Nominate Women of Influence

Tell us who you think should be included on our third annual list of Women of Influence in Private Markets

Nominations are open for our third annual Women of Influence in Private Markets list, which recognizes trailblazing women in alternative assets. The deadline for nominations is end of day March 22, 2023.

Go to the online nomination form

Each year, PEI Group’s Women of Influence list celebrates 60 women working across private markets, including venture capital, private equity, private debt, infrastructure and real estate. It aims to highlight the myriad ways women demonstrate excellence in private funds and to shine a light on their accomplishments in an industry that has traditionally been male dominated. 

Among the 10 women named in the venture capital category in last year’s Women of Influence list were Tara Bishop, founder at Black Opal Ventures; Noramay Cadena, managing partner at Supply Change Capital; Maneesha Ghiya, founder and managing partner at FemHealth Ventures; Jenny Zeng, managing partner at MSA Capital; and Gayle Jennings-O’Byrne, co-founder and general partner at WOCstar Fund.

Across the other asset classes, honorees included Nicole Downer, managing partner and head of investor solutions at MV Credit; Kim Hourihan, global CIO of CBRE Real Estate Investments; Melanie Biessy, COO and senior partner at Antin Infrastructure Partners; Cathrin Petty, partner and head of healthcare for EMEA at CVC Capital Partners; and Joan Solotar, global head of private wealth solutions for Blackstone.

Read about the 60 professionals included in last year’s Women of Influence list here.

PEI Group’s editorial teams will decide the list based on the following criteria:

  • The nominee’s achievements over the last 12 months (since March 1, 2022) in their careers, their firm or the private funds industry;
  • Evidence of innovation or game-changing actions (such as closing an innovative deal, securing an LP commitment or launching DE&I initiatives);
  • Evidence of leadership, impact or influence on others within the industry and beyond.

Achievements considered noteworthy might include, for example: a promotion; starting a mentoring program; playing an instrumental role in an innovative or significant deal; implementing an ESG policy; leading a fund’s investment activity in a new sector or region; taking identifiable steps to facilitate greater DE&I in firm/portfolio companies/the wider industry; founding a new firm; helping an organization successfully navigate market disruption.

To be eligible, nominees must work in the private funds industry, namely private equity, private debt, infrastructure, venture capital or real estate. We welcome nominations for women working in a variety of roles at investment firms (such as on the investment team, IR, operations, marketing and portfolio support), LPs, as well as advisory firms, including law firms, placement agents and capital advisory firms.

There are no age or geographical restrictions. However, nominees should not have appeared in PEI Group’s 2021 or 2022 Women of Influence in Private Markets lists.

The Women of Influence list 2023 will be published in July by Venture Capital Journal, Private Equity International, Private Debt Investor, Infrastructure Investor and PERE.

Tips for submitting a nomination

  • Fill in the online nomination form.
  • On the form, in less than 300 words, include details of what the person has achieved over the last 12 months (since March 1, 2022) to make them worthy of being included in the list. Include any other achievements over the course of their career that should be considered.
  • Note that any information included in the nomination should be suitable for publication.
  • Tell us which category you are entering the nominee for: private equity; infrastructure; private debt; venture capital; real estate; cross asset class. Choose the category that applies most closely – PEI Group’s editorial teams reserve the right to consider all entries for all categories.
  • Tell us the profile of the organization the individual works for (GP/fund; LP/investor; advisory firm).
  • Firms and PRs are welcome to submit nominations, with no more than a single nomination per firm for each category.
  • If you are nominating someone from your own firm, you must also nominate a candidate from another firm to be eligible.

Submit your nomination.

If you have any queries, please contact: womenslist@pei.group