| Speaker |
David West Smith
Founder and President –Global Emerging Technologies Advisor—Bio 180 Solutions |
| Topic |
The Day and Life of an Activist International Private Equity Investor |
| Time |
5:30p.m. |
| Location |
The Cabot Intercultural Center, Room 702 |
Curious what the day and life of an activist international private equity investor is like? Come hear David West Smith share his dynamic journey in a true ‘James Bond’ fashion, in addition to his latest investment: BIO180 a plant organic compound that breaks down and binds with toxic pollutants in water to make them inert. This unique and innovative technology is currently being applied to coastal beach restoration and toxic soil and water remediation both in the US and international markets. His work will showcase the versatility in studying the environment through the lens of finance, development, and international law, specifically the cross-sector comparisons that creating complex linkages in the world of global private equity. David will also speak about KATERVA, a non-profit that identifies and awards initiatives making the greatest strides towards a sustainable planet in ten unique categories of impact, including water, energy & power, forests, poverty eradication. Also joining David will be Oscar Plotkin, business finance expert and key patent developer of Bio 180.
Executive Biographies
Mr. Smith is most recently a Founder and President of Global Emerging Technologies and an Advisor to Bio180 Solutions. Prior he was a Director of Private Equity for Deutsche Bank Asset Management in New York City, London, and Silicon Valley, where he was responsible for Private Equity investments and taking an active role in the strategic development and investment exits of the portfolio companies. He has more than 18 years of successful global Private Equity and Venture Capital experience in deal origination, structured financing and placement and team management. Managed and helped build out Private Equity teams. He previously held executive positions at Deutsche Bank, Global Emerging Markets, Gerald Energy (Man Group) and Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette. Mr. Smith has an MBA in Finance and International Business from University of Miami School of Business a BA in Social Anthropology from Eckerd College and post graduate studies at Universidad Granada, Span and Universitat Salzburg, Austria. He has been a special guest at the World Bank IMF annual meetings. He currently is active in Global Sustainability Initiatives with various Sovereign Wealth Funds as well as the United Nations High-Level Panel on Global Sustainability and a Board member of the Global Sustainability Group Katerva.org. Geographical project work has included MENA, GCC Hong Kong, Brazil and Europe.
Oscar Plotkin has been in the real estate development and finance business since 1978. During his tenure in the business, he founded Berkshire development in 1990 which became a national single tenant net lease and shopping center development companies, with developments from Chicago to Ocala Florida. He was also a principal in numerous structured finance transactions.
Mr. Plotkin made investments in other areas, such beach restoration and bio remediation compounds. Over the last four years he sold the development company and, since that time, his efforts have been exclusively devoted to the development of the patents and trade secrets that he acquired, which comprise the nucleus of Bio 180 solutions. Having performed extensive testing during the past five years in the Nation's most venerable laboratories, Mr. Plotkin has proven the efficacy of the IP of a varied array of compounds, and has assembled a company dedicated to the commercialization and advancement of the technology. Mr. Plotkin is a Graduate of Georgetown University, where he received a Masters Degree in English literature, with a concentration in Shakespeare. He was a principal player at Georgetown's classical theater. He was a Gubernatorial appointee to the Judicial Conduct Commission, and has served on numerous boards throughout his career. Mr. Plotkin has been a serious runner for years. He was ranked in the 24th percentile in North America by Ultra Running Magazine for the 100 mile distance. He has three children and resides in New York, New York.