What is Lw3?
FOCUS
Lw3 aims to empower Institutional Investors and GPs to reimagine their relationship with community and education. LPs and GPs are each stakeholders, with a sense of agency, contrasting the traditional “kids at Disney World” feeling. All profits are reinvested toward staffing and future events and services for the LP community.
GOAL
The goal is to maximize LP utility of the event over ego and profit, with a focus on an educational component rather than marketing.
In the oversaturated world of events, Lw3 aims to create something that the institutional investor community will want to participate in year after year.
The Lw3 Origin Story
Omar’s dog Lou (of Lou & Sons) was always the center of attention wherever he went. Lou was an exceptionally handsome dog. Sometimes actually being mistaken for George Clooney. Playing off his name, we come to the L part of Lw3.
But the “w3”? It stands for Web 3.0, where the overarching concept is the empowerment of the users who create the value (in this case LPs at any conference) in having governance and transparency of the entire process.
The Founders
OMAR Z. NAEEM
Founding Partner,
Lou & Sons
Omar is the Founder of Lou & Sons (formerly Broad Peak Advisors). Prior, he was aimlessly wandering along the periphery of Wall Street for over 10 years.
His stops included thought leaders such as Talk City, Opal Conferences and Fast ESP before he finally realized he was unmanageable and needed to start his own firm.
Since its inception in 2005, Lou & Sons has seen over $25bn invested into its clients and has now grown to a team of four globally. Omar is a registered representative of Blue Sand Securities. (FINRA/SIPC) Blue Sand Securities LLC is not affiliated with Lw3 in any capacity.
LAURIE KATZ
Partner,GoldenTree Asset Management
Laurie Katz is responsible for sourcing and overseeing a large client base of pension funds, institutions, endowments, foundations, family offices and fund of funds.
As one of GoldenTree’s first employees, hired in 2000 as part of the Trading Team, Ms. Katz has helped develop, staff and manage several of the key infrastructures within the firm including
operations and Client Service departments as the firm developed in its early years. Prior to joining GoldenTree, Ms. Katz was an Associate/Assistant Trader at First Dominion, where she was responsible for the Operations of three collateralized debt obligations, including issues related to closing structured products, developing relationships with underwriters and portfolio valuations.
Prior to First Dominion, Ms. Katz held a similar position within the Capital Markets division of CIBC. Ms. Katz is a graduate of New York University and holds a Certificate in Professional Communications from Harvard ES. Ms. Katz is actively involved in the hedge fund industry, and is a member of several organizations including AIMSE and 100 Women in Finance Angel Program & Leadership Circle.
Ms. Katz was recognized as a Rising Star by Institutional Investor in 2012. In 2013, Ms. Katz was chosen as a member of the UJA-Federation’s inaugural 40 Under 40 Industry Leaders Initiative. Ms. Katz currently serves on the Boards of Chick Mission, Women Rising and also Encouraging Women Across All Borders.
