Kostas A. Poulakidas, Taft Public Finance and Economic Development practice group co-chair, will serve as a moderator at the Opportunity Zones Forum (Midwest) sponsored by Information Management Network on Thursday, Sept. 19 at the JW Marriott Hotel in Chicago.

Poulakidas will lead five industry professionals to explore the topic “Investment Primer for Family Offices.” The group will address:

• Which strategies and in which markets are you allocating capital for opportunity zone funds?
• As an LP, what are your foremost concerns about investing in opportunity zones? What are you doing to manage risk?
• Which do you consider the earmarks of a strong investment? What’s on your decision-making checklist? Are there certain markets or sectors that you would prefer to avoid?
• How do operating businesses factor into your investment plan? Which tech startups and large-scale businesses are you considering for investment? How do you plan to structure those deals?

Additional Opportunity Zone topics at the daylong conference include:

• Unlocking the Potential of Opportunity Zones
• What’s Driving U.S. Opportunity Zones Growth?—Data Deep Dive
• Tax Technical Update & Market Forecast
• How to Activate A Blighted Community While Delivering Real Returns
• QOZ Market Outlook: U.S. Treasury Department Counselor Weighs In
• Where to Begin? Fund Structuring & Administration
• Engaging Communities & Local Governments

For more information about the IMN Opportunity Zones Forum, visit here. Sign up with code SP20 to receive a 20% discount.

In May 2019, Poulakidas was recognized by Opportunity Zone Magazine as one of the Top 25 most influential Opportunity Zone attorneys in the country. He focuses his legal practice on public/municipal finance, economic development incentives and strategies, tax increment financing (TIF), venture capital, EB5 financing, tax benefits related to Qualified Opportunity Zones, forming Qualified Opportunity Zone Funds for private equity investment, private-public partnerships (P3s) and project finance.