The GCM Grosvenor Small and Emerging Managers (SEM) Conference hosted more than 800 attendees in Chicago – the most ever for this annual event. The conference brought together a wide range of professionals specializing in private equity, hedge funds, real estate, infrastructure and real assets, with a focus on issues faced by alternative investors in the small, diverse and emerging manager space.

Over the years, the SEM Conference has evolved with the investing landscape, featuring distinguished keynote speakers and spirited discussions in cities across the U.S. This year, GCM Grosvenor welcomed President Barack Obama as keynote speaker.

The program kicked-off with a proprietary and holistic presentation for investors in attendance on the current state of the emerging manager market. The 2017 conference also offered expanded networking opportunities, including a Women’s Tea program for over 150 industry colleagues, highlighting the findings of Lean In’s 2017 Women in the Workplace report.

About the SEM Conference

One of the longest-running events of its kind, the SEM Conference aims to raise the visibility of small, emerging and diverse investment managers, while encouraging institutional investors to pursue inclusive investments. The event has helped forge long-lasting relationships by facilitating connections between managers and investors in a welcoming community of talented industry colleagues.

Attendance has nearly tripled since the first SEM Conference in 2007, as more investors and managers recognize the impact that small, emerging and diverse managers may have on portfolios.