Argyle Executive Forum memberships are closely managed through an invitation-only process to ensure quality and balance within each membership community. Memberships comprise senior operating leaders and board members from private and public companies, investment professionals, as well as public-policy makers. The memberships also maintain highly targeted sub-memberships/special interest groups that focus on a specific discipline, business topic or investment area.

Over 40,000 executives participate in our communities, with over 700 new members joining each month.

Executive Function Memberships:
• Board of Directors
• Chief Financial Officer
• Chief Marketing Officer
• Chief Information Officer
• Corporate Development & Strategy
• Customer Care
• General Counsel
• Human Capital

Industry Memberships:
• Bankruptcy / Restructuring / Turnarounds
• Endowments, Foundations, and Pension Funds
• Healthcare
• Investment Management
• Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology
• Private Equity
• Retail / CPG

Argyle Executive Forum’s Bankruptcy / Restructuring / Turnarounds Membership currently represents over 1000 senior investment professionals focused on the distressed space, as well as buyout and bankruptcy deal makers from mid market (AUM between $500m – $1b) and large market (AUM greater than $1b) private investment firms.

Topic imperatives the membership is currently discussing include but are not limited to:
(Last Updated 5/16/2011)

Outlook on the Deal Environment

• Lack of deal flow continues to be an issue given the improving economy, resurgence of covenant lite loans, and the willingness of debt holders to continue their “amend and extend” policies. 
• The growth of covenant amendments  - does that forecast the next distressed cycle in 2013-16?
• Are municipalities the next “hot” sector for distressed investors?
• Will private equity funds provide opportunities for distressed investors in the next couple of years as fund raising becomes increasingly challenging?
• Are there opportunities in the  middle-market because of a lack of available credit? 
• A look at the opportunities for balances sheet vs. operational restructurings?  Does this foretell the need for more operational expertise amongst distressed investors and a more private equity style approach vs. traditional hedge fund?
• Are there opportunities in the financial services sector?

Financing/Lending Outlook for 2012

• Credit spreads have compressed to historic levels, junk bond yields are at record lows, and the leveraged loan market has come back strongly as investors search for  higher yields.  Is there a credit bubble in the making?
• Who is lending to the middle market since the traditional sources have pulled back?
• What happened to the ‘wall of debt’?
• Outlook on the securitized lending market in 2012 – will CLOs make a comeback?
• A look at structural issues and supply/demand imbalances in the CLO market.
• When will banks be forced to write down their loans as asset values trend lower than loan amounts?

Commercial Real Estate

• Which sectors of the real estate market continue to show opportunities for distressed investors?
• How does the default rate among banks affect the CRE market?
• When will financial institutions  face the reality that the value of the real estate underlying their loans is less than what’s owed?
• Are there opportunities in the regional markets and in sub-class A real estate? 
• Outlook for distressed investment opportunities in the CMBS market.

Distressed Investing Outside the US

• Will Europe provide enough opportunity for distressed investors to deploy the large amounts of dry powder in distressed funds?
• Will Basel II & III regulations create distressed opportunities through  forced asset sales by financial institutions in Europe?
• What are the best practices for sourcing deals and navigating the regulatory environment outside the US? 
• Does the greater complexity of deals in Europe spell more opportunity?
• The amount of capital chasing distressed deals in Europe is significantly less than in the US.  What sectors and asset classes provide the best opportunity?

For more information on membership activities and benefits, as well as to apply for membership,
please contact:

Elizabeth Cooke
Argyle Executive Forum
Phone: (646) 380-1250
ecooke@argyleforum.com

Argyle Executive Forum’s Board of Directors Membership currently represents over 3000 internal and external board members from mid cap (revenue between $500m – $1b) and large cap (revenue greater than $1b) organizations.

Topic imperatives the membership is currently discussing include but are not limited to:
(Last Updated 5/9/2011)

Goals for 2011

• Getting Proactive Again- after years of reacting to economic stress 2011 is the year to get your company re-focused on growth strategy.
• Given the Say on Pay vote and the proposed proxy access rule, it’s time to communicate with major shareholders and other stakeholders about what is going on with your company.
• Understand how management is responding to the Social Media phenomenon.
• Help management adapt to the increased regulation caused by the financial crisis.

Executive Compensation: A Balancing Act

• The effect of Say on Pay -  what we can learn from similar policies abroad
• Ensuring that your executive compensation programs attract top talent while meeting shareholder expectations
• Aligning pay with performance without incentivizing excessive risk taking
• External scrutiny: How do executive compensation programs stay competitive without drawing criticism from the public, unions, and other stakeholders?

Management Succession

• Best practices for effective succession planning
• How to protect corporate reputation and company morale during a transition
• Examining the SEC’s new position with regard to shareholder proposals focused on CEO succession planning

The Challenge Posed by Activist Shareholders and Unsolicited Takeovers

• Responding to increased activism from institutional shareholders
• How to protect the long-term interests of a corporation against short-term goals of activist shareholders
• How should the board react on receipt of an unsolicited takeover proposal?
• How does SEC oversight affect the board and shareholders of a corporation targeted by shareholder activists?

The Changing Regulatory and Legal Landscape

• Assessing the immediate and long-term impact of the Dodd-Frank financial reform bill
• The ongoing impact of FCPA and similar regulations abroad
• Exploring the board’s role in monitoring compliance issues
• Understanding IFRS and US GAAP convergence

For more information on membership activities and benefits, as well as to apply for membership,
please contact:

Jason Redlus
Argyle Executive Forum
Phone: (646) 839-0025
jredlus@argyleforum.com

Argyle Executive Forum’s Chief Financial Officer Membership currently represents the financial leadership from over 1000 mid cap (annual revenue $500m – $1b) and large cap (revenue greater than $1b) organizations.

Topic imperatives the membership is currently discussing include but are not limited to: (Last updated 5/9/2011)

Driving company growth and the changing role of the CFO

• How are new technologies (cloud computing, social media) changing your role in relation to the CIO?
• What steps are you taking to improve business performance and information integration across functions?
• What tools are you finding are the most effective in driving efficiency and improving planning and forecasting?
• Where do you plan to increase spending and what types of spending will be reduced to drive top line and bottom line growth?
• What strategies are you finding to be the most effective for sustainable growth and innovation in the current economic climate?

 Performance Dashboards:  Measuring, Monitoring, and Managing Your Business

• How to set up and manage a dashboard project and examine the difference between operational, tactical, and strategic dashboards
• The pros and cons of different performance dashboard architectures
• How to design effective dashboard screens
• Criteria for selecting dashboards

 CFO Perspectives on M&A

• What M&A transactions mean for finance and accounting departments
• Will M&A activity increase over the next 12 months?
• With limited access to capital, how are companies financing deals?
• How to find and capitalize on new opportunities

 Examining Corporate Fraud:  Who Does It, and What Steps to Take to Limit the Damage

• Developing an appropriate and easily followed action plan
• Examining Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act regarding fraud prevention & whistle-blowers
• Determining who is the “Enforcer”; and ensuring that the compliance staff is effectively doing their job
• Educating employees from top-down and changing the culture of your company Establishing better due-diligence in evaluating the credentials and competence of new hires and business partners
• Preparing a comprehensive data-breach response plan that will enable decisive action and prevent operational paralysis
• Establishing best protocols to be followed and ensuring the Board of Directors plays its role

 Managing risk in an uncertain economy

• How are you planning to operate differently in 2011 and beyond to prepare for and offer your CEO advice about mitigating uncertainty and risk?
• What steps have you taken or do you plan to take to reduce financial exposure?
• What tools are you using to help manage the volatility in markets?  How are you managing liquidity risk, foreign exchange risk, and credit risk?
• Have you employed any new strategies or tools to better manage cash and expenses?

 Optimizing Talent Management: Building and Leading High-performing Finance Teams

• Have your recruiting and training strategies changed to close the skill gap between tactical finance staff and analytical finance staff
• What three attributes do you most look for in talent? (note, I look for character, competence and chemistry/culture fit, in that order)
• What are the most effective ways you have found to attract, develop and retain the best talent?
• How do you improve the interpersonal skills of your “bright stars with sharp elbows”?
• Succession planning, continually developing the next line of senior-management, particularly as more and more baby-boomers retire

For more information on membership activities and benefits, as well as to apply for membership,
please contact:

Scott Robbin
Argyle Executive Forum
Phone: (646) 839-1013
srobbin@argyleforum.com

Argyle Executive Forum’s Chief Information Officer Membership currently represents the senior IT executives from over 600 mid cap (annual revenue $500m – $1b) and large cap (revenue greater than $1b) organizations.

Topic imperatives the membership is currently discussing include but are not limited to:
(Last Updated 6/17/2011)

Chief Information Officer Outlook 2012

• What new technologies will have the biggest impact on business in the year ahead?
• How are IT departments responding to economic pressure to reduce costs and contribute to revenue?
• What are the biggest security challenges that IT departments are currently facing?
• Recent trends in the IT Workforce:  What steps are you taking to attract and utilize the right talent in the right positions?
• The role of CIO in an organization- past, present and future

Cloud Computing:  Assessing the Benefits and Limitations

• What are the key benefits of cloud computing for a business? Does it effectively cut costs? Improve productivity?
• What types of services and business processes best lend themselves to a cloud based approach?
• How are IT departments addressing the security issues presented by cloud computing?
• Best practices for moving an existing service to the cloud
• SaaS versus internally built cloud computing systems:  When does each approach make the most sense?

New Innovations in Mobile Devices and Wireless Technology

• Which new mobile devices will remain viable tools for business users?
• Where has wireless network technology made the most improvements in the last year?
• How does your organization choose which mobile devices and platforms to support?
• What security issues do mobile devices present, and how are IT departments responding to them?

Chief Information Officer Perspectives on Social Media

• How can social media campaigns and applications best be used to help companies connect with their customers?
• What effects are social media platforms having on your company’s internal communications and culture?
• What is your firm’s policy on social media use by employees, and how does your IT department handle the increased security risks posed by employee use of social media sites?
• Which social media platforms will be most important in 2012?

For more information on membership activities and benefits, as well as to apply for membership,
please contact:

Jason Redlus
Argyle Executive Forum
Phone: (646) 839-0025
jredlus@argyleforum.com

Argyle Executive Forum’s CMO Membership currently represents the marketing leadership from over 1000 mid cap (revenue between $500m – $1b) and large cap (revenue greater than $1b) organizations.

Topic imperatives the membership is currently discussing include but are not limited to: (Last updated 5/9/2011)

Best Practices in Market Segmentation

• Define your consumers by understanding demographics, psychographics and behavioral trends
• How to create optimal consumer profiles and develop targeted messaging
• Leveraging analytics to understand performance indicators
• Drive change with consistency in marketing messaging and guidelines

Marketing ROI and Metrics

• Getting buy in on what the “right” metrics are across the organization
• Demonstrating, measuring, and communicating ROI
• Leveraging technology to support marketing from an operational and efficiency perspective
• Leveraging technology to improve sales effectiveness

 Marketing to the “Changing Consumer”

• The latest thoughts on customer behavior
• Engagement and retention
• Integrated marketing planning & execution
• Building strategies for an era of post-recession purchasing restraint

 Integrating Social Media into the Marketing Mix

• Successful strategies to implement and pitfalls to avoid
• Balance in the marketing mix—avoiding too much reliance on any one medium
• Integrating mobile loyalty programs
• Moving beyond the notion that crowd-sourcing is a new phenomenon
• Incorporating customers into every aspect of the business model

 Re-Building Brand Communications with Social Media

• Determining how social media is going to change corporate communications
• How to become relevant & manage effective social media campaigns
• Creating, curating and cultivating the social web – how can brands make sense of the madness

 Driving Branding Decisions: Using Data, Metrics and Analytics

• Developing actionable & consistently measurable metrics
• Examining various types of analytics, such as: Marketing ROI, Segmentation, Brand Equity, Advertising Optimization, Online Advertising Models, Demand Forecasting, etc.
• Determining the right facets to examine
• Utilizing a management system to monitor and drive performance of your brand

For more information on membership activities and benefits, as well as to apply for membership,
please contact:

Shannon Coakley
Argyle Executive Forum
Phone: (646) 839-0043
scoakley@argyleforum.com

Argyle Executive Forum’s Corporate Development Membership currently represents the deal-making and strategy leadership from over 1000 mid cap (annual revenue $500m – $1b) and large cap (revenue greater than $1b) organizations.

Topic imperatives the membership is currently discussing include but are not limited to:
(Last Updated 5/9/2011)

The Role of Corporate Development—Past, Present and Future

• Offense vs. Defense: how the role of the corporate development professional changes between periods of recession and growth
• Measuring ROI of M&A: how has your organization measured ROI in the past? Has the recession changed any of those measurements?
• How have internal structures and roles changed to keep up with a more robust environment?

The Role of Divestitures in Today’s Environment

• Analyzing the strategic and financial objectives of your portfolio
• A look at the varying internal decision-making processes of divestitures.
• Purchasing a business in a divestiture process: the buyer and seller’s perspective.
• Finding common ground and objective asset valuations

Cross Border Deals and Emerging Markets

• A look at the unique characteristics of cross border deals- due diligence requirements and the management of risk, timeliness and reputation
• How attractive are emerging markets? What geographies are particularly interesting?  How do demographics play into strategy?
• Discussion of joint ventures vs. acquisitions
• What can we take from our cumulative experiences as they relate to emerging market growth?

Economic Conditions and Deal Activity

• Outlooks for the return of the mega merger?
• How means, motive & opportunity are driving increased activity in 2011/2012
• The rise of activist investors and how that affects corporate M&A activity
• How M&A is, and best be used to jumpstart growth coming out of the recession

Unconventional Corporate Development

• The role of joint ventures and strategic alliances in your organization
• When to choose unconventional forms of M&A over a traditional M&A strategy
• Best practices in strategic investments, and evaluating opportunities.
• Advantages and disadvantages of unconventional M&A
• How to successfully cut ties from a joint venture or strategic alliance

For more information on membership activities and benefits, as well as to apply for membership,
please contact:

Mina Chan
Argyle Executive Forum
Phone: (646) 839-0111
mchan@argyleforum.com

Argyle Executive Forum’s Customer Care Membership currently represents the customer care leadership from over 850 mid cap (revenue between $500m – $1b) and large cap (revenue greater than $1b) organizations.

Topic imperatives the membership is currently discussing include but are not limited to:
(Last Updated 5/2/2011)

Controlling the Consumer Revolution: Methods to Create Great Customer Experiences

• The impact of changing consumer preferences and behavior on customer care strategy and operations
• Delivering superior, consistent experiences across all channels
• Key strategies for servicing customers more cost-efficiently in a down economy
• What does the future hold for customer care?  What are new technologies and trends that will be seen in 2011 into 2012? 

Leadership Development

• Establishing the right talent to lead your contact center into 2012
• How to productively work with leadership to convey the organization's vision, strategy and values
• Maintaining solid leadership and succession planning to ensure longevity and stability

How Social Media is Shaping the Future of Customer Service & Contact Centers 

• How are social media outlets changing the customer experience, and creating modern day call centers?
• How has social media improved client retention, customer service and first-call resolution?
• How are customer care professionals preparing for the imminent changes associated with social media?
• How are organizations leveraging social media to engage and empower their customers?
• Enable customers through social media

The Call Center as a Pivotal Contributor to Corporate Success

• Examine customer interaction across all channels, not just within the traditional four walls of the contact center; new communications devices, social networks and online communities have changed the way consumers behave
• Successfully making your call center a pivotal contributor to corporate success and strengthening customer loyalty
• Real-time communication and access to information are essential elements to delivering a differentiating customer experience
• How the contact center’s role in this new environment will expand and touch key functional areas of the
• Understand some of the vital tactics and tools organizations use in order to strengthen their customer satisfaction metrics

For more information on membership activities and benefits, as well as to apply for membership, 
please contact:

Scott Robbin
Argyle Executive Forum
Phone: (646) 839-1013
srobbin@argyleforum.com

Argyle Executive Forum’s Endowments, Foundations, and Pension Funds Membership currently represents over 1,500 senior investment professionals from medium (AUM between $500m – $1b) and large (AUM greater than $1b) institutional investors, including endowments, foundations, pension funds, family offices, sovereign wealth funds, and institutional investment consultants.

Topic imperatives the membership is currently discussing include but are not limited to:
(Last Updated 7.6.2011)

Discussion on Manager Outlooks and Due Diligence:

• Who should be out there conducting manager due diligence? Consultants or CIOs?
• In addition to manager due diligence, what should be best practices in assessing consultants?
• Thoughts on investing with Emerging Managers over the more established players.  
• Getting access to larger funds – how can smaller investors get their toe in the door?
• Are macro or niche strategies more attractive in the current environment?

New Outlooks on Emerging Markets:

• Are even the most developed EM countries (e.g. China, LatAm) too risky for institutional investors or do they offer attractive opportunities/returns?
• Thoughts on what the underlying value proposition/rationale is for investing in emerging or frontier markets?
• What kinds of vehicles have you used, or would you consider using to access Emerging Markets?
• Do you consider investments on the geographical/regional basis or at the sector/underlying holding level primarily?
• Within EM do you think debt or equity is a more interesting/profitable bet?
• How closely do you think the global markets are correlated? What kinds of trends do you look for?
• Are EM investments limited to larger investment offices that have the capacity to travel to conduct due diligence, or can smaller offices access that market as well?
• Thoughts on more niche/frontier markets – are they worth the focus/risk?

Discussion around Asset Allocation and Portfolio Policy:

• Thoughts on what it means to have a diversified portfolio, and using asset allocation to respond to the current inflationary environment. 
• How do you monitor liquidity in your portfolio, and how have you views on acceptable levels of liquidity changed?
• Outlooks on fixed income and equities – finding the real value.
• How does taking a long-term vs. short term view affect your policies and asset allocations?
• Discussion around how past asset allocation ‘fads’ have fared to the present day. 
• Thoughts on the value of the outsourced CIO role for smaller funds?

Macro-Outlooks on Market Trends and Their Affect on Portfolios:

• How does macroeconomic research play a role in your investment process or is your approach more opportunity specific?
• What framework do you apply in your assessment of investment opportunities for possible inclusion in your portfolio: time horizon, return objective, risk level?
• Discussion around the uptick in interest in commodities/real assets in light of concerns around impending inflationary environment.
• Outlooks on fiscal and monetary policies for the next 12 months and their effects on current/future investments.

A Look at the Role of Alternatives in 2012:

• What do you consider to be an ‘alternative’ investment: Underlying characteristics? Risks? Correlations?
• How do you view commodities/real assets for the next 12 months? Within that pool, where do you see the most value/opportunity (metals, agriculture, energy etc.)?
• What are the main benefits you see in hard assets vs. financial assets? What combination of allocations to either/both is most effective?
• Spotlight on current trends/outlooks for Private Equity, Hedge Funds and Real Estate.

Dealing with the Board/Governance Concerns:

• In a period of uncertainty, and with less available information, how are you negotiating the concerns of your boards? What are their biggest concerns when approving investment decisions? 
• What perspectives/backgrounds do you find most valuable on an investment committee?
• What are best practices for managing a fund with a small investment office? Should you build out the office and hire an in-house CIO? Should you rely on the board, or consultants? Should you outsource?
• Have you considered or implemented any structural changes to position the Committee to be more nimble?

Taking an Opportunistic Approach to Investing in an Uncertain Environment:

• Best practices for leveraging ongoing uncertainty in the marketplace using a bottom up approach to managers / investment decisions.
• Where should investors be looking for unconventional opportunities? What kinds of resources are most effective in that search?
• How do you adjust, manage and monitor your portfolio risk to deal with more opportunistic investments? 
• What other portfolio policy changes can/should be made to balance a riskier outlook/approach?

Best Practices in Risk Management:

• Outlooks on LDI strategies and best practices in timing/implementation.
• How do you track risk within your portfolio? Has this changed since 2008/9? Can portfolios be managed and monitored on an integrated systems basis or does by asset analysis provide a better view?
• How does risk parity stack up as a portfolio management strategy?
• Institutional investors are often considered slow reactors to market changes. Do you think that’s a fair assessment, or is it your fiduciary responsibility to wait and see rather than take on new risks?

For more information on membership activities and benefits, as well as to apply for membership,
please contact:

Lily Robertson
Argyle Executive Forum
Phone: (646) 839-2034
lrobertson@argyleforum.com

Argyle Executive Forum’s General Counsel Membership currently represents the legal leadership from over 1000 mid cap (revenue between $500m – $1b) and large cap (revenue greater than $1b) organizations.

Topic imperatives the membership is currently discussing include but are not limited to:
(Last Updated 5/9/2011)

The General Counsel as a Strategic Business Partner

• Examining the two types of GC: reactive versus proactive 
• Understanding the role of the GC in advancing global business objectives
• Exploring the Board-GC relationship

Strategies for Brand Protection and IP Asset Management in a Global Marketplace

• Creating a proactive strategy to protect your brand in the global marketplace
• How to address the upcoming expansion of generic Top Level Domains (gTLDs)?
• Extracting value from IP assets
• Managing IP issues in M&A and strategic alliances

Managing the Legal Department Budget in Today’s Economy

• Using metrics and benchmarking to improve your performance
• Setting expectations with outside counsel and vendors so that they understand your goals
• Alternative Fee Arrangements- which work and when are they appropriate?
• Where is the legal department budget being spent and how can it be improved?

Strategies for Brand Protection and IP Asset Management in a Global Marketplace

• Creating a proactive strategy to protect your brand in the global marketplace
• How to address the upcoming expansion of generic Top Level Domains (gTLDs)?
• Extracting value from IP assets
• Managing IP issues in M&A and strategic alliances

Leading the In-House Team

• How to obtain talent and keep the team motivated in today’s economy?
• How best to capture and share institutional memory?
• Staffing decisions – what to keep in-house and what to send out?
• How accountability can increase motivation and performance?

The General Counsel’s role in M&A and Strategic Alliances

• Examining the role of the GC during the various stages of a transformational transaction
• The cost benefit analysis of M&A
• Where the GC should focus during due diligence
• How the GC contributes to a successful integration companywide and at the legal department level?
• Protecting corporate reputation during growth periods

The Need to Anticipate - Best Practices for Litigation and Compliance Readiness

• Identifying the key regulations that drive the need to prepare, including SEC regulations, the FCPA and other international anti-corruption statutes
• Building an effective Global Compliance program
• Examining data management issues before, during and after preservation and discovery obligations trigger
• Mitigating risk by establishing an efficient information governance and retention policy

Labor and Employment Law

• Recent Developments in the EEOC arena
• Strategies for avoiding claims
• Governance and succession planningManaging labor disputes- including strikes and layoffs

For more information on membership activities and benefits, as well as to apply for membership,
please contact:

Melissa Quinn
Argyle Executive Forum
Phone: (646) 839-0022
mquinn@argyleforum.com

Argyle Executive Forum’s Healthcare Membership currently represents the executive leadership from over 1000 mid cap (revenue between $500m – $1b) and large cap (revenue greater than $1b) healthcare organizations, and from investment firms that invest in the healthcare and life science sectors.

Topic imperatives the membership is currently discussing include but are not limited to:
(Last Updated 5/10/2011)

Sector Focus- What’s Hot in the Healthcare Space?

• Investment in emerging markets- which emerging markets provide the best opportunities? What types of investments will see the most ROI in emerging markets over the next 12-24 months?
• Investment in pharmaceuticals and biotechnology
  • How has the recent uptick in M&A within the sector created additional investment opportunities in pharma and biotech?
• Investing in hospitals and healthcare facilities
• Other hot sectors

 Opportunities and Challenges for Healthcare Investment Abroad

• As developing countries mature, they will require extensive healthcare development and investment. Thoughts on healthcare investment abroad?
• Best practices for investing in healthcare companies internationally- what you need to know before putting time and money into international investments
• Risk v. value of investing in healthcare internationally? What types of investments have the most risk? What do you think have the least? What types do you predict to have the most ROI?

 Accounting for the Impact of Healthcare Reform in Deal Making

• The Congress’ approval of Obama’s healthcare bill is expected to signal a wave of new opportunities for investments in the sector.
• What aspects of the healthcare bill will have the greatest impact on healthcare investment? Why?
• What new opportunities will be created by the widespread expansion of insurance coverage?
  • New opportunities in pharmaceuticals, hospitals and other direct to consumer sectors

 Strategic Considerations for Deal Makers in Today’s Healthcare Environment

• What criteria are and should be involved in the selection of a target?
  • What sub-sectors of healthcare do you anticipate seeing the most activity in over the next 12-24 months?
• Evaluating the value and risk of the investment- by what standards do you measure the value of your investment and what factors determine the calculation of risk?
  • Has your approach to due diligence changed over the past year? What factors have taken the fore front and what factors have taken a back seat when determining the value/risk assessment of a target company?
• Best practices for managing your retail investment to maximize ROI
• What are the drivers behind your firm’s strategy in 2011? How will that strategy differ in 2012? Why?

 The Private Equity Perspective on Healthcare Deals

• What are private equity investors looking for? What are they looking to avoid?
• Discussion on the bottom line- debt levels vs. ROI?
• Strategic partnerships and joint ventures within healthcare investment- new ways to capitalize on untraditional M&A

For more information on membership activities and benefits, as well as to apply for membership,
please contact:

Lauren T. Everhart, J.D.
Argyle Executive Forum
Phone: (646) 839-0046
leverhart@argyleforum.com

Argyle Executive Forum’s Human Capital Membership currently represents the HR leadership from over 850 mid cap (revenue between $500m – $1b) and large cap (revenue greater than $1b) organizations.

Topic imperatives the membership is currently discussing include but are not limited to:
(Last Updated 5/2/2011)

The Intersection between Succession Management and Business Strategy

• Best practices in identifying, cultivating and maintaining talent
• Striking a balance between short term needs and long term goals of a company
• Ensuring that top management is engaged in the decision making process

Closing the Generational Gaps in the Workplace

• Understand the generational differences.
• Learn how to successfully communicate with four different generations.
• What do different generations expect from the modern workplace?

Keeping Employees Engaged and Developing Future Leaders

• How do you identify the individuals that you want to cultivate and grow over time?
• How do you keep your employees engaged so they do not exit the company?
• What are the business needs that drive the need for continually identifying and maintaining a talent pipeline?
• How do you balance the short terms needs of the organization, especially in terms of the economy, with the long term need to develop and cultivate future leaders?

Managing Human Capital Risk

• Understanding as part of the broader Enterprise Risk Management
• Recognizing both predictable and unpredictable types of risk
• Tying together human capital performance to business results and using analytics to correlate performance

The Changing Environment of Executive Compensation

• Attracting and retaining executives in a challenging economy
• Balancing risks and performance
• Examining the impact of institutional shareholders and their proxy voters

The Risks and Rewards of Leveraging Technology for HR Executives

• What is the current relationship between HR and technology, specifically social media?
• What are some of the innovative and efficient ways social media can be used to promote your employers brand?
• What are the benefits and risks involved in using social media tools for recruitment?
• What are some of the key technology trends in HR for 2011-2012?

For more information on membership activities and benefits, as well as to apply for membership,
please contact:

Shannon Coakley
Argyle Executive Forum
Phone: (646) 839-0043
scoakley@argyleforum.com

Argyle Executive Forum’s Investment Management Membership currently represents over 1000 investment professionals from mid market (AUM between $500m – $1b) and large market (AUM greater than $1b) hedge funds, fund of funds, and other investment management firms.

Topic imperatives the membership is currently discussing include but are not limited to:
(Last Updated 8/12/2010)

The Global Marketplace 

• How will globalization affect investment firms going forward? 
• What effects will the globalization of accounting standards have on the perception and valuation of companies? What sectors stand to be most negatively affected? 
• The role of emerging markets and frontier markets for investors: How do these compare with developed markets? 
• What specific regions and sectors are the most promising?

A New Paradigm of Asset Allocation 

• A look at the perceived failure of diversification. What are the new approaches to portfolio construction and how viable are they as alternatives? Can this "failure" be attributed to the circumstances of a specific time frame or does it reflect generally on previously established diversification strategies?
• Allocating to "factors" rather than asset classes: Looking at factor exposures and different underlying basic risks in the economy and ensuring optimal exposure to all those, as well as the use/need for specialized indices
• Structuring asset allocations and portfolios to be prepared for inflation or re-flation: Does an inflationary environment necessarily signal imminent inflation?

Role of the Government Going Forward

• Assessing the impact of the Dodd-Frank financial reform bill on investment managers and the markets
• What to expect from The Fed: How does interest-rate policy influence investors? What are the implications for retraction of liquidity in the marketplace?
• What will happen to the bond market without government demands?
• How will new bank regulations affect the availability of capital for fund managers?

Risk Management

• In the current market, where assumption on return is lower, should greater risk be taken on to compensate for lower returns?
• How to manage risks inherent with different managers/investors
• Risk allocation as opposed to dollar allocation, and its relationship to risk parity
• Best practices in effectively using benchmarking to manage risk

For more information on membership activities and benefits, as well as to apply for membership,
please contact:

Lily Robertson
Argyle Executive Forum
Phone: (646) 839-2034
lrobertson@argyleforum.com

Argyle Executive Forum’s Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Membership currently represents the executive leadership from approximately 500 mid cap (annual revenue $500m – $1b) and large cap (greater than $1b) pharmaceutical and biotechnology corporations as well as the founders and managing partners of investment firms that focus on the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sector.

Topic imperatives the membership is currently discussing include but are not limited to:
(Last Updated 2/3/2012)

The Future of R&D

• New business and financing models for innovation
• Using partnerships to access early stage research and opportunities
• Sharing the risks and costs of new drug development
• Partnering with academia
• Open innovation

IP Considerations

• The America Invents Act- what this means for deal making in the life science sector
• Changes to licensing and the performance of due diligence
• The impact of this on business development strategies
• Identifying IP red flags that impact life science transactions

Deal Making in Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology

• Current market information and deal drivers
• Recent trends in deal structuring
• The incorporation of risk sharing intro transactions
• Determining which deal structure will lead to the greatest return on your investment
• Key components to consider in valuing a life science asset

The Emerging Markets 

• Which emerging countries are you looking to for international deals?
• New patent populations
• Becoming a partner in local healthcare solutions
• Implications of the shift to low cost, high volume business in emerging markets

A Discussion on Generics

• Sustainability of the generics industry as a whole
• Prospect and performance of biosimilars
• Barriers to and opportunities for market adoption
• Generics and healthcare reform

For more information on membership activities and benefits, as well as to apply for membership, please contact:

Lauren T. Everhart, J.D.
Argyle Executive Forum
Phone: (646) 839-0046
leverhart@argyleforum.com

Argyle Executive Forum’s Private Equity Membership currently represents over 1000 investment professionals from mid market (AUM between $500m – $1b) and large market (AUM greater than $1b) LBO and growth capital firms.

Topic imperatives the membership is currently discussing include but are not limited to:
(Last Updated 5/9/2011)

Outlook on the Deal Environment:

• What are your thoughts on optimum deal-size for 2011? Will 2011 be the year of the return of mega-buyout?
• Capital Overhang: What will happen to un-invested capital? How can it be put to work? What’s the difference in overhang for growth vs. buyout funds? 
• What does excess capital coupled with a shortage of deals do to valuations and terms?
• When it comes to deal origination and increased competition around deals, how can managers get an edge? Is the competition for deals driving prices to unrealistic levels?  
• Best practices for sourcing deals in the current environment.
• What are the most significant changes in deal-structure in light of the recession? What kind of leverage multiples make sense in this economy?
• What are the prospects for exits including recaps, IPOs and M&A in 2011?
• What are the different financing strategies being employed to finance large LBOs? How are middle market deals being financed?

Fund-Raising:

• From an investor stand-point, how does PE sit relative to other asset classes? Are illiquidity, and long lock-ups still the biggest concern?
• The general consensus is that LPs are consolidating around existing relationships rather than branching out. Is the fund partnership model in some ways broken?
• Best practices for emerging managers to differentiate themselves in the current environment. 
• Will there be enough demand from institutional investors to meet the large fund raising goals of many firms? 
• Are larger investors looking for more preferential treatment in terms of fees, carry and hurdle rates?  
• What are the best practices for creating maximum transparency and alignment of interests with LPs?
• How important is succession planning from the LP standpoint?

Financial Reform:

• A look at the European AIFM Directive and its effects on funding. 
• Discussion of greater compliance culture going forward. How necessary is it to have an in-house compliance office at a PE fund? 
• Have financial reforms mistakenly conflated PE and Hedge, and thus had a more detrimental effect on PE? How are the ramifications of this playing out?
• What are some of the best practices being employed to provide more transparency to investors and regulators in the current environment?
• Have the Volcker Rule and Basel III created opportunities to seed new managers and funds?

Investment Opportunities and Sectors of Interest in 2011:

• What sectors appear to be most ripe for leveraged buyout activity?
• What are the emerging sectors in growth equity beyond technology and healthcare?
• Is venture capital still a viable and/or attractive asset class?
• Are clean tech, renewable energy and infrastructure the new “hot sectors”?
• Is distressed investing still a viable strategy in 2011 or did that window close last year?

Private Equity Beyond the US:

• What geographical areas will be active in the next couple of years? Are Brazil and China the 'ones to watch'?
• Best practices for sourcing deals outside the US.
• What are some of the operating and regulatory challenges to investing in emerging markets?
• What are the most effective ways to conduct due diligence? 
• How do you complete a successful exit outside the US?
• Can non-US companies be an effective add-on strategy to grow existing portfolio companies?

For more information on membership activities and benefits, as well as to apply for membership,
please contact:

Elizabeth Cooke
Argyle Executive Forum
Phone: (646) 380-1250
ecooke@argyleforum.com

Argyle Executive Forum’s Retail/CPG Membership currently represents the executive leadership from over 1000 mid cap (revenue between $500m – $1b) and large cap (revenue greater than $1b) retail and CPG organizations.

Topic imperatives the membership is currently discussing include but are not limited to:
(Last Updated 5/10/2011)

Leadership Speaks- Perspectives from Senior Operating Executives

• Top management and board issues facing the leadership of retail
• Driving performance through effective leadership
• Consumer confidence and trust- what do retailers need to do to rebuild and maintain the trust of their buyers
• Supply chain and inventory concerns- how can retailers find the right balance of inventory going forward and fix the supply chain issues resulting from the recession?
• As the economy picks up, where should retailers be cutting costs and where should they be deploying capital?

Understanding and Meeting the Demands of the Changing Consumer

• Insights into the latest thinking on customer behavior, engagement and retention- how have your customers changed?
• Building strategies for an era of post-recession purchasing restraint
• Will the move to value retailing last beyond the recovery? How should retailers consider the mix of value lines and premium?
• The new customer experience- thinking “beginning to end” and understanding what the new consumer needs at every stage

Deal Making in Retail and Consumer Products

• Looking at transaction trends over the last year- how have valuations and deal terms changed?
• What retail sectors look attractive from an investment standpoint? Where do you see the most growth potential in the future?
• Best practices for managing your retail investment to maximize ROI
• Structuring the deal- what deal structures have worked in the past and what deal structures do you anticipate working in the future? How has the changing retail landscape changed your approach to deals? 
• The future role of PE in Retail
• Strategic buyer perspective and role in future retail investments

The Big Debate- What is the Future of Retail?

• Impact of and increasing relevance of technology to shoppers
• The increasing role of e-commerce and internet retailing
• Multi-channel retailing
• The future of social media as it relates to retail
• Changing attitudes towards sustainability and “green” purchases- how retailers should think about incorporating

For more information on membership activities and benefits, as well as to apply for membership,
please contact:

Lauren T. Everhart, J.D.
Argyle Executive Forum
Phone: (646) 839-0046
leverhart@argyleforum.com