NYC Private Debt Summit: Panels and Structured Networking (IN-PERSON)
February 19 2025, 1:00 PM - 7:00 PM EST Ice Miller LLP, 1500 Broadway, Suite 2900, New York City, NY, 10036
Sponsors
Moderators




Christopher Bordoni is a partner in the firm’s Business Group and is based in New York. Chris primarily focuses his practice on advising institutional lenders, private credit funds, sponsors and corporate borrowers on a wide range of transactions, including leveraged buyouts, leveraged recapitalizations, liquidity lines, equipment leases, and other debt financings throughout the capital structure. Chris has extensive experience representing small business investment companies (SBICs) in connection with debt and equity related financings.
Chris also routinely counsels clients on complex intercreditor arrangements, agreements among lenders (AALs), forbearance arrangements and out-of-court restructurings.
Clients appreciate Chris’ deal driven approach, focusing on current market terms to achieve the best and most efficient results.
Prior to joining Ice Miller, Chris practiced in the business and finance groups of AMLaw 200 firms in New York.

I am leader sales for the New York Metro Region for Lydonia Technologies. My background is in financial services and technology.

Krista is a financial reporter currently covering private credit at LevFin Insights where she focuses on direct lending, fundraising, business development companies and secondaries. Previously she has covered the broadly syndicated loan market including new issues and secondary trading for both Bloomberg News and Standard & Poor’s LCD. She has more than 20 years of experience covering the two markets both in the US and London.
Panelists





Aaron Kless is the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer of Andalusian Credit Partners. He also serves as Chief Executive Officer of Andalusian Credit Company (“ACC”).
Prior to joining Andalusian, Mr. Kless was Head of Non-Sponsor Direct Lending at Apollo Global Management. He has also held tenures as Managing Director in the U.S. Private Capital Group at BlackRock and Senior Principal in the Global Private Equity Group at Merrill Lynch & Co. Previously, he was an Associate at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett.
Mr. Kless graduated with Honors from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with B.A. degrees in Political Science and U.S. History and received his JD with Highest Honors from the George Washington University School of Law.

Ben Brachot is the Co-Founder and Managing Director of Dwight Funding (“Dwight”), the premier non-bank credit provider for industry-leading businesses in eCommerce, consumer products, SaaS, and more. Known for its deeply experienced team, proprietary technology, and streamlined asset-based lending framework, Dwight offers a no-compromise path to working capital that supports the fast pace and aggressive growth objectives of founders today.
Dwight's flexible lines of credit and term loans range from $1MM-$15MM and are secured by assets including Accounts Receivables, Inventory, and Fixed Assets. Designed to deliver quick turnarounds and total transparency, Dwight has a proven track record of success supporting high-growth companies from inception through to maturity or exit.

Carl is a seasoned finance and credit professional with over 20 years of experience partnering with middle market companies. Currently, Carl is a Senior Vice President and Co-Head of SBIC Investments at BHI, where he originates and executes financing solutions to sponsor backed and non-sponsor backed middle market companies across various industries with a focus on the Food & Beverage industry.

Jarrod is a Partner and Co-Vice Chair of Ice Miller LLP's Government Affairs and Regulatory Law Group. In this capacity, Jarrod co-leads the firm's governmental and regulatory affairs practice representing a diverse cross-section of public, private, and civic sector clients as they navigate legal, policy, and regulatory issues at all levels of government.





John Lee manages Griffin’s Commercial, Industrial and Services Group. He has over 25 years of
experience providing merger and acquisition advisory services, private placements of debt and
equity capital, and management buyout advisory services for middle market companies in a wide
range of industries. His experience includes sourcing, initiating or managing numerous investment
banking transactions for middle market business and government services, consumer and industrial
manufacturing, distribution, and technology companies.
Prior to joining Griffin, John was a Principal with Horizon Partners Ltd., a private equity investment company
that acquires middle market companies in leveraged buyout transactions. Previously he served as a
Director with the investment banking arm of Berwind Financial Group, L.P. He has been a featured speaker
or co-chair at numerous conferences on mergers and acquisitions and corporate finance.
John is a past-President and actively involved in the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG),
Philadelphia Chapter.

Joseph joined Configure Partners from the Middle Market Special Situations practice at Guggenheim Securities. Prior to joining Guggenheim, he was part of the Global Finance and Restructuring Group at Barclays Capital in New York.
Joseph has focused his career on providing advisory services to middle market companies as it relates to financings, mergers and acquisitions, and restructurings. Joseph graduated with a B.S. in Construction Science and Management from Clemson University and with an MBA from the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School. He is a FINRA General Securities Representative (Series 63, 79), and holds the Certified Insolvency and Restructuring Advisor (CIRA) and the Certification in Distressed Business Valuation (CDBV) designations.
Recently, Joseph was recognized by the M&A Advisor as a recipient of the 2017 Emerging Leaders Award. Joseph resides in the Morningside area of Atlanta with his wife and three children.

Ravi has 25+ years of experience across asset management & trading, with a focus on investing across Credit, Fixed Income and derivative products within Hedge Fund and investment banking. Ravi ran sales/trading desk focusing on Structured credit and was instrumental in launching new products such as ABX tranches and CDX options for Cantor’s and CreditEx before joining Jean Martin as a managing partner. He launched the JMI.AI subsidiary for Jean Martin and has built a team of 150+ employees. Ravi earned Bachelor’s of Commerce from University of Toronto and did his undergrad in Math.

Ms. Sweta Chanda is a Managing Director, Head of Business Strategy of Monroe Capital. She is responsible for firmwide strategy, product and corporate development, and new initiatives to expand Monroe’s global footprint. Ms. Chanda has over 15 years of experience in asset management and has achieved business growth through strategic stewardship, new product development and sourcing of M&A opportunities. Prior to Monroe, Ms. Chanda was a Director at New York Life Investment Management (NYLIM) within the Strategy and M&A team responsible for heading alternative investment strategy, where she helped launch a European Opportunistic Credit Fund, European CLO platform, GP Stakes Fund, and a Social Impact Fund amongst other strategic business development and growth opportunities for NYLIM. Prior to NYLIM, she was a Vice President at Blackstone, where she led initiatives related to cross platform mandates, relationship management, and operations across the firm’s Hedge Fund Solutions platform. Prior to Blackstone, she was an Assistant Vice President at Lehman Brothers in the Business Process Alignment Group working on strategy and process alignment for the investment banking division, and a Client Relations Associate, Management Consultant at Starpoint Solutions. Ms. Chanda earned her B.S. in TXA Management and Foundations in Business Administration from The University of Texas at Austin.

An Innovative solutions-driven leader of technology operations with over 26 years of extensive experience. Currently the Chief Executive Officer at CyberSecOp focused on articulating the complexities of cybersecurity to board of directors, executive management teams, and other key stakeholders with the goal of achieving consensus on strategy, execution, and operations of the firm’s cyber-security programs. Founded, developed and sold multiple technology organizations.

N.a
Agenda
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About
Opus Connect warmly invites you to the first day of our expanded Private Debt Summit, a day rich in insights and networking opportunities. Dive deep into the private debt domain with an array of engaging panel discussions featuring top-tier private lenders and M&A professionals, hosted in New York City at Ice Miller LLP.
This in-person event will explore the latest trends and innovations in the lending landscape, offering unparalleled opportunities to learn from industry leaders and connect with peers. The day concludes with an evening cocktail reception, ensuring plenty of time to foster meaningful relationships..
Day 1 Exclusives:
- Insightful Panels: Engage with leading experts during our sessions, each focused on a different aspect of private debt. Topics to be announced soon.
- Networking Opportunities: Between sessions, enjoy dedicated networking breaks, including a final evening cocktail reception, allowing you to connect with peers and speakers in a relaxed setting.
Schedule:
February 19: Panels & Networking
- 1:00 - 1:30 PM: Check-in for Summit
- 1:30 - 2:30 PM: Panel 1 - Macro-Economic Insights: Political Influences, 2025 Regulatory Updates, and Market Outlook
- 2:30 - 3:00 PM: Networking Break
- 3:00 - 4:00 PM: Panel 2 - How to Ensure Positive ROI with Artificial Intelligence
- 4:00 - 4:30 PM: Networking Break
- 4:30 - 5:30 PM: Panel 3 - Navigating LP Pressure and Market Dynamics Amid M&A Shortage: What it Means for Private Credit
- 5:30 - 7:00 PM: Cocktail Reception
February 20: Deal Connect (1:1 Meetings)
- 9:00 AM: Check-in
- 9:30 AM - 12:00 PM: Deal Connect Meetings
- 12:00 - 1:00 PM: Networking Lunch
- 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM: Deal Connect Meetings Continued
Panel Summaries and Speakers Information:
Panel 1: Macro-Economic Insights: Political Influences, 2025 Regulatory Updates, and Market Outlook
The macroeconomic landscape is constantly shifting, influenced by political decisions, regulatory updates, and market trends. As we move into 2025, private debt professionals must stay ahead of the curve to understand how these factors will shape the industry. This panel will provide insights into the broader economic environment, including regulatory changes, geopolitical trends, and their implications for private credit.
Moderator: Chris Bordoni, Partner at Ice Miller LLP
Panelists:
Carl Tiu, SVP & Co-Head of SBIC Investments at BHI
Jarrod Loadholt, Partner at Ice Miller LLP
John Lee, Senior Managing Director at Griffin Financial
Ben Brachot, Co-Founder & Managing Director at Dwight Funding
Panel 2: How to Ensure Positive ROI with Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a transformative force across industries, offering innovative solutions for efficiency, risk management, and decision-making. However, the challenge lies in effectively implementing AI strategies that yield measurable financial returns. This panel will explore the intersection of AI and private debt, focusing on practical strategies to ensure a positive Return on Investment (ROI).
Moderator: David Arturi, NYM Regional Leader at Lydonia Technologies
Panelists:
Ravi Juneja, Managing Partner at JMI AI
Vincent LaRocca, CEO at CyberSecOp
Vinny LaRocca Jr., Senior Director of Engineering at Lydonia Technologies
Panel 3: Navigating LP Pressure and Market Dynamics Amid M&A Shortage: What it Means for Private Credit
Private equity firms face mounting pressure from LPs to deliver distributions, as extended hold periods for high-valuation assets bought in 2021-22 weigh on returns. With interest rates potentially easing in 2025 and the expectation that M&A will pick up, what is in store for private credit lenders? Will lower borrowing costs and a rebalancing of valuations fuel an M&A recovery?
Meanwhile, the add-on acquisition boom of 2024—driven by subdued M&A activity and financed vastly via the private credit market—raises the question: will it continue, or will market dynamics shift?
This panel brings together industry experts to discuss the implications of changing rates on dealmaking, the sustainability of add-ons, and strategies for winning deal mandates in a competitive market in need of differentiated opportunities. Gain key insights into how private credit is dealing with a crowded lending backdrop due to new entrants in the market and how direct lenders are preparing for what’s next.
Moderator: Krista Giovacco, Senior Reporter at LevFin Insights
Panelists:
Joseph Weissglass, Managing Director at Configure Partners
Sweta Chanda, Managing Director & Head of Business Strategy at Monroe Capital
Aaron Kless, CEO and CIO at Andalusian Credit Partners
**Registration includes day 1 access only.
Pricing (day 1 access only)
- Members: complimentary
- Non-Members (on or before Feb. 14th): $300
- Non-Members (on or after Feb. 15th): $450
By Invitation Only
Opus Connect is a membership-based organization.
If you have any queries, please contact atul@opusconnect.com
*Opus Connect adheres to a strict no cancellations, no refunds, no application of registration fees to future events policy.
Qualified substitutions are accepted. To send a substitute, please notify atul@opusconnect.com
**Opus Connect reserves the right to refuse entry to prospective attendees
at
1:00 PM EST
Ice Miller LLP
1500 Broadway
Suite 2900
New York City, NY, 10036