Realty Corporation where, among other responsibilities, he underwrote potential acquisitions across multiple product types throughout the United States. This presentation will give 1.0 of PL credit. Valet parking is available and will be covered by CFA Houston for all members and guests. To avoid the meal fee, reach out to karina@amc-texas if you need to cancel your registration. Click MORE INFORMATION to register

WIM - Social at Mutiny Wine Room

You won't want to miss the first WIM event of the 2024-2025 programming season! We will be chatting with author, Jamie Fiore Higgins, as she discusses her book " Bully Market: My Story of Money and Misogyny at Goldman Sachs".  Jamie Fiore Higgins became one of the few women at the highest ranks of Goldman Sachs. Spurred on by the obligation she felt to her working-class immigrant family, she rose through the ranks and saw it all: out-of-control, lavish parties flowing with never-ending drinks; affairs flouted in the office; rampant drug use; and most pervasively, a discriminatory culture that seemed designed to hold back the few women and people of color employed at the company.  Read more HERE This event will likely sell out, so don't wait to register! Valet parking is available and will be covered for CFA Houston members and guests. To avoid the meal fee, reach out to karina@amc-texas if you need to cancel your registration. Click MORE INFORMATION to register

Luncheon at Junior League

Topic: Cosmic Capital: Investing in Space Presentation Summary: Investors from SpaceFund, Balerion, and NewSpace provide insights into a rapidly evolving industry with deep Houston roots. Speaker Details: Meagan Murphy Crawford Founder and Managing Partner SpaceFund An entrepreneur, business educator, space industry pioneer, experienced executive, and investor, Meagan co-founded the world’s longest-running space business plan competition, and has taught, coached, and advised hundreds of space startups through their earliest stages – including some of the current generation of successful companies. A leading advocate for women in space, she is also the host of the “Mission Eve” podcast. Meagan is a strong believer in the power of free enterprise as the driving force that will lift humanity permanently off-world. She is a co-founder and managing partner of SpaceFund, a venture capital firm investing in space startups. She also sits on the board of directors of over a dozen organizations, including both space companies and nonprofits. Meagan is a leading voice in the entrepreneurial space industry and an experienced startup executive and founder, with multiple exits under her belt. She is the host of the Mission Eve podcast that aims to increase the number of women in the space industry and is frequently featured by news media and academia as a thought leader on the industry’s development and investment potential. She holds an MBA in Entrepreneurship and Finance from Rice University, as well as a BBA in Management, Marketing, and Supply Chain Logistics from the University of Houston, Downtown. She is a mother to two adult humans, three dogs, and two cats, and has homes in Houston and Las Vegas. Phil Scully Co-Founder and General Partner Balerion Space Ventures Phil co-founded Balerion Space Ventures in 2022 and is a general partner. Prior to Balerion, he was the co-founder and general partner at Explorer 1 Fund, LLP. Prior to that, he was an equity analyst at DA Capital (Goldman Sachs Asset Management), worked in the investment group at The Capital Group Companies, and was an investment banking associate at Credit Suisse Securities. He is a graduate of Georgetown University (MBA) and Kenyon College (BA). Bogdan Gogulan CEO and Managing Partner NewSpace Capital   Bogdan Gogulan has 20 years of experience in finance, product and business development. Before initiating NewSpace Capital, he had accumulated a unique combination of cross-border experience in communication, security and defence industries.  He served as VP of international operations and business development for AT Communication (Switzerland), Defendec (Baltics) and Katmerciler (Turkey), managing breakthrough projects for security and defence agencies in the Middle East and Central Asia. For years, he managed alignment and cooperation with UN agencies (BOMCA/UNDP, BOMNAF, UNODC, UNHCR, IOM) and security organisations (NATO, OSCE, ISAF). Prior to that, Bogdan worked for American Express (USA, UK) and Deutsche Bank (UK). As global sales development Program Manager and Head of Industry Analytics at American Express he was responsible for global partnerships development with top tier clients.    Since 2010, Bogdan has been actively involved with UN Alliance of Civilization’s (UNAOC) participating as an OYW Ambassador in the UN Sustainable Development Goals’ initiative. This presentation will give 1.0 of PL credit. Complimentary garage parking is available for all CFA Houston for all members and guests. To avoid the meal fee, reach out to karina@amc-texas if you need to cancel your registration. Click MORE INFORMATION to register

Luncheon at Brennan's

Topic: Investment & Market Outlook for the Current Period Presentation Summary: Upon completion of this session, participants will be able to: 1.       Understand current economic and investment trends. 2.       Identify the themes and potential risks. 3.       What to do and watch for in the latter half of the year and into 2025. Attendees will learn: 1.       Economic and Investment Observations 2.       Market Outlook for rest of 2024 and into 2025 3.       Opportunities and Risks 4.       What to do? Speaker Details: ROBERT C. DOLL, CFA® Chief Executive Officer/Chief Investment Officer Bob joined Crossmark in May 2021 as Chief Investment Officer (CIO) and assumed the additional role of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in January 2024. Bob provides strategy for the firm, oversees the management team, guides the investment teams at Crossmark and also serves as portfolio manager for multiple Crossmark large-cap strategies. He utilizes his more than 40 years of industry experience and expertise to provide weekly and quarterly investment commentaries, as well as annual market predictions. Bob is a regular guest and contributor to multiple media outlets such as Bloomberg TV, Fox Business News, CNBC and Faith & Finance Live Radio. Prior to arriving at Crossmark, he held the roles of Senior Portfolio Manager and Chief Equity Strategist at Nuveen (2012-2021) and Blackrock (2006-2012), President and Chief Investment Officer at Merrill Lynch Investment Managers (1999-2006), and Chief Investment Officer at Oppenheimer Funds, Inc. (1987-1999). Bob graduated from Lehigh University with a B.S. in Accounting and a B.A. in Economics. He later went on to earn an M.B.A. from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®) designation, as well as the FINRA Series 7 and 63 securities licenses. Bob dedicates his time as choir director at his local church and also serves or has served on a number of boards including the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals, Cairn University, Christianity Today, Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary, Kingdom Advisors, The Lausanne Movement, Movement.org, National Christian Foundation, New Cannan Society, Princeton Healthcare System, and Word of Life Fellowship. Bob and his wife Leslie currently reside in Princeton, New Jersey and have three children and one grandchild. This presentation will give 1.0 of PL credit. Valet parking is available and will be covered by CFA Houston for all members and guests. To avoid the meal fee, reach out to karina@amc-texas if you need to cancel your registration. Click MORE INFORMATION to register

Luncheon at Brennan's

Topic: State of the Secondaries Market Presentation Summary: We will discuss the secondaries market, how institutional investors are taking advantage of the investment opportunity and a macro review of the secondaries environment.    Speaker Details: Eric Anton Managing Director, Secondary and Portfolio Finance Eric is a Managing Director in the Secondary and Portfolio Finance team where he is responsible for sourcing, evaluating and executing transactions in North America. He joined AlpInvest in 2011 from Jefferies, where he was an Investment Banking Analyst. Prior to Jefferies, Eric was with B.C. Ziegler and Company where he focused on mergers and acquisitions. Eric received a B.A. from Colgate University. Nathan Mazzapica  Managing Director, iCapital Network Mr. Mazzapica started with iCapital Network on May 20 th and covers the Southwest territory as a regional director; working with RIAs, Family Offices, Independent Broker Dealers and Ultra High Net Worth Investors. Before iCapital, Mr. Mazzapica was with Axcelus Financial (formerly Lombard International) the global leader in Private Placement Life Insurance and Private Placement Variable Annuities. Before Axcelus, he was a managing director at Republic Capital Group, one the nation’s leading RIA investment banking management firms. Mr. Mazzapica started his financial services career at Salient Partners, a $17B RIA located in Houston, TX. When Mr. Mazzapica is not serving his clients, he enjoys spending time with his wife Megan, son Judah, and volunteering at Houston’s First Baptist Church.   Kunal Shah Managing Director, Head of Private Market Solutions, Co-Head of Research iCapital Kunal is Managing Director and Head of Private Market Solutions, Co-Head of Research at iCapital, focused on the identification, selection and due diligence of private equity funds to be offered on the Flagship Platform. Previously, Kunal was a Principal in the private markets group at Meketa Investment Group, a leading global investment consultant serving pensions funds, endowments and foundations, and family offices.   In that role, Kunal was responsible for leading and managing private equity fund investments. He joined Meketa in 2006 and invested globally, covering buyouts, venture capital, private debt, natural resources, and infrastructure investments. He also developed and led Meketa’s secondary funds purchase practice. Kunal has also served on various limited partners advisory boards. Prior to Meketa, Kunal was an analyst at The Vanguard Group. He received a BS in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from Drexel University.   This presentation will give 1.0 of PL credit. Valet parking is available and will be covered by CFA Houston for all members & guests. To avoid the meal fee, reach out to karina@amc-texas if you need to cancel your registration. Click MORE INFORMATION to register

Fall Social at Pinstripes

Join us for our fall social! Let's bowl, let's bowl, let's rock and roll! Don't love to bowl...join us anyways for a fun night with your CFA friends. Bowlers and non bowlers welcome! We will have light bites and drinks at Pinstripes with CFA Houston  members and guests. Parking Instructions: Kirby Collection Parking Garage 2600 Colquitt St. Houston, TX 77098 Your parking will be validated for self-parking. Upon entrance, enter your phone number at the kiosk - this will be your ticket number. Take the ramp up to the second floor and park anywhere there is not a “Reserved” sign. Find the blue wall that says “Elevator and Retail”, take the elevators down to the 1st floor and enter through our main entrance on Kirby Street. When you arrive, your host will give you a parking validation, hold onto this until you leave. Upon exit, you will enter your phone number and scan the validation barcode. CFA Houston members and guests, click MORE INFORMATION to register!

Luncheon at Brennan's

Topic: A Case for Private Infrastructure Presentation Summary: Join Hrishi Balaji, Portfolio Manager on the Brookfield Infrastructure Income Strategy, to discover the three main themes we believe will continue to drive significant investment opportunity for decades to come: Digitalization, Decarbonization and Deglobalization. Hrishi will share his thoughts on: ·     The benefits of private infrastructure, ·     Key market trends, and ·     Why advisors should be allocating to it this year Speaker Details: Hrishi Balaji, CFA Director, Portfolio Manager Brookfield Oaktree Wealth Solutions Hrishikesh Balaji is a Director in Brookfield’s Infrastructure Group and is responsible for portfolio management initiatives for the Brookfield Infrastructure Income fund including asset allocation and portfolio construction, with a particular focus on equity acquisitions. Prior to this role, Mr. Balaji was responsible for investor relations, capital raising, co-investments, and other strategic initiatives for Brookfield’s private infrastructure funds. Prior to Brookfield, Mr. Balaji worked in the assurance practice at Ernst & Young LLP. Mr. Balaji holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Ivey Business School at Western University, is a Chartered Professional Accountant and a CFA Charterholder. This presentation will give 1.0 of PL credit. Valet parking is available and will be covered by CFA Houston for all members and guests. To avoid the meal fee, reach out to karina@amc-texas if you need to cancel your registration. Click MORE INFORMATION to register

ZOOM Webinar

Topic: Summary: Speaker: Ben Durrant, CFA Investment Manager Baillie Gifford Ben is an investment manager in the Emerging Markets Equity Team. He has managed the Pacific Fund since 2021 and became deputy manager of the Pacific Horizon Investment Trust in 2023. He joined Baillie Gifford in 2017, and has also worked in our UK, Global Discovery and Private Companies equity teams. Prior to joining the firm, he worked for RBS in their Group Strategy and Corporate Finance Team. Ben is a Chartered Accountant and a CFA Charterholder, and graduated BSc (Hons) in mathematics from the University of Edinburgh in 2012.

WIM - Social at Caracol

Join us for a WIM social! Heavy apps and delicious cocktails will be shared while you chat and catch up with your CFA Houston colleagues. To avoid the meal fee, reach out to karina@amc-texas if you need to cancel your registration. Click MORE INFORMATION to register

Luncheon at Briar Club

Topic: Presentation Summary: Speaker Details: This presentation will give 1.0 of PL credit. Garage parking and valet parking are available. To avoid the meal fee, reach out to karina@amc-texas if you need to cancel your registration. Click MORE INFORMATION to register

Book Club at TBD

Book details coming soon. This is a members only event! CFA Houston members, click MORE INFORMATION to register!

Charter Dinner

Join us for our very special Charter Dinner to recognize our 2024 charterholders! This event is open to everyone that wants to help us honor and celebrate our new charterholders from 2024. New 2024 charterholders are invited to bring ONE guest free of charge to help celebrate the big accomplishment! About the speaker: If you are a RETURNING charterholder (you did NOT earn your charter in 2024 ) , please register using this link    If you are a NEW charterholder (you earned your charter in 2024), please register using this link   Remember, you must cancel your registration 24 hours before the event in order to avoid a no show fee. Reach out to [email protected]. Click on MORE INFORMATION to register!

Luncheon at Briar Club

Topic: Presentation Summary: Speaker Details: This presentation will give 1.0 of PL credit. Garage parking and valet parking are available. To avoid the meal fee, reach out to karina@amc-texas if you need to cancel your registration. Click MORE INFORMATION to register

Texas Hold 'Em Tournament

Join us for our final event of the 2024 programming year! We will have dinner and drinks at Maggiano's Post Oak with CFA Houston  members and guests. CFA Houston members and guests, click MORE INFORMATION to register!