For the ILPA Institute Dean of Faculty Mike Mazzola, teaching is a way to give back to the industry where he spent most of his career. Get to know this former Senior Vice President and head of Alternative Investments at MetLife, who managed one of the largest global institutional private equity portfolios.

What sets ILPA Institute faculty apart from other industry training programs?

Our faculty is the driving force for the Institute and we are more than 30 members and growing. We have a diverse group of practitioners that are leading global experts in private markets, including current and former senior allocators. Many of our faculty have extensive expertise in specific areas such as fund legal, due diligence, restructuring, portfolio construction, credit or real assets to name a few. We are fortunate that our faculty are so willing to devote their time to support the Institute and its core mission. There’s no other organization in our industry that can claim a more experienced and dedicated faculty in private markets.

What inspires you to continue teaching at the ILPA Institute year after year?

Our industry is still one where our young professionals apprentice, learning from their more experienced co-workers and industry participants. As a result, it is essential for our longest tenured professionals, like myself, to share their wisdom and personal experience with a younger generation of members. I take great pride in being part of our prestigious faculty and I cherish my time in the classroom. For me, it is a way to stay connected to our members and to give back to industry where I have spent almost the entirety of my professional career.

What do you hope participants take away from their time in the classroom?

We strive to have our participants finish our courses with practical and actionable knowledge that will allow them to improve the performance of their day-to-day activities. Whether it be fund underwriting, portfolio management of due diligence, we provide our members with a foundation based on industry best practices and real-world experiences. We also endeavor to reinforce ILPA’s core tenets, including a better understanding of the tools and templates available for our members. Our core belief is that better educated and empowered LPs will engage and innovate more and improve the overall ecosystem of private market investments for all.

Catch Mike in the classroom in Stockholm, London, Melbourne, Copenhagen and New York this fall.