Fund Finance Association

NextGen Network

Next Gen’s mission is to establish a forum for the exclusive benefit of junior, working professionals in the fund finance industry ranging from entry level positions to Vice Presidents and Senior Associates. This collective of bankers, private market professionals, lawyers and others related to the fund finance industry, will gather to share market insights and benefit from educational, networking, and mentorship opportunities in an engaging atmosphere. Next Gen, established in 2018, will continue to host events in London and New York City. Events will include educational seminars, networking socials, and industry panels, which will be collectively aimed at achieving Next Gen’s goal of developing the junior professionals to be future leaders of the industry.

Podcast: Career Conversations

Find out more!

2023 NextGen Member of the Year Award Recipient

Sara Casey - Hark Capital

Sara Casey, Principal, Hark Capital, has been selected as the 2023 NextGen Member of the Year Award recipient. Sara has been an excellent mentor and role model to many young industry professionals. We appreciate her dedication in tirelessly promoting the NextGen cause over this past year. Sara’s contributions to the industry have been meaningful and impactful, and she has a passion for helping others succeed in their careers. With demonstrated natural leadership ability, her willingness to share her knowledge and experience with others has inspired many to follow in her footsteps. Sara is clearly one to watch, and we are proud to honor her with this award. Congratulations, Sara!

US Committee

Shen Mei Bolton

Managing Associate

Sidley Austin LLP

Shen Mei Bolton

Managing Associate | Sidley Austin LLP

Shen Mei Bolton is a managing associate in the Global Finance practice in the firm's New York office.

Prior to joining Sidley, Shen Mei was a banking and finance associate at a global law firm's Singapore and Melbourne offices. While there, she focused her practice on cross-border fund financing, corporate finance, structured share backed facilitates, and syndicated financing with a focus on real estate finance.

Shen Mei has also spent time on secondment at a Japanese international bank and an Australian international bank.

*Not yet admitted to practice in New York.

Casey, Sara (AB Private Credit Investors)

Sara Casey

Director

AB Private Credit Investors

Sara Casey

Director | AB Private Credit Investors

Sara Casey is a Director with AB Private Credit Investors, where she is one of the initial senior team members involved in the development of the NAV Lending strategy. Her responsibilities include deal sourcing, structuring, underwriting and execution, and portfolio management. Prior to joining AB in 2023, Casey was a Principal at Hark Capital, where she sourced and executed NAV loans. Prior to Hark Capital, she was an Associate at Wells Fargo Securities. Casey is a member of the Fund Finance Association’s NextGen Committee and was the Fund Finance Association’s 2023 NextGen Member of the Year. She holds a BS in finance from Providence College.

Grafal, Jorge (Goldman Sachs Asset Management)

Jorge Grafal

Vice President

Goldman Sachs Asset Management

Jorge Grafal

Vice President | Goldman Sachs Asset Management

Jorge Grafal is Vice President of the Fund Finance business at Mizuho Americas. Jorge joined Mizuho Americas as part of the firm’s initiative to grow its presence within the Fund Finance industry in January, 2020, having previously worked at National Australia Bank and SMBC. He also serves as a key point of contact within Mizuho for ancillary business opportunities across its full spectrum of products and services. Jorge has been a funds banker for almost 10 years, with a focus on subscription finance facilities, NAV facilities, fund-level foreign exchange services and tailored credit products for private equity employees’ GP commitments. He is currently Co-Head of New York’s FFA NextGen Network.

Annabella Kwei

Vice President

Stifel Bank

Annabella Kwei

Vice President | Stifel Bank

Annabella Kwei heads up North East originations at Stifel Bank’s Venture and Fund Banking Group. Annabella provides private equity and venture capital firms with various financing solutions, such as subscription lines, management company lending and GP capital commitment finance. She also provides venture debt to portfolio companies.

Annabella has over six years of experience in fund finance and is a member of Fund Finance Association’s Women in Fund Finance Committee, Next Gen Committee and Marketing Committee. She holds an accelerated B.A.-M.A. degree from Barnard College and Columbia University.

EMEA Committee

Buckett, Joel (Deutsche Bank Wealth Management)

Joel Buckett

Vice President | EMEA Fund Finance

Deutsche Bank Wealth Management

Emily Fuller

Counsel

Haynes Boone

Emily Fuller

Counsel | Haynes Boone

Emily Fuller is a counsel in the Finance Practice Group in the London office of Haynes and Boone. Emily acts on a full range of finance transactions, with a particular focus on fund finance, including syndicated and bilateral leveraged/NAV facilities, SMA deals, hybrid facilities, GP support lines and capital call facilities. Emily has experience in the formation of closed-ended and open-ended offshore fund structures and prior to joining Haynes and Boone undertook a secondment at a real estate fund. Emily’s practice focuses on acting for bank and non-bank lenders and a variety of sponsors (including corporate and non- corporate private equity funds, hedge funds, infrastructure funds, real estate funds, secondary funds, credit funds and sovereign wealth funds). Emily also holds the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment’s Certificate in Islamic Finance and the Chartered Banker Institute’s Certificate in Green and Sustainable Finance.

Emily is a ranked lawyer in Chambers UK, Chambers and Partners, 2022 in Banking & Finance: Fund Finance - London (Firms) in the ‘Associates to Watch’ category. They note “Emily Fuller is an impressive associate who advises on matters across the fund finance space. She typically acts for financial institutions including banks and private equity firms.” Also that "Emily Fuller is just extremely helpful, in the weeds of the deals and extremely technically able." "She is incredibly knowledgeable, very engaged, and the advice is very sensible and fully explained."

Emily was named as a ‘Rising Star’ in the 2020 Fund Finance Association’s Rising Star Awards.

Jessica Lai

Director

Blackstone

Billal Malik

Director

Citibank

Billal Malik

Director | Citibank

Billal is a Director within Citi's Subscription Credit Finance team based in London, covering private equity fund clients across Europe. Billal has been with Citi for 11 years, and always had roles focussed on private equity clients. Billal established the Fund Finance Association's Next Generation network, which currently has chapters in the US, Europe and Asia. He was awarded the Fund Finance Next Generation Member of year in 2020 for his efforts in promoting mentorship, network, career enhancement and charity opportunities for future fund finance leaders. Billal holds a first class honours degree from Imperial College London and is a Chartered Alternative Investment Association professional. Billal takes a keen interest in sports, particularly football (soccer).

APAC Committee

Somdatta Basu

Director, Fund Finance APAC, Financial Institutions

ING

Somdatta Basu

Director, Fund Finance APAC, Financial Institutions | ING

Somdatta is a Director within ING’s APAC Fund Finance team with teams located in NYC, London, Luxembourg and Singapore. The team is part of the ING’s Financial Institutions Group and is responsible for the origination, execution and portfolio management of subscription facilities to funds managed by Financial Sponsors and Alternative Asset Managers based in the APAC region.

Somdatta has been with ING for over four years and was previously part of ING’s TMT & Healthcare sector team. Prior to joining ING, Somdatta worked with Siemens Financial Services in their Corporate Lending team across India, US and Singapore, focusing on leveraged and structured financing solutions for mid-sized corporate clients and sponsors.

Natalie Carter

Senior Associate

Walkers

Natalie Carter

Senior Associate | Walkers

Natalie Carter is a senior associate in the Finance and Corporate Group at Walkers Singapore. Natalie has a general debt finance background with particular experience in secured and unsecured commercial lending and funds financing. She regularly acts for financial institutions, private equity sponsors, investors and corporates, and advises in relation to the laws of the Cayman Islands, British Virgin Islands and Bermuda. Natalie has experience working on fund financing matters in Asia for regional and global lender and sponsor clients, and has been involved in some of the largest and most innovative fund financing transactions in the region.

Natalie joined the Walkers Hong Kong office in 2017 and relocated to the Singapore office in 2022. Prior to joining Walkers Natalie trained and worked at SJ Berwin / King and Wood Mallesons in their London and Hong Kong offices.

Karen Chow

East West Bank

Victoria Eriksson

Senior Associate

Allen & Overy LLP

Lily Miao

Counsel

Mourant

NextGen Network

Want to join a committee?

Shen Mei Bolton

Managing Associate

Sara Casey

Director

Jorge Grafal

Vice President

Annabella Kwei

Vice President

Joel Buckett

Vice President | EMEA Fund Finance

Emily Fuller

Counsel

Jessica Lai

Director

Billal Malik

Director

Somdatta Basu

Director, Fund Finance APAC, Financial Institutions

Natalie Carter

Senior Associate

Karen Chow

Victoria Eriksson

Senior Associate

Lily Miao

Counsel