Event Speakers

Go Back

Zack Ellison, CFA, CAIA, is the Founder, Managing General Partner, and Chief Investment Officer of Applied Real Intelligence (“A.R.I.”). A.R.I. is a Los Angeles-based venture debt investment manager focused on providing financing solutions to innovative, high-growth, VC-backed companies in recession-resistant sectors and underserved regions. Mr. Ellison leads A.R.I.’s investment activities, including sourcing, due diligence, structuring, execution, and portfolio management. Previously, Mr. Ellison was Director of U.S. Public Fixed Income at Sun Life Financial, where he was responsible for corporate credit trading and investing. Prior to Sun Life Financial, he was a corporate bond and credit default swap trader at Deutsche Bank. During the Global Financial Crisis, he was an investment banker where he successfully underwrote and managed a portfolio of leveraged loans at Scotia Bank. He began his financial career at Thomson (now Thomson Reuters) in the Capital Markets Intelligence group. Currently, Mr. Ellison is a Board Member of CFA Society Los Angeles, a Board Member of the Southern California Chapter of the CAIA Association, the West Coast Regional Director of the Hedge Fund Association (HFA), and a member of the Milken Institute’s Young Leaders Circle (YLC). Mr. Ellison holds an MBA with concentrations in Analytic Finance and Economics from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business along with an MS in Risk Management from New York University’s Stern School of Business. In his personal time, Mr. Ellison is working towards completion of a Doctorate in Business Administration at the University of Florida (Gainesville).

Jane Leung is a strategic advisor at Hive Wealth, an innovative wealth platform that is creating social impact by democratizing the Family Office and providing opportunities for the 99% to build and grow meaningful multi-generational wealth. Prior to this role, she was Head of Investment Solutions and Chief Investment Officer at SVB Private, as well as CEO and President of SVB Investment Services. She also led SVB’s Modern Family Office and capital markets teams. Prior to joining SVB, Jane was Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer at Scenic Advisement, a boutique investment bank that helps high-growth, late-stage private technology companies attract strategic investors via secondary equity sales and primary financings. Ms. Leung led the wealth management division, which provided unique wealth management for entrepreneurs, blending both public and private asset management. Jane has alsoheld senior executive roles at BlackRock/iShares, including Head of Asia Pacific iShares and Index Equity.

Tom joined Runway Growth Capital in 2015 as Chief Financial Officer and is a member of the firm’s investment committee. Tom has more than 30 years of corporate finance, investment banking, and financial executive/management experience with rapidly growing entrepreneurial companies, including a long history in credit analysis, structuring, and lending. He has a passion for growing businesses. As a lender, investor, and executive he is committed to helping businesses grow profitably, building value for all constituents. Tom began his professional career as a corporate lender with Continental Bank and Security Pacific Bank, and over the next 12 years he moved progressively deeper in the balance sheet. After four years at GE Capital funding private companies with unique capital needs he joined Discovery Zone, Inc. where, as Treasurer, he completed multiple complicated debt and equity financings including its successful IPO and served as a key member of the team completing the sale to Blockbuster Video Corporation/Viacom. He also led the International Development program and most non-franchisee acquisitions. With former Discovery Zone executives, Tom co-founded LKQ Corporation, served as CFO and later Executive Vice President of its Central Region operations. During his tenure at LKQ Corporation the company completed 31 acquisitions and grew from start-up to $225 million in revenue. Tom most recently served as Partner and Chief Operating Officer of GSV Financial Group LLC and its wholly-owned subsidiary GSV Ventures LLC. Tom holds a Masters of Management with a concentration in Finance from Northwestern University Kellogg Graduate School of Management and a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Miami University in Oxford, OH.

As Chair of the New Products Committee at B. Riley Wealth Management, Rob leverages his extensive knowledge, leadership acumen, and industry experience to drive innovation within B. Riley Wealth Management. He spearheads the development of new investment products, leveraging emerging market trends and client needs to create cutting-edge solutions. Previously, Rob served as the Chief Operating Officer at Dominick & Dominick LLC, where he played a pivotal role in the firm's growth from a team of 12 employees to over 100. Prior to that, he held the position of Director at Credit Suisse First Boston and Senior Vice President at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette. Rob’s three decades of expertise in institutional investing, investment banking, alternative investments, and the investment advisory business, has positioned him as a strategic thinker with a global outlook. He earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Finance from NYU Stern School of Business and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and History from Georgetown University.