Ep. 152: Alex Russ, Head of Americas & Hilary LaBrash, Managing Director, Evercore PFG
Top Takeaways
Alex and Hilary emphasized that many Emerging Managers rush into market before the story, team, or positioning is fully ready. In a crowded fundraising environment, LPs rarely "reset" their perception later. If you show up to that first meeting half-prepared, LPs may start questioning readiness, infrastructure, and execution.
Alex and Hilary talked about how the best firms create long-term alignment by promoting talent internally, evolving economics as the firm grows, and giving younger partners real opportunity over time. When firms fail to do that, spinouts often follow. For LPs, team stability and incentive alignment are strong indicators of whether a manager can execute consistently across multiple fund cycles.
Many firms use the same buzzwords — proprietary sourcing, operational value-add, founder relationships — making it harder for LPs to tell managers apart. What stands out today is a repeatable process: why you win deals, when you deploy operational resources, how you make decisions, and what specifically makes a company a fit for your strategy.
- Fundraising Environment in 2026
- First Close Strategy & Fund Sizing
- 360 Feedback & LP Pre-Wiring
- What Differentiates a GP
- Emerging Manager Playbook
- …and so much more.
Evercore
Evercore is one of the world's leading independent investment banking advisory firms, with $5+ trillion in announced transactions since founding. Their Private Funds Group works with PE, infrastructure, real estate, and private credit managers on fundraising strategy, positioning, and LP engagement—across institutional investors worldwide.
Alex Russ
Alex Russ is the Head of Americas for Evercore's Private Funds Group. He advises PE sponsors on fundraising strategy, LP positioning, and market navigation, with a focus on helping managers differentiate themselves in an increasingly competitive capital environment.
Hilary LaBrash
Hilary LaBrash is a Managing Director in Evercore's Private Funds Group, where she works closely with emerging and established managers on fundraising preparation, messaging, and investor strategy.
51 Labs
51 Labs is a marketing agency for the lower middle market. We offer full-service digital marketing for PE, portfolio companies, IB, VC, hedge funds.
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