Accessing the Pipeline

Bringing Out the Best for Under-Capitalized Communities, with BlackRock’s Ladell Robbins

“When I first joined BlackRock,” Ladell Robbins [https://www.blackrock.com/us/individual/investment-ideas/alternative-investments/blackrock-impact-opportunities#] recalls, “and I just saw the number of investment opportunities that flow through the platform – it's mesmerizing,” Today, Ladell is managing director of the BlackRock Impact Opportunities Strategy, BlackRock’s social impact investment platform that focuses on improving outcomes for under-capitalized groups. In this conversation with hosts Abdul Lediju [https://www.mcguirewoods.com/people/l/abdul-rahman-lediju/] and Dan Howell [https://www.mcguirewoods.com/people/h/daniel-e-howell/], he reflects on his journey to BlackRock, including investment banking at JP Morgan, Harvard Business School, and private equity in West Africa. Stay tuned in as he describes BlackRock’s landmark $25 million investment in a solar microgrid project for the Viejas tribe – believed to be the first program to benefit from the federal government’s Tribal Loan Guarantee Program. “It brought out the best of BlackRock.” CONNECT AND LEARN MORE ☑️ Ladell Robbins [https://www.blackrock.com/us/individual/investment-ideas/alternative-investments/blackrock-impact-opportunities#] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ladell-robbins-5478b6142] ☑️ BlackRock [https://www.blackrock.com/us/individual] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/blackrock] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/BlackRock] | X [https://twitter.com/blackrock] | YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/user/blackrock] ☑️ Abdul Lediju [https://www.mcguirewoods.com/people/l/abdul-rahman-lediju/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alediju/] ☑️ Dan Howell [https://www.mcguirewoods.com/people/h/daniel-e-howell/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/howelldaniel/] ☑️ McGuireWoods [https://www.mcguirewoods.com/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/mcguirewoods/] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/mcguirewoods] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/mcguirewoods_llp/] | X [https://twitter.com/McGuireWoodsLLP] | YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@mcguirewoodsllp7533/featured] ☑️ Subscribe Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/accessing-the-pipeline/id1680959900] | Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/1TK50mmXFe3MSDYLDD9gxp] | Amazon Music [https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8a6c8a10-4fd1-493c-8e71-88d1ff3ca27e/accessing-the-pipeline] This podcast was recorded and is being made available by McGuireWoods for informational purposes only. By accessing this podcast, you acknowledge that McGuireWoods makes no warranty, guarantee or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in the podcast. The views, information or opinions expressed during this podcast series are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily reflect those of McGuireWoods. This podcast should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in your state and should not be construed as an offer to make or consider any investment or course of action.

At the Intersection of Purpose and Profit, with Garrison Jones

How do we find opportunities where others are not finding them and how can we create an investment strategy where others have not found the value?" That question drives Garrison Jones [https://www.wailescapital.com/team], founder and CEO of Wailes Capital [https://www.wailescapital.com/], a private equity firm focused on people-first businesses across B2B software, education, and healthcare. Garrison reflects on how he has crafted a career “at the intersection of purpose and profit,” and McGuireWoods partners and hosts Abdul Lediju [https://www.mcguirewoods.com/people/l/abdul-rahman-lediju/] and Dan Howell [https://www.mcguirewoods.com/people/h/daniel-e-howell/] congratulate him for the newest signpost on that intersection: WCM Holdings, a tech-enabled nonprofit fundraising and administrative software and services platform. Tune in for Garrison’s candid insights about why you should build a success ecosystem before taking the leap, why fundraising is as much about who's involved as what you're pitching, and how resilience and mentorship can make all the difference in your career. CONNECT AND LEARN MORE ☑️ Garrison Jones [https://www.wailescapital.com/team] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/garrison-jones-6a41165a/] ☑️ Wailes Capital [https://www.wailescapital.com/] on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/wailes-capital] ☑️ Abdul Lediju [https://www.mcguirewoods.com/people/l/abdul-rahman-lediju/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alediju/] ☑️ Dan Howell [https://www.mcguirewoods.com/people/h/daniel-e-howell/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/howelldaniel/] ☑️ McGuireWoods [https://www.mcguirewoods.com/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/mcguirewoods/] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/mcguirewoods] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/mcguirewoods_llp/] | X [https://twitter.com/McGuireWoodsLLP] | YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@mcguirewoodsllp7533/featured] ☑️ Subscribe Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/accessing-the-pipeline/id1680959900] | Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/1TK50mmXFe3MSDYLDD9gxp] | Amazon Music [https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8a6c8a10-4fd1-493c-8e71-88d1ff3ca27e/accessing-the-pipeline] This podcast was recorded and is being made available by McGuireWoods for informational purposes only. By accessing this podcast, you acknowledge that McGuireWoods makes no warranty, guarantee or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in the podcast. The views, information or opinions expressed during this podcast series are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily reflect those of McGuireWoods. This podcast should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in your state and should not be construed as an offer to make or consider any investment or course of action.

Right Deal, Right Buyer, Right Fit: The Ernie Lyles Playbook

Growing up in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, Ernie Lyles [https://www.higrogroup.com/team/ernest-lyles] found his Wall Street inspiration when he watched the news one day to see “this Black man on the golf course just hanging out with the president.” It turned out to be Vernon Jordan, then an advisor to President Bill Clinton. That inspiration propelled Ernie through Howard University School of Law and onto an Amtrak train to New York, where he met an HR executive in banking over coffee. Today, as founder and CEO of HiGro Group [https://www.higrogroup.com/], Ernie has completed 15 to 20 acquisitions across five platforms over 10 years. In this conversation with McGuireWoods hosts Abdul Lediju [https://www.mcguirewoods.com/people/l/abdul-rahman-lediju/] and Dan Howell [https://www.mcguirewoods.com/people/h/daniel-e-howell/], Ernie shares his investment philosophy built on a three-legged stool: right deal, right buyer, right fit. CONNECT AND LEARN MORE ☑️ Ernie Lyles [https://www.higrogroup.com/team/ernest-lyles] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ernest-lyles-6470572/] ☑️ HiGro Group [https://www.higrogroup.com/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-higro-group] ☑️ Abdul Lediju [https://www.mcguirewoods.com/people/l/abdul-rahman-lediju/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alediju] ☑️ Dan Howell [https://www.mcguirewoods.com/people/h/daniel-e-howell/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/howelldaniel/] ☑️ McGuireWoods [https://www.mcguirewoods.com/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/mcguirewoods/] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/mcguirewoods] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/mcguirewoods_llp/] | X [https://twitter.com/McGuireWoodsLLP] | YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@mcguirewoodsllp7533/featured] ☑️ Subscribe Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/accessing-the-pipeline/id1680959900] | Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/1TK50mmXFe3MSDYLDD9gxp] | Amazon Music [https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8a6c8a10-4fd1-493c-8e71-88d1ff3ca27e/accessing-the-pipeline]   This podcast was recorded and is being made available by McGuireWoods for informational purposes only. By accessing this podcast, you acknowledge that McGuireWoods makes no warranty, guarantee or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in the podcast. The views, information or opinions expressed during this podcast series are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily reflect those of McGuireWoods. This podcast should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in your state and should not be construed as an offer to make or consider any investment or course of action.

How “Everyone Can Win” in the Independent Sponsor Market, with Chelsea Celistan

Recording live from the 2025 McGuireWoods Independent Sponsor Conference, hosts Abdul Lediju [https://www.mcguirewoods.com/people/l/abdul-rahman-lediju/] and Dan Howell [https://www.mcguirewoods.com/people/h/daniel-e-howell/] invite the podcast’s first repeat guest to reflect on her journey over the past few years. Chelsea Celistan [https://avantecap.com/our-team/] is now head of Independent Sponsor Strategy at Avante Capital Partners [https://avantecap.com/], a capital partner to independent sponsors. “I think that the independent sponsor asset class is really exciting,” she says, adding: “I think one of the greatest things is that there's not a zero-sum game in this space. Everyone can win.”  CONNECT AND LEARN MORE ☑️ Chelsea Celistan [https://avantecap.com/our-team/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelsea-celistan-33892628] ☑️ Avante Capital Partners [https://avantecap.com/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/avante-capital-partners] ☑️ Abdul Lediju [https://www.mcguirewoods.com/people/l/abdul-rahman-lediju/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alediju] ☑️ Dan Howell [https://www.mcguirewoods.com/people/h/daniel-e-howell/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/howelldaniel/] ☑️ McGuireWoods [https://www.mcguirewoods.com/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/mcguirewoods/] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/mcguirewoods] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/mcguirewoods_llp/] | X [https://twitter.com/McGuireWoodsLLP] | YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@mcguirewoodsllp7533/featured] ☑️ Subscribe Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/accessing-the-pipeline/id1680959900] | Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/1TK50mmXFe3MSDYLDD9gxp] | Amazon Music [https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8a6c8a10-4fd1-493c-8e71-88d1ff3ca27e/accessing-the-pipeline]   This podcast was recorded and is being made available by McGuireWoods for informational purposes only. By accessing this podcast, you acknowledge that McGuireWoods makes no warranty, guarantee or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in the podcast. The views, information or opinions expressed during this podcast series are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily reflect those of McGuireWoods. This podcast should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in your state and should not be construed as an offer to make or consider any investment or course of action.

Why Demand, Not Policy, Powers Clean Energy Markets, with Will Demas

From Will Demas [https://www.greeninvestmentgroup.com/en/who-we-are/our-team.html]’ perspective, investing in clean energy is no longer about policy; “it’s a pure supply-demand and economic rational matter.” The Head of Americas for Macquarie Asset Management [https://www.macquarie.com/us/en.html]’s Green Investment Group, Will shares why current political rhetoric doesn't change the demand for clean energy in this conversation with McGuireWoods attorneys Abdul Lediju [https://www.mcguirewoods.com/people/l/abdul-rahman-lediju/] and Dan Howell [https://www.mcguirewoods.com/people/h/daniel-e-howell/]. Tune in for his insights about Macquarie's 20-year commitment to renewable energy, their $18 billion deployment into the sector, and unprecedented opportunities in renewable energy due to data centers' insatiable power needs. CONNECT AND LEARN MORE ☑️ Will Demas [https://www.greeninvestmentgroup.com/en/who-we-are/our-team.html] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-gerald-demas-b459377] ☑️ Macquarie Asset Management [https://www.macquarie.com/us/en.html] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/macquariegroup/] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/MacquarieGroup/] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/macquariegroup/?hl=en] | X [https://twitter.com/Macquarie] | YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/user/macquarie] ☑️ Abdul Lediju [https://www.mcguirewoods.com/people/l/abdul-rahman-lediju/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alediju] ☑️ Dan Howell [https://www.mcguirewoods.com/people/h/daniel-e-howell/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/howelldaniel/] ☑️ McGuireWoods [https://www.mcguirewoods.com/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/mcguirewoods/] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/mcguirewoods] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/mcguirewoods_llp/] | X [https://twitter.com/McGuireWoodsLLP] | YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@mcguirewoodsllp7533/featured] ☑️ Subscribe Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/accessing-the-pipeline/id1680959900] | Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/1TK50mmXFe3MSDYLDD9gxp] | Amazon Music [https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8a6c8a10-4fd1-493c-8e71-88d1ff3ca27e/accessing-the-pipeline]   This podcast was recorded and is being made available by McGuireWoods for informational purposes only. By accessing this podcast, you acknowledge that McGuireWoods makes no warranty, guarantee or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in the podcast. The views, information or opinions expressed during this podcast series are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily reflect those of McGuireWoods. This podcast should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in your state and should not be construed as an offer to make or consider any investment or course of action.