Lawrence Calcano, CEO of iCapital, began his path to finance with a surprising fork in the road, a theater audition on the very same day as his Morgan Stanley interview. That moment set the stage for a remarkable career shaped by both creativity and strategy.
Lawrence discovered that the same skills that bring a story to life on stage are just as essential in building successful teams and businesses. From helping to build Goldman Sachs’ East Coast Tech Group in the early 1990s when the internet was a “fire hose” of innovation to witnessing the highs of the Netscape IPO and the lessons of the dot-com collapse, Lawrence has had a front-row seat to the evolution of technology and capital markets.
Now, as the leader of iCapital, he shares how the firm has invested over $700 million in technology to tackle one of wealth management’s biggest challenges: expanding access to alternative investments for high-net-worth investors. Calcano opens up about the early skepticism from fund managers, the “chicken-and-egg” dynamics of building a two-sided marketplace, and how a relentless focus on education, access, and automation helped iCapital reshape the industry.
Lawrence Calcano is the Chairman and CEO of iCapital, the world’s alternative investment marketplace. Since 2013, he has led the strategic vision and guidance that has defined iCapital as a leading financial technology provider iCapital now services more than $270 billion in client assets on the platform across more than 1,760 funds and 106,000 underlying accounts and has 16 offices worldwide Lawrence has appeared on the Forbes Midas List five times.
Prior to joining iCapital, Lawrence was a partner and managing director at Goldman, Sachs & Co. for over seventeen years, including serving as the co-head of the Global Technology Banking Group within the Investment Banking Division. He was responsible for all aspects of technology financing for the internet, digital & e-commerce, software, services & hardware client businesses. He began his career at Morgan Stanley.
Outside of technology, Lawrence’s other passion is mental health & wellbeing, and this has led him to serve as a director of Vibrant Emotional Health (formerly the Mental Health Association of NY) for more than 10 years.
Lawrence received a BA from the College of the Holy Cross and graduated from the Amos Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College as a Tuck Scholar.
Please enjoy my interview with Lawrence Calcano.
iCapital website: https://icapital.com
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.
The Circulus Family Office Fall Summit is on November 20th in downtown NY.
Mitch Julis, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of the legendary Canyon Partners will be joining us for a fireside chat. Mitch has an amazing story, with deep insights into the complexity of business and the secrets of Canyon’s success.
We are also very pleased to have Jennifer Prosek, Founder and Managing Partner of Prosek Partners (a former podcast guest), lead a conversation with Jose Minaya, Global Head of BNY Investments and Wealth, and Ken Kencel, CEO and President of Churchill Asset Management (also a former Private Capital Podcast guest).
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 below.
Special thanks to our friends at BNY 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 Girish Massand, Institutional Solutions Strategist at BNY Advisors.
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: José Minaya, BNY Global Head of Investments and Wealth, and Ken Kencel, CEO of Churchill Asset Management, moderated by Jennifer Prosek, Founder of Prosek Partners.
Jennifer Prosek, one of the top financial communicators in the world, leads a conversation with two of the industry’s most respected leaders, José Minaya and Ken Kencel, to discuss the next phase of private market evolution.
Together, they will explore how leading firms are deploying capital amid macroeconomic uncertainty and the growing influence of private credit. The discussion will also delve into leadership in times of transformation and how culture, innovation, and partnership can sustain performance across market cycles.
10:00 a.m. | Global Macro at a Crossroads: Strategies for a Shifting Economic Order with Aaron Kless, CEO and CIO at Andalusian Credit Partners, and Michael McGowan, Managing Director at Pathstone, moderated by Frazer Rice, Wealth Actually Podcast Host.
Global markets are transforming due to deglobalization, decoupling, fiscal realignment, energy transition, and demographic shifts. With central banks on divergent paths, evolving trade dynamics, and election-driven uncertainty, 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.
11:00 a.m. | Break
11:15 a.m. Fireside Chat with Mitch Julis, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Canyon Partners.
In this intimate conversation, Mitch Julis shares insights on today’s key macro and market dynamics such as distressed and special situations to the growing role of private credit and structured opportunities. Drawing on decades leading Canyon Partners, he discusses risk, capital preservation, and innovation amid challenge and change, while reflecting on the leadership principles and long-term values that have guided him through multiple market cycles.
12:15 p.m. | Networking Lunch - Take a break, recharge, and meet the Circulus community.
1:15 p.m. | Navigating the New Market Regime: Strategies and Insights from Investors. Sophia Park Mullen, President of EnTrust Global, Brian Gillott, Glades Peak Capital (SFO), moderated by Michael Oliver Weinberg, CIO at QStar Capital.
In an era of persistent inflation, higher rates, and widening dispersion, absolute return strategies are back in focus. This panel unites leading hedge fund managers and institutional investors to examine how macro, credit, and multi-strategy platforms are adapting to a world where beta is no longer enough — and where volatility, liquidity, and innovation drive the next generation of alpha.
2:15 p.m. | High Performing Family Offices, special presentation by Erik Christoffersen, Managing Director at Alti Tiedemann Global.
Erik has intensely studied family offices globally and has written two well-respected reports on family office operational excellence. He shares with us his model for a high-performing family office and looks at talent, technology, outsourcing, and spending. Most importantly, he locates the family and the purpose of the wealth in the center of the organization.
3:15 p.m. | Break
3:30 p.m. | Keynote Presentation
4:30 p.m. | Outlook for 2026: Chuck Long, Head of Family Office Services, BNY Wealth; Sinead Colton, Grant CIO, BNY Wealth; John Flahive, CFA, Head of Wealth Investment Solutions & Co-Head of Municipal Bonds, BNY Insight Investment; Joanna Berg, Alternative Investments Strategist, BNY Advisors.
In this exclusive session, BNY’s leading investment voices share insights on the global economy, market performance, and the long-term forces shaping investor behavior. Panelists will discuss how institutions and private investors can build resilient portfolios, manage liquidity, and seize opportunities across public and private markets. Spanning macroeconomics, strategy, and innovation, this session offers a forward-looking outlook on global markets and the next phase of the cycle.
5:30 p.m. | Networking and Cocktail Reception
Wrap up the day with a drink and a great conversation.
