Profile
“Being true to who we are is key; we are purely a referral-based business. There is zero marketing or advertising”
Adam Rakowski,
Ortus Financial
As chairman and CEO of iCapital, Lawrence Calcano has led the strategic vision and guidance that defines the company as a leading financial technology provider.
iCapital powers the world’s alternative investment marketplace, offering a complete suite of tools, end-to-end enterprise solutions, data management and distribution capabilities, and an innovative operating system that simplify the process of investing in high-quality alternatives, structured investments, and annuities for wealth advisors and their high-net-worth clients. The platform also enables fund managers to reach new sources of capital from the independent wealth channel.
Under Calcano’s leadership, iCapital now services more than $200 billion in client assets on the platform across more than 1,650 funds from over 600 fund managers, issuers, and insurance carriers. iCapital’s end-to-end technology suite serves a network of 106,000 financial professionals. The company employs more than 1,700 people across 17 offices (eight international).
Prior to joining iCapital, Calcano was a partner and managing director at Goldman Sachs, where he served as co-head of the Global Technology Banking Group within the Investment Banking Division. His team was responsible for covering companies across all sectors of the technology industry, including internet, digital and e-commerce, software, services, and hardware client businesses. He began his career at Morgan Stanley.
Calcano states, “Many of my colleagues and clients throughout my career have worked in private equity, hedge funds, and the venture capital space, meaning I had a front-row seat to the pain points many financial professionals faced when accessing, managing, and reporting on private market investments. Because I saw an opportunity to use technology to create real change in an industry ready for innovation, making the leap to a fintech like iCapital made sense.”
At the forefront of the digital transformation in alternative investing, iCapital has invested over $600 million in its secure platform that delivers a complete portfolio of management capabilities for education, transactions, data flows, analytics, and client support throughout the investment. These innovations are helping transform the private markets, making it easier for advisors to add these investments to portfolios to meet their clients’ investment goals.
Calcano has always been passionate about the intersection of finance and technology. “It’s motivating to know that the things you’re building are helping make investing in the private markets more inclusive and ensuring the management of these complex investments through their lifecycle is more streamlined and simpler for our advisors and their clients,” he says. “Education is crucial in the early adoption phase of alternative investments as it empowers advisors and their clients to make more informed decisions that help them fully leverage the benefits of portfolio diversification and enhanced performance."
One of Calcano’s most frequent phrases – “Clients come first in everything iCapital does” – is the philosophical foundation upon which iCapital’s mission is built. The firm empowers clients by providing unparalleled access to and management of alternative investments and innovative financial solutions. Calcano has helped foster the company’s culture to be unwaveringly dedicated to client success through cutting-edge technologies and comprehensive support. With iCapital’s solutions, customers gain the confidence to navigate and engage seamlessly in the world of alternative investments, ensuring a reliable and efficient investment experience aligned with their financial goals.
“I am motivated daily to achieve the highest standards of performance and build a culture centered around collaborating with our clients. It’s a foundational philosophy shared by all iCapital employees, and it’s the philosophy most central to our global growth and expansion plans,” says Calcano.
Outside of its strong growth trajectory in North America, iCapital has forged partnerships with leading firms in other key markets around the world as part of its mission to make learning about, investing in, and managing alternative investments, structured investments, and annuities easier for advisors everywhere.
“Our commitment to creating reliable end-to-end data management services for all our clients ensures that our network of advisors can make more informed decisions on behalf of their clients.”
Outside of technology, Calcano’s other passion is mental health and well-being. This has led him to serve as a director of Vibrant Emotional Health (formerly the Mental Health Association of NY) for 10 years.
60 E 42nd Street, New York, NY 10165
803 200 3755
icapital@neibartgroup.com
linkedin.com/in/lawrence-calcano-5b8b9111
icapital.com
Lawrence Calcano
Chairman and CEO
iCapital
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“You can’t control the outcome, but you can always control what version of you turns up every day”
Adam Rakowski,
Ortus Financial
1989–2006
2013
2014–2024
October 2024
2015–present
Spent 17 years at Goldman Sachs, ultimately serving as co-head of the Global Technology Banking Group (part of the Investment Banking Division), focusing on all aspects of technology, including e-commerce, software, services, and hardware
1989–
2006
Began advising and working with iCapital shortly after its 2013 founding, leading key strategic and business development initiatives
2013
Served as chairman and CEO at iCapital, leading the growth of iCapital – both organic and through acquisition – building it into a leading global fintech company
2014–
2024
iCapital surpassed US$200 billion in global platform assets
Included in The Wall Street Journal’s 2024 CEO Council list of the World’s Most Influential Decision Makers
Received the prestigious Industry Leadership Award from the Money Management Institute (MMI)
Under his leadership, iCapital has consistently been recognized for its outstanding innovation, fintech industry leadership, and performance, including CNBC World Top Fintech Companies for 2024, and Forbes Fintech 50 for seven consecutive years since 2018. For more information, visit icapital.com/awards-disclaimer.
October 2024
2015–present: Founding Board Member at DCALTA - Defined Contribution Alternatives Association
2019–present: Chief Executive Officer at StepStone Private Wealth
2015–
present
Milestones
Milestones
ELITE WOMEN 2024 JUDGE
Listings in InvestmentNews’ Hot List 2024, December 17, 2024, are based on nominations received online from wealth professionals between August 5 and 30, 2024. Nominations were open to plan sponsors, money managers, and executives with at least 10 years of experience. After receiving over 450 nominations, InvestmentNews narrowed the list down to 100 “movers and shakers” whose contributions helped shape the wealth industry over the previous 12 months. The rankings may not be representative of any one client’s experience and are not indicative of the financial advisor’s future performance. Compensation provided for using, not obtaining, the award.
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