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Sovereign Wealth Fund Institute (SWFI), the leading authority on sovereign wealth funds, public pensions, and real asset investors, witnessed the convergence of prominent global investors, family offices, pension and public funds, endowments, ultra-high net worth individuals, and government representatives at its Family Office Round Table (FORT) North America 2023 in Dallas, Texas. Co-hosted by Patel Family Office and Texas-based Nanban Group on October 9-10, the gathering attracted over 400 guests estimated to be managing a cumulative US$11 trillion in assets.
L-R: Leanna Haakon, Natalie Brunell, Michael Maduell, Dipika Patel, Lakshmi Narayanan, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Kwanza Hall
FORT North America 2023, the largest family offices gathering of its kind in Dallas, was held at The Star, the iconic headquarters of five-time Super Bowl champions the Dallas Cowboys. An impressive line-up featured 40 prominent speakers engaged in discussions spanning a diverse range of topics, including private equity trends and opportunities, family office deal flow, institutional co-investment, real estate investing, sustainability, impact investing, philanthropy, and AI in finance. Speakers included Anya Schiess (Co-Managing Partner, JP Morgan Private Capital), Gopala Krishnan (CEO & Chairman, Nanban Group of Companies), Lee Bratcher (President, Texas Blockchain Council), Anand Chandrasekaran (General Partner, General Catalyst), The Honourable James Rosebush (CEO, GrowthStrategy Inc.), and H.E. Udaya Indrarathna (Sri Lankan Ambassador to the UAE), Leanna Haakons (Black Hawk Financial), Michael Maduell, (President SWFI), Dipika Patel (Chairwoman, Patel Family Office), and Kwanza Hall (Congressman), among others.
FORT North America 2023 recognized disruptors in the fields of entrepreneurship and finance having a significant impact on society through the Global Order of Outstanding Disruptors (GOOD) Fellowships and Influencing Community Over Networking (ICON) awards. A few of this year’s winners include Ranu Vohra (Co-founder and Executive Vice Chairman, Avendus), Jeff Hoffman (Founder & CEO, World Youth Horizons), Candice Beaumont (Chairman, Salsano Group), Merin Rajadurai, (Senior Advisor for Multilateral Affairs & Public-Private Partnership, US State Department), and Dr. Maha Achour (Venture Partner, Chakra Fund).
One of the events most anticipated elements was a fireside chat between the US Presidential Candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Natalie Brunell (Managing Editor for Hard Money Show). The candid and heavily-viewed conversation delved into the critical issues facing the very economic and social fabric of the United States.
The gathering witnessed five entrepreneurial pitches, showcasing Texas vibrant entrepreneurial spirit and the potential for investment in the state’s burgeoning start-up ecosystem. Among the startups that received the opportunity to pitch to global investors and family offices were Fluree, Praetorian Global, Bandit Trucks, Ledger Funding, and ARBT Prefab.
On the event’s culmination, Lakshmi Narayanan, Chairman, SWFI, said, “We are glad to have witnessed an overwhelming response from investors around the world for FORT North America 2023. This gathering was not just about financial transactions, it fostered discussions and debates that can help reshape the future of the domestic and global investment landscape.”
FORT North America 2023 was a testament to the growing global recognition of Texas as one of the deepest asset pools on earth, and an opportunity for global investors to explore the vast potential of the Lone Star State.
For more details, please visit fort.global.
About SWFI
The Sovereign Wealth Fund Institute (SWFI) has been hosting highly successful global forums to bring together the world’s largest investors, including sovereign wealth funds, pensions, foundations, endowments, large family offices, official institutions, and other asset owners, with top-level industry leaders for the purpose of deep knowledge sharing and preeminent deal-making. For the 15 plus years since its inception, SWFI has served as a critical industry liaison dedicated to assisting these institutions in the areas of investment, asset allocation, governance, policy, risk assessment and mitigation, and other relevant issues. By providing specialised data, events, and research, SWFI has become the world’s leading resource on global capital formation and flows.
About Patel Family Office
The Patel Family Office is an established hospitality family organization in the United States, with a 50-year legacy in developing, owning, and managing hotel properties across all segments. In addition to their extensive expertise in the hospitality industry, the Patel Family Office is actively engaged as an impact and responsible investor in various sectors, including housing, healthcare, technology, energy, and entrepreneurship. With a hotel management team that collectively holds over 250 years of experience, the Patel Family Office has developed over 50 properties, owned more than 400, and managed over 500 hotel properties primarily throughout the United States. Driven by their core values of family, integrity, and a strong work ethic, the Patel Family Office has raised and deployed over $5 billion in institutional and private capital, employing over 3,000 individuals and generating an annual revenue of $600 million in the hotel industry alone. Their portfolio of transactions represents a value of over $3.7 billion. Furthermore, the Patel Family Office is spearheading the establishment of Americas first national housing company, which aims to provide 75,000 housing units across all 50 states. As a committed investor, they have also invested in over 200 entrepreneurial ventures with a vision to positively impact the lives of one billion people.