Ratos

In 1996, when Claude Bébéar, chairman of AXA, asked Dominique Senequier to create a private equity arm for the insurer, a remarkable journey began. Bébéar promised to invest one franc for every two she raised from outside investors, a challenge that ignited a fierce determination in the young company to win clients through exceptional service and outstanding investment performance. Starting with just a $100m French Buyout fund and two external clients, the company steadily expanded into new asset classes and built a powerful international network across Europe, North America, and Asia. The pivotal moment arrived in 2013, when Dominique Senequier led an employee buyout of AXA Private Equity, creating Ardian – an independent private investment firm where approximately 80% of employees became owners. This independence unlocked a new chapter of accelerated growth, transforming the company into a global diversified private markets firm managing $196bn in assets. From those humble beginnings, Ardian has evolved into a world-leading organization with over 1,000 employees across 20 offices worldwide, mastering change to create lasting value for all stakeholders.

Citco is the world's largest hedge fund administrator, managing over $1.8 trillion in assets under administration. Founded in 1948, Citco has shaped and pioneered the fund administration sector, evolving into the essential operational backbone for clients across the alternative investment industry. With more than 2,000 funds under administration and over 11,000 professionals operating in 36 countries, Citco delivers end-to-end solutions that set industry standards for excellence and innovation. The company's comprehensive service portfolio includes fund administration, banking, direct lending and capital advisory, loan servicing solutions, middle office solutions, tax and regulatory services, corporate secretarial and management services, and global entity portfolio management. Citco's technology-driven approach features proprietary platforms like Æxeo® running on Amazon Web Services (AWS), CitcoOne™, and CitcoRecs™, enabling clients to maintain control of their data while benefiting from secure, scalable cloud infrastructure. This combination of deep expertise, global reach, and cutting-edge technology has made Citco the premier provider for asset owners, alternative asset managers, banking clients, investors, and corporations worldwide.