Circulus Spring Summit 2026
Join us for a full day of top speakers in New York on June 16th!
The Circulus Family Office Spring Summit is on June 16th in midtown NY.
Keynote Spotlight
Michael Fisch, Founder and CEO of American Securities, a $23 billion private equity firm originating from the Rosenwald family office, will be the keynote speaker. Mike was a popular guest on Private Capital and will be joining us live to share his remarkable story and offer his unique perspective. American Securities is a real operators firm that actively seeks out market leaders. Mike will discuss the current state of private equity, the challenges of manufacturing growth and overcoming bottlenecks, and their innovative resource group that enhances efficiencies within their underlying companies. We are delighted to have him as a speaker.
Special Conversation: Former ABC News and Bloomberg Anchor Deirdre Bolton leads a conversation with one of today’s leading multi-strategy managers, Curtis Arledge. Curtis is Chairman and CEO of Mariner Investment Group and one of the most respected leaders in the institutional investment industry. Over the course of his career, Curtis has held senior leadership roles at BlackRock, where he served as CIO for fundamental fixed income, and at BNY Mellon Investment Management, where he was CEO and led the firm’s Markets Group. With decades of experience navigating global markets, building investment platforms, and leading complex organizations, Curtis brings a unique perspective on investing, leadership, and the future of asset management.
Circulus Group is committed to building the largest family office network globally. We bring together industry leaders, subject matter experts, professionals and family members from the family office world to create an engaging and dynamic event that offers valuable insights, fosters enduring relationships, and inspires attendees.
This will be a full-day event with over 65 single family offices and panels covering the global macro picture, private credit, operational excellence in the family office as well as our stellar speakers!
Single family offices can apply to attend:
Special thanks to our friends at Mintz for hosting the event and to all of our valued partners.
Agenda
8:00 a.m. | Registration and Breakfast
8:45 a.m. | Welcome: Joe Reilly, head of Circulus Group, and Daniel DeWolf, Chair of Mintz’s Technology Practice Group and Co-chair of the firm’s Venture Capital & Emerging Companies Practice Group
Welcome to the Circulus Summit, a gathering designed to inspire, connect, and strengthen the family office community. This event features a carefully curated lineup of speakers, offering exclusive insights into private markets, alternatives, and family office operations. You should leave equipped to make informed decisions that preserve and grow wealth across generations.
9:00 a.m. | Special Conversation: Curtis Arledge, Chairman and CEO of Mariner Investment Group, interviewed by Deidre Bolton, Partner, Head of Executive Development at Prosek Partners.
Former ABC News and Bloomberg Anchor Deirdre Bolton leads a conversation with one of today’s leading multi-strategy managers, Curtis Arledge. Curtis is Chairman and CEO of Mariner and one of the most respected leaders in the institutional investment industry. Over the course of his career, Curtis has held senior leadership roles at BlackRock, where he served as CIO for fundamental fixed income, and at BNY Mellon Investment Management, where he was CEO and led the firm’s Markets Group. With decades of experience navigating global markets, building investment platforms, and leading complex organizations, Curtis brings a unique perspective on investing, leadership, and the future of asset management.
9:55 a.m. | Navigating Global Turbulence - Sidney Ahl, CIO Private Client, Endowments & Foundations at Brown Advisory, Rebecca Babin, Senior Energy Trader at CIBC and Ana Arsov, Family Office Executive. Moderated by Ilka Gregory, Family Office Executive.
Global markets are transforming due to deglobalization, decoupling, fiscal realignment, energy shocks, and demographic shifts. With central banks on divergent paths, evolving trade dynamics, and geopolitical conflict, leading macro strategists unpack the forces reshaping interest rates, currencies, commodities, and global growth. This high-impact panel offers actionable insights for investors seeking to navigate today’s complex landscape and position portfolios for resilience and opportunity in a new macro regime.
10:45 a.m. | Break
11:00 a.m. | Special Guest Speaker
12:00 p.m. | Lunch
1:05 p.m. | Sports Investing - Chris Heller, CEO of Cordillera Investment Partners, Sophia Mullen, President of EnTrust Global, and Kimberly Smith, Chief Capital Formation Officer at Andalusian Credit Partners. Moderated by Jon Schwartz, Managing Director and Head of Sports at Prosek Partners.
As capital continues to expand beyond traditional markets, sports investing has emerged as an enticing and rapidly institutionalizing opportunity. This dedicated panel will bring together leading investors to explore how family offices are accessing value across various aspects of the sports industry, including franchises, media rights, infrastructure, and adjacent ecosystems like niche sports. The discussion will delve into both the opportunities and the structural complexities of this dynamic space. Chris Heller, a Private Capital podcast guest renowned for his expertise in identifying uncorrelated assets, will also be joining us.
2:00 p.m. | The Tax Playbook - Jeffay Chang, Northeast Regional Fiduciary Manager at BNY, Jared Feldman, Practice Leader of the Private Client Group at Anchin, and Scott Weaver, General Counsel and Chief Fiduciary Officer at Willow Street. Moderated by Frazer Rice, Director of Family Office Services for Next Capital Management and host of the Wealth, Actually podcast.
Join leading advisors and industry experts for a timely discussion on the evolving tax and structuring issues impacting family offices and ultra-high-net-worth families. This panel will explore the implications of potential legislative extensions and changing tax policy priorities, the increasingly complex residency considerations involving New York, Florida, and California, and the strategic use of Private Trust Companies in governance and wealth transfer planning. Panelists will also examine practical approaches to generating tax alpha through proactive structuring, investment, and planning strategies.
2:55 p.m. | Break
3:15 p.m. | Afternoon Keynote: Michael Fisch, CEO, American Securities interviewed by Joe Reilly, Head of Circulus Group.
Michael Fisch, a founder and CEO of American Securities, a $23 billion private equity firm originating from the Rosenwald family office, will be the keynote speaker. Mike was a popular guest on Private Capital and will be joining us live to share his remarkable story and offer his unique perspective. American Securities is a real operators firm that actively seeks out market leaders. Mike will discuss the current state of private equity, the challenges of manufacturing growth and overcoming bottlenecks, and their innovative resource group that enhances efficiencies within their underlying companies.
4:15 p.m. | Future of Venture Capital. Charlie Federman, SilverTech Ventures, Jay Leek, SYN Ventures, and Jeffrey Smith, SIP Capital. Moderated by Daniel DeWolf, Chair of Mintz’s Technology Practice Group and Co-chair of the firm’s Venture Capital & Emerging Companies Practice Group
The panel will explore where leading investors are finding opportunity across sectors including cybersecurity, enterprise technology, AI, and digital infrastructure, as well as how founders and investors are navigating today’s capital markets environment. Panelists will share perspectives on sourcing differentiated investments, scaling high-growth companies, and the changing relationship between venture capital, strategic investors, and institutional capital.
5:00 p.m. | Networking and Cocktail Reception
New Podcast: Laurence Russian of ABS Global Investments
Today, we are joined by Laurence Russian, a Founding Partner at ABS Global Investments, which manages more than $12 billion in assets. Laurence’s career began at the legendary Brazilian investment bank Banco Garantia, the predecessor to 3G Capital. After a tenure at Credit Suisse, Laurence and his partners struck out on their own in 2002 to build a firm that prioritizes specialist expertise over generalist breadth.
In this episode, we trace the 22-year evolution of ABS into a data-driven powerhouse managing billions for some of the world’s largest pension plans. While many firms rely on off-the-shelf data, Laurence and his team built their own ecosystem to track specialists in everything from Taiwanese semiconductors to Middle Eastern fintech.
Today, we dive into the convergence of public and private markets, exploring why ABS is taking significant stakes in late-stage giants like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Cerebras. We discuss the “Goldman Sachs of Brazil” influence, the art of firing managers, and why local boots on the ground are the only way to find true alpha in emerging markets.
Please enjoy my conversation with Laurence Russian.
Laurence Russian is a Founding Partner and Portfolio Manager at ABS Global Investments. He is a member of the firm’s Management Committee and Operating Committee. Prior to co-founding ABS, Mr. Russian was a Director in the Alternative Investments Group at Credit Suisse Asset Management. He joined the firm in 1998 following Credit Suisse Group’s acquisition of Garantia.
Mr. Russian joined Banco de Investimentos Garantia in 1994 to help build the firm’s alternative asset management business. He began his career in 1993 at Scudder, Stevens & Clark.
He holds a BA in Economics from Ohio Wesleyan University and an MBA in Finance from New York University Stern School of Business. He is also a CFA charterholder.
ABS Global Investments: https://www.absinv.com/
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NOTE: This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Anything said by the guests or host should not be construed as legal or investment advice. Thanks for listening.
See you in June!