PE & Venture: Positioning Portfolios for the Next Cycle

Brett is a Managing Director on the Pan-Alts team in the Americas and has over 14 years of industry experience. Brett works with Aksia’s global institutional clients on private markets portfolio strategy and construction and related investment advisory activities.

Prior to joining Aksia in 2023, Brett was the Associate Director at Marquette Associates, where he was a member of the Research Team, and led coverage of private credit, private equity, growth equity, and venture capital investments for the firm’s institutional clients. Prior to joining Marquette, Brett was a director at a New York City-based financial technology start-up. He previously held roles in the Institutional Groups at Invesco, Deutsche Bank, and Sentinel Investments where he led relationship development for the firm’s largest clients. Prior to embarking on his corporate career, Brett played professional baseball with Chicago White Sox.

Brett graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a BA in History and holds an MBA from Yale School of Management. He holds the CAIA designation.

As a member of the firm’s portfolio specialist team, Phil focuses on our private market strategies. He is responsible for communicating our investment process and strategy, asset-class perspectives, strategy performance and positioning to clients. In addition, Phil works closely with investors on private markets research, education, and portfolio construction. Phil has more than 13 years of industry experience, including roles at Fort Washington Investment Advisors and Mercer. Prior to joining Calamos in 2024, Phil served as Principal, Private Markets at Mercer where he led coverage of private credit and helped manage the firm’s institutional private markets fund-of-funds offering. Before embarking on his corporate career, Phil played professional baseball with the Cincinnati Reds organization. Phil graduated from Xavier University with a BA in Accounting. In addition to being a CFA charterholder, he holds the CAIA designation.

Michael Halper is a Partner and Portfolio Manager at ABS, where he serves as Co-Portfolio Manager of The Pre-IPO and Growth Fund, and is a member of the firm’s Operating Committee. His primary research coverage is fundamental equity strategies on a global basis. Prior to joining ABS in July 2003, he was an analyst in the technology investment banking group at Bear Stearns, where he specialized in mergers and acquisitions and strategic financing for mid-cap companies.

He holds a BBA in Finance and Accounting from the University of Michigan and is a CFA charterholder.