Futures in Finance Conference
The first annual YUDI Futures in Finance Conference took place in October 2021 at Yale University. With over 200 attendees, it was the largest undergraduate finance conference in the United States.
Students had the opportunity to converse with investment bank CEOs, entrepreneurs, endowment managers, and more, with the ultimate goal of exposing undergraduates to the breadth and depth of the world of finance.
Through this conference, YUDI challenges its members by bringing in the best and brightest leaders of the industry.
Ralph Schlosstein,
CEO of Evercore
CEO of Evercore, Mr. Schlosstein spoke on his incredibly successful and winding career. From working in the White House under the Carter administration to co-founding BlackRock in 1988 to his current role, Mr. Schlosstein is an amazing individual with whom our members engaged in deep conversation. Mr. Schlosstein shared his admiration for relationship management and keeping in touch with friends and colleagues, as that's how BlackRock came to be!
Lisette Cooper,
Vice Chair of Fiduciary Trust International
Joshua Gruss,
CEO of Round Hill Music
Entrepreneurs, Ms. Cooper and Mr. Gruss showed YUDI members how their businesses have grown and the unique financial decisions they have to make on a daily basis. Though not necessarily operating in the traditional financial space, both Ms. Cooper and Mr. Gruss described how business operations often resemble decisions in investment banking roles, showing members that they can pursue their passions in a variety of industries.
Debby Kuenstner,
CIO of Wellesley College
Offering an interesting perspective into endowments, Ms. Kuenstner, CIO of the Wellesley College Endowment, shared her victories and challenges of navigating the macroeconomic environment. From university considerations to student requests to practical decisions, Ms. Kuenstner described why she loves her job and its changing environment.
David Fox,
Partner at Goldman Sachs
Richard Case,
Partner at Centerview
Mr. Case and Mr. Fox spoke on how the trajectories of their lives have changed extensively. Mr. Case graduated from Yale intending to pursue literature while Mr. Fox was an Olympic-level swimmer. Through many twists and turns in life, both have ended up in wealth management and discussed how their pasts have only helped them succeed in their current roles.
Scott Beiser,
CEO of Houlihan Lokey
CEO of Houlihan Lokey, Mr. Beiser offered unmatched insight into the processes by which he helped Houlihan Lokey become one of the foremost global Investment Banks over 30+ years. From what excites him every single day to how he and his firm overcome challenges, Mr. Beiser was a fantastic opener to the Futures in Finance Conference.
