Event Speakers

CAIA Chicago presents Titans of Private Credit

  • Date: June 4, 2024
  • Location: One South Wacker Drive

Speakers

Katie Fowley
Organization: Blackstone Alternative Asset Management


Katie Fowler is a Principal at Blackstone, where she serves as Private Wealth Solutions’ lead product specialist for the firm’s credit investment strategies. In her role, Ms. Fowler delivers private credit market and portfolio insights to Blackstone’s existing and prospective investors. Prior to joining Blackstone in 2023, Katie spent 7 years in the Global Credit business at BlackRock where she most recently served as the head of Wealth Product Strategy. She began her career in the Private Wealth Management business at Goldman Sachs. Ms. Fowler received her B.S. in International Politics from Georgetown University.


Muhammad Gazi
Organization: APOLLO


Muhammad Gazi is Principal and Client Portfolio Manager in the Client and Product Solutions Group at Apollo. Prior to joining in 2022, he worked as a Vice President, Product Specialist at Griffin Capital for four years and was a member of the Griffin Capital Credit Advisor Investment Committee. Previously, Muhammad was a Senior Credit Strategist at PIMCO, focusing on PIMCO’s Global Credit Alternative Strategies. Prior to that, he was a CIO associate on the PIMCO Total Return portfolio management team. Prior to PIMCO, Muhammad worked at Prudential Financial, focused on retirement investments for high-net-worth individuals. He is a CFA charterholder and holds a degree in commerce and finance from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto.


Brett Graffy
Organization: Aksia


Brett Graffy, CAIA, is a Managing Director on the Investment Research team and has over 12 years of industry experience. He is actively involved throughout the investment process including sourcing, screening and evaluating private credit primary, secondary, co-investment and SMA investments. Brett also works with Aksia’s global institutional clients on private credit 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.


Kelli Marti
Organization: Nuveen, LLC


Kelli Marti serves as Churchill’s Head of CLO Management, the Portfolio Investment Strategist for Nuveen Churchill Private Capital Income Fund (PCAP) and Co-Head of Chicago Office. As Head of CLO Management, she is responsible for the management and growth of Churchill’s middle market CLO platform, including day-to-day vehicle oversight, assisting in the sourcing of assets, trading strategy and fundraising initiatives. As Portfolio Investment Strategist, Kelli serves as PCAP's portfolio manager, overseeing day-to-day investment activity and helping to make investment decisions. Kelli graduated magna cum laude with a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Notre Dame and an M.B.A. with high honors from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.


Paul Saunders
Organization: HPS Investment Partners


Paul Saunders, CFA, is an Executive Director at HPS Investment Partners. Prior to joining HPS in 2023, Mr. Saunders was a Senior Vice President at Partners Group where he led Private Credit Investor Relations & Product in the Americas. Prior to Partners Group, Mr. Saunders held roles at BlackRock in their Multi-Asset Credit team and BlackRock Solutions. Mr. Saunders began his career at Citi in the Interest Rate Derivative Trading Group. Mr. Saunders is a CFA Charterholder, holds a BS in Business Administration from the State University of New York at Albany, and an MBA from New York University.