The Association of Black Securities and Investment Professionals

The Association of Black Securities and Investment Professionals (ABSIP), was established in 1995 to address the apparent lack of representation of black professionals in the securities and investment industry. It was also conceived as a platform to address the aspirations of those in the industry and to create a forum for black professionals to exchange Information and Ideas.

The mandate of ABSIP has evolved to encompass the empowerment of black professionals and black business across the financial industry. Its membership has grown to include sub-sectors such as Asset Management, Corporate Banking, Corporate Finance, Corporate Managerial and Financial Consulting, Employee Benefits, Insurance, Investment Banking, Retail Banking, Private Banking, Private Equity, Stock broking, Treasury and Development Finance Institutions (DFIs).

ABSIP has become widely recognised as an influential force in the transformation of the Financial Sector as evidenced by its participation in drafting the landmark Financial Sector Charter (“FSC Charter”). ABSIP is an affiliate member of the BBC (Black Business Council).

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SWFI NAIC Institutional Investor Forum 2015 Miami

Join us, February 9, 2015 – Miami Beach, FL

Keynote Speaker Highlight Robert F. Smith

Founder, Chairman and CEO of Vista Equity Partners
As Vista’s Chairman and CEO, Mr. Smith directs Vista’s investment strategy and decisions, firm governance and investor relations.

Vista currently manages equity capital commitments of over $14 billion and oversees a portfolio of over 20 software companies that employ a combined 22,000 employees worldwide. Since Vista’s founding in 2000, Mr. Smith has overseen over 140 completed transactions by the firm. During that time, Vista has managed capital for hundreds of limited partners, including many prominent public, private and corporate pension plans, endowments, family offices, and high net worth individuals. The firm has consistently performed in the top measures of PE firms. In 2012, Buyouts magazine awarded the firm’s Vista Equity Partners Fund III the Gold Medal as the top-performing 2007-Vintage Buyout Fund in the U.S.

Under Robert Smith’s leadership, Vista has exclusively focused on the enterprise software, data and technology enabled solutions sectors. Mr. Smith currently serves on or participates on all the boards of Vista’s portfolio companies, including Misys, Active Network, and Omnitracs. Prior to founding Vista, Mr. Smith worked for Goldman Sachs, M&A, from 1994 to 2000, in New York and Silicon Valley. As Co-Head of Enterprise Systems and Storage, he executed and advised on over $50B in merger and acquisition activity with companies such as Apple, Microsoft, Texas Instruments, eBay and Yahoo.

Mr. Smith has also been a leader in the philanthropic sector, serving as Chairman of the Robert F. Kennedy Center, as a Trustee of the Boys and Girls Clubs of San Francisco, a Member of the Cornell Engineering College Council, and. Mr. Smith is a Board Member of Carnegie Hall.

Hear from experts who have massive amounts of capital at work on both the private and public side.

Other Speakers include but not limited to:

Mark Gordon, State Treasurer of Wyoming
Robert L. Greene, Vice Chairman, Virginia Retirement Systems
Amir Dossal, Chairman and Founder, United Nations Global Partnerships Forum
Frank Baker, Managing Partner, Siris Capital
Tony Oliveira, Former Board Member, CalPERS
James Griffin, Managing Director, American Capital
Ana Maria Jul, Consultant to the Ministry of Economy and Finance of Panama
Jose Feliciano, Managing Partner, Clearlake Capital
Cheryl D. Alston, Executive Director, Employees’ Retirement Fund of the City of Dallas
Jason Lamin, Partner, Lennox Park
Stephen Braverman, Director, Business Development, DTE Energy Resources
Reeta Kapani Holmes, Co-Founder, Silverfern Partners
Ole Kjems Sørensen, Vice President, Head of Commercial Transactions & Market Development, DONG Energy Wind Power
Celeste Cecilia Moles Lo Turco, Strategic Committee on SWFs, Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
AND MUCH MORE

February 9, 2015
http://www.iinvestorforum.com

Fontainebleau Hotel, Miami Beach, FL, United States

An event for asset owners:
Public Pensions, Corporate Pensions, Sovereign Wealth Funds, Central Banks, Endowments, Superannuation Funds, Afores

Registration(private delegate)
Public Delegate Registration Here (i.e. pensions, SWFs, etc)
Register Before Early Bird Ends. Seating is limited.
If you plan on sending more people, please contact events@swfinstitute.org for more options.

SUMMIT DETAILS
Date: February 9, 2015
Venue: Fontainebleau Hotel

For information regarding the program, please contact Carl Linaburg at clinaburg@swfi.com.

REGISTER NOW FOR EARLY BIRD PRICING
Visit our Site: http://www.iinvestorforum.com
If you have any questions regarding registration, please email

PAST SWFI EVENT ATTENDEES INCLUDE:

Public Investors including Sovereign Funds
Alberta Investment Management Corporation
APG Asset Management
British Columbia Investment Management Corp.
California Institute of Technology Investment Office
Central Provident Fund (Singapore)
China Investment Corporation
CPP Investment Board
Emirates Investment Authority
Employees’ Retirement System, State of Hawaii
Fonds de réserve pour les retraites
Fonds Marocain de Développement Touristique
Fundo Soberano de Angola
Future Fund (Australia)
Government of Singapore Investment Corporation
Government Pension Investment Fund (Japan)
Hellenic Pension Mutual Fund Management
JSC Partnership Fund (Georgia)
Khazanah Nasional
Korea Investment Corporation
Kuwait Investment Authority
Los Angeles Fire and Police Pensions
Mubadala Development Co.
Mumtalakat Holdings
National Development Fund of Iran
National Fund for Veterans, Cambodia
National University of Singapore
New Mexico State Investment Office
New Zealand Superannuation Fund
Norges Bank Investment Management
North Carolina Department of State Treasurer
Oman Investment Fund
Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System
Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan
Palestine Investment Fund
Public Investment Corporation (South Africa)
Queensland Investment Corporation
QSuper
Russian Direct Investment Fund
San Jose Police and Fire Retirement Plan
Saudi Fund for Development
State Capital Investment Corporation (Vietnam)
State Oil Fund of the Republic of Azerbaijan
Teacher Retirement System of Texas
Temasek Holdings
Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS)
Utah Retirement Systems
VER The State Pension Fund (Finland)
Virginia Retirement System

Central Banks & Finance Ministries
Bank for International Settlements
Bank of Finland
Bank of Italy
Bank of Papua New Guinea
Bank of Thailand
Banque Central du Luxembourg
Bank Indonesia
Banque de France
Banque de la République d’Haïti
California State Treasurer
Central Bank of Egypt
Central Bank of Ghana
Central Bank of Iceland
Central Bank of Malta
Central Bank of Mauritania
Central Bank of Mongolia
Central Bank of Suriname
Croatian National Bank
Czech National Bank
Deutsche Bundesbank
European Central Bank
HM Treasury
Ministry of Finance, Panamá
Monetary Authority of Singapore
Norwegian Ministry of Finance
Turkish Treasury
U.S. Department of the Treasury

Agency and Other
California High-Speed Rail Authority
CERN (Pension)
City of London
City of Los Angeles – Mayor’s Office
Estonian Development Fund
Eurasian Development Bank
European Commission
European Financial Stability Facility
European Investment Bank
Government of Australia
Greater London Authority
Hong Kong Trade Development Council
Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore
Invest HK
Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Defence (Singapore)
Nevada Commission on Economic Development
Office of the Turkish Prime Minister
Singapore Tote Board
SME Development Fund of Mongolia
Stanford Management Company
WestSummit Capital
CalPERS*
Ministry of Finance, Chile* Non-Public Attendees
Abraaj Capital
Acadian Asset Management LLC
Adams Street Partners
Adelante Capital Management
Adveq Management AG
Akina
Alignment Financial Services
American Capital
American Capital Infrastructure
American Century Investments
AMP Capital Investors
Analytic Investors
Aquiline Capital Partners
Arcus Infrastructure Partners
Avica Property Investors
AXA Rosenberg Investment Management LLC
Axiom International Investors LLC
Barclays
Baring Asset Management
BBVA
Berenberg Bank
BlackRock
BDO Consulting
BMO Global Asset Management
BNP Paribas
BNY Mellon Asset Management
BondFactor
Bunge
Cain Brothers Asset Management
Calvo Fisher & Jacob LLP
CapMan Real Estate
Cartica Management, LLC
CarVal Investors LLC
CBRE Clarion Securities
Citi Infrastructure Investors
CMEA Capital
Columbia Management
Condo Developer, LLC
Contrarian Capital Management, LLC
Corporate Finance Associates
CQS Management Limited
Crosswater Realty Advisors
Cushman & Wakefield
DANA Ltd
Danske Bank
Deloitte
Deutsche Bank AG
DIAM International
Dimensional Fund Advisors, LP
Diversified Global Asset Management
DuPont Capital Management
Eagle Investment Systems
Eastspring Investments
Egan-Jones Ratings Company
Enam Asset Management Company Pvt.Ltd.
Euroclear Bank
Everstone Capital Asia Pte Ltd
FactSet Research Systems
Federal Home Loan Banks Office of Finance
Financial Recovery Technologies LLC
First State Investments
Fisher Investments
FLAG Capital Management
FPM Frankfurt Performance Management AG
Fullerton Fund Management
Gavilon, LLC
GE Asset Management
Global Catalyst Partners
Goldman Sachs Asset Management
Grant & Eisenhofer
Grayling Momentum
Grosvenor Capital Management
Hastings Fund Management
Heard Capital LLC
Henderson Global Investors
Highstar Capital
Hines
Hotchkis & Wiley
Hudson Clean Energy Partners
ING Bank NV
ING Investment Management
Intellectual Ventures
INVESCO
Islan Asset Management Jennison Associates LLC
JP Morgan Asset Management
Keller Rohrback LLP
Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check
Keywise Capital Management
Kirby McInerney LLP
Kuwait Finance House
Labaton Sucharow LLP
Lakestar Capital LLP
Landmark Partners
Lasalle Investment Management
Leonard Green & Partners, L.P.
Lloyds Banking Group
Lloyd George Management
Lockheed Martin Investment Management Co.
Logan Circle Partners
Los Angeles Capital Management
LSV Asset Management
Martin Currie
Meketa Investment Group
Meta Alpha
MFS International
Misys
Mondrian Investment Partners Ltd
Montreal Exchange
Morgan Stanley
New Forests
NGP Energy Capital Management, LLC
NorCap Advisors, LLC
Northern Trust
Ocean West Capital Partners
ORTEC Finance Switzerland AG
Palladium Equity Partners, LLC
Partners Group
Pathway Capital Management, LLC
PerTrac
Pioneer Investment Management
Pramerica Real Estate Investors
PricewaterhouseCoopers
Prologis
Quantum Global Investment Management AG
Quoniam Asset Management
RBC Global Asset Management
RBC Investor Services
Record Currency Management Ltd
RGRD LLP
RMK Timberland Group
Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP
Robeco
Royal Bank of Canada
Royal Bank of Scotland
Royal London Asset Management
SaLu Capital
Sarasin & Partners
SecondMarket
Sectoral Asset Management
Société Générale
Srei Infrastructure Finance Limited
S&P Dow Jones Indices
SKYPATH Capital Partners
Standard Bank
Standard Life Investments Ltd.
Starwood Capital Group
State Street Global Advisors
Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP
Sumitomo Trust & Banking Co., Ltd.
SummerHaven Investment Management
SunGard
T Rowe Price
Toron AMI International Asset Management
Tradeweb Markets
The Gracia Group
The Sentient Group
TorreyCove Capital Partners LLC
Towers Watson
UBS
Unigestion
V&S Investment Co., Ltd
Vertex Venture Management
Virage Capital
Waddell & Reed Asset Management Group
Wells Capital Management
Wilshire Associates
WisdomTree
World Gold Council

Bitcoin 101 – How to Make a Digital Currency (pt.1)

Published on Nov 18, 2013

Part 1 of 2

What is Bitcoin? Many find Bitcoin difficult to understand. These high-school-level videos provide an introduction to bitcoin by looking at the historical problems of creating currencies (both traditional and digital currencies). This video could prove useful for a classroom activity or for anyone struggling to understand the basics of bitcoin.

This episode covers the important features of a currency and the advantages of going digital (instead of old fashioned currency)

This is the 11th episode in our blackboard series — a beginner’s course in bitcoin. Despite the name some of the episodes are designed for experts and others for beginners. We hope you’ll find just what you need, and we hope you’ll enjoy James’ presentation. If you do, please like, subscribe or drop some comments, suggestions or critiques.

Thanks, WBN

Chamath Palihapitiya – how we put Facebook on the path to 1 billion users

Chamath Palihapitiya started off making investments on the side while still employed at Facebook, including investments in Playdom (bought by The Walt Disney Company) and Bumptop (bought by Google). In 2011, he had enough money to quit his job at Facebook and start his own fund called The Social+Capital Partnership. The fund was praised by Peter Thiel, who invested in it and expressed enthusiasm for Palihapitiya’s approach.

Palihapitiya has invested (through the fund) in a number of companies since then, including Yammer and SecondMarket.

In March 2013, Palihapitiya confirmed that his venture fund had raised over $275 million in its second round of fundraising.

Read more Chamath Palihapitiya

Bitcoin Tops $1,000 as Virtual Money Gains Popularity

From: Bloomberg.com

Bitcoins were trading at $1,003 apiece today on Mt. Gox, one of the exchanges where the digital money can be traded for other currencies. On Bitstamp, the most active dollar-based marketplace among online exchanges, they were at $949.90. Bitcoins were trading at $12 to $13 a year earlier, and have quintupled this month.

Bitcoin Origins

Introduced in 2008 by a programmer or group of programmers going under the name of Satoshi Nakamoto, Bitcoins exist as software, which contain the rules governing their supply. New Bitcoins can only be created by solving complex problems embedded in the currency, keeping total growth limited. There are more than 12 million Bitcoins in circulation, according to Bitcoincharts, a website that tracks activity across various exchanges.

Bitcoin is being used to pay for everything from Gummi bears to smartphones on the Internet. The virtual curency can also be traded without being tracked, potentially reducing banking-transaction fees and making it an attractive tender for those seeking to buy and sell via the Web or in stores.

When Silk Road was shut down, the virtual currency lost a third of its value within days as holders sold, predicting a crackdown. Instead, the willingness of authorities to stamp out illegitimate use has come to be seen as an endorsement for Bitcoins, making users and investors more comfortable taking risks with digital money.

Bitcoin also gained further legitimacy and attention when a subsidiary of Baidu Inc. (BIDU), China’s top search engine, started accepting Bitcoins on Oct. 15. Chinese Bitcoin activity has exploded, with the number of yuan-based trades jumping 30-fold in the past two months and making BTC China the top online-exchange by volume.

Read more FULL ARTICLE AT BLOOMBERG.COM