Emily Mendell has been appointed as executive director of the Private Equity Women Investor Network, an organization for senior-level women investment professionals in private equity. Mendell succeeds Kirsty McGuire, PEWIN’s first executive director, who began her role in June 2021.
Mendell has three decades of experience in private equity and venture capital. She held leadership positions at a number of industry trade associations, such as the National Venture Capital Association, where she was vice president of communications, and the Institutional Limited Partners Association, where she was managing director of membership, events and communications.
“I will be squarely focused on harnessing the power of PEWIN to deepen membership engagement and increase our influence across the global private equity and venture capital industries,” Mendell said via a spokesperson. “PEWIN has enjoyed such a strong growth trajectory over the past several years that our opportunities to make an impact are substantial. We intend to be strategic in our efforts, and I’m looking forward to working closely with the board to set our course of action for the long term.”
Mendell’s other previous positions include director of marketing and communications at CenterSquare Investment Management, vice president of communications at Polaris Partners and managing partner at the Weiser Group. She earned a B.S. in economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
“Emily’s experience within our industry is only rivaled by her passion for our organization, its mission, and our members,” said Dana Johns, the chair of PEWIN’s board, in a statement. “She is a proven leader, a seasoned communicator, and an effective relationship builder. We are thrilled to have her in this role and look forward to her contributions to our collective success. This work could not be any more important, especially as women continue to make strides in terms of senior representation in private equity. We could not be more excited for Emily to help unify senior women leaders across the industry.”
PEWIN’s membership includes more than 1,000 senior leaders in private equity from more than 30 countries across North America, Europe, Asia and Africa. The organization provides opportunities to network, share ideas and make deep connections with peers, with the goal of increasing the profile of women within private equity.
Tags: Dana Johns, Emily Mendell, Kirsty McGuire, PEWIN, Private Equity Women Investor Network