NEW YORK, Feb. 15, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Private Equity & Venture Capital Club, a student-led organization at Columbia Business School, will host its 22^nd annual conference at the Marriott Marquis in New York City on Friday, February 19, 2016. The event is open to industry professionals and the public at large, with tickets available for purchase at www.cbspevcconference.com.

Each year, the Columbia Business School Private Equity & Venture Capital Conference brings together 500 students, faculty, alumni and industry professionals and has quickly become the industry's pinnacle platform for discourse on private sector investments. The theme of the 2016 conference is "Creating Value in Dynamic Markets," and will feature distinguished keynote speakers including:

• David Rubenstein, Co-Founder and Co-CEO, The Carlyle Group
• Arif Naqvi, Founder and Group Chief Executive, The Abraaj Group
• Molly Ashby, Founder, Chairman and CEO, Solera Capital
• Wayne Berman, Senior Advisor for Global Government Affairs, The Blackstone Group

The PE+VC Conference will also feature a Fireside Chat with Anton Levy, Managing Director and Head of the Global Internet & Technology Sector, General Atlantic, as well as several exciting panel topics, including Traditional LBO, Venture Capital, Growth Equity, Portfolio Company Operations, Real Estate, Emerging Markets and Search Fund.

"I am honored to continue my support of Columbia Business School's Private Equity Program as a keynote speaker at this year's conference,” said David Rubenstein, Co-Founder and Co-CEO, The Carlyle Group. "By sharing my experiences and perspectives on the industry, I hope to provide actionable insights to the next generation of Private Equity and Venture Capital professionals.”

"We are thrilled to host the 22nd annual Columbia Business School PE+VC Conference, and feature an impressive lineup of distinguished speakers and engaging panel topics," said Jay Longosz ’16, Co-President, PE+VC Club." This year’s conference theme focuses on how Private Equity and Venture Capital professionals are navigating a unique market environment to create value for stakeholders.

“We crafted our panel topics and keynote speakers to provide attendees with thought-provoking commentary on both mature and growth areas of the private equity industry,” said Leland Carter ’16, Co-President, PE+VC Club.  “Our conference team did an excellent job developing a diverse schedule of programing that covers topics such as diversity in PE/VC, emerging markets investing and entrepreneurship through search funds.”

The conference is sponsored by highly-respected members of the private equity and venture capital community, including Kirkland & Ellis, BNP Paribas, Deloitte, GLG, S&P Capital IQ and Coller Capital. Media sponsors include Crain’s, CVCA, ILPA, LAVCA, Pitchbook, Poets & Quants, and Toigo.

About the Private Equity & Venture Club at Columbia Business School
The Private Equity & Venture Capital Club is a student organization at Columbia Business School dedicated to providing opportunities for MBA students to learn about the PE and VC industries, enhance career opportunities, network with industry professionals, and engage with like-minded students. The club annually organizes the renowned PE+VC conference, uniting hundreds of industry leaders and students for a full day of conversation about the future of private equity and venture capital investing.