Chicago, IL, June 1, 2022 — The Vistria Group today announced two key additions to its Investor Relations team, welcoming former State Street Global Advisors Managing Director Gennell Jefferson and Senior Associate Katherine Eilers.
“We are extremely proud to add two talented individuals to our Investor Relations team,” said Kip Kirkpatrick, Co-CEO and Senior Partner at The Vistria Group. “Gennell is a rock star in the industry who has worked with us for almost 10 years in the LP space. She knows our unique market position and brings a deep understanding of what makes us special and attractive to investors. Katherine adds to our portfolio of talent with her background in capital fundraising, investor communications, and project management.”
Jefferson and Eilers will support the firm’s investor relations efforts overseen by Rob Parkinson, Senior Partner.
“From day one, Gennell has supported our initiatives, supporting each of the four funds over the years. Beyond her wealth of knowledge, Gennell understands The Vistria Group’s culture and is deeply respected by her peers as a former LP,” Parkinson said. “Katherine symbolizes the firm’s next generation of top talent, paving the way for a future with even more impactful investments and greater returns. I’m thrilled to work alongside these accomplished women.”
Jefferson joined The Vistria Group in April 2022 as a partner in Investor Relations following a distinguished career in asset management and investment banking. Previously, she was a Managing Director of Private Equity and Business Development at State Street Global Advisors, a $4 trillion global asset manager. She managed a private equity portfolio of $1.7 billion and served on the advisory boards for firms specializing in communications, education, financial services, healthcare, media and technology. Jefferson was appointed by the CEO to lead a global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion team to counter racism and inequality in the asset management industry.
Prior to joining State Street via the 2016 acquisition of GE Asset Management, Jefferson was a Senior Vice President of Strategic Business Development where she led the Diverse & Emerging Managers Program. She was previously an investment banker at firms including Bank of America and Lehman Brothers where she specialized in capital markets structuring and underwriting, raising over $600 billion in debt and equity financings for Fortune 500 corporations.
Jefferson serves on the board of directors of the National Association of Securities Professionals, A Better Chance, Inc. and Francis W. Parker School in Chicago. She earned a B.S. in Engineering from Washington University and an MBA from the University of Michigan.
“The Vistria Group is changing the face of private equity, literally and figuratively,” Jefferson said. “The firm is ushering in a new era of inclusive capitalism focused on creating impactful health, wealth and educational outcomes for the ultimate benefit of society. Moreover, our team is incredibly diverse — across a variety of dimensions — which enhances the quality of our decision-making and results. This philosophy is also shared with the companies and communities we invest in.”
Founded in 2013, The Vistria Group now currently manages more than $7 billion in institutional capital across its four Flagship Funds, Structured Credit Fund and co-investment vehicles. The Vistria Group most recently closed on Fund IV at $2.68 billion in June 2021.
“With every new team member, our firm continues to grow in a way that is driven by insight and a passion for making a difference,” said Marty Nesbitt, Co-CEO and Senior Partner at The Vistria Group. “We are excited to welcome Gennell and Katherine to continue to work alongside us, reinforcing our mission of combining profit with purpose.”
Eilers joined The Vistria Group in January 2022 following work as an Associate in the Fund Placement Group at Campbell Lutyens. There she focused on strategic advisory and project management for U.S. private equity and infrastructure fundraises. With a natural acumen for the capital fundraise process, Eilers has played a key role over the past few months in the firm’s investor communication and coverage and taking lead on much of the project management-related affairs within the firm’s Investor Relations team.
Prior to Campbell Lutyens, she worked at Morgan Stanley in the Investment Solutions Group where she was a sales and product specialist on the Structured Investments Deck. Eilers received a B.B.A. in Finance and Psychology from the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business and served as captain of the Women’s Varsity Lacrosse team.
“The Vistria Group’s alignment between investment performance and mission-driven focus to make education, healthcare and financial services more accessible to everyone, but importantly underserved communities, is unmatched in private markets today,” Eilers said. “I’m thrilled to work with Rob and Gennell as we continue to build out our investor relations practice and strive to be the best partners to our investors.”
About The Vistria Group
The Vistria Group is building a new kind of private investment firm that delivers both financial returns and societal impact. It invests in essential industries like healthcare, education and financial services that deliver value for investors as well as communities, employees, and consumers. The Vistria Group works as a true partner with its portfolio companies, drawing on its deep sector knowledge, operational expertise, unique network, diverse team, and impact orientation to achieve transformational growth. With nearly $7 billion in AUM, The Vistria Group has delivered attractive returns for its investors while achieving positive outcomes for its portfolio companies, and the lives and livelihoods it supports.
