Editorial Team

Our mission is to empower, educate and engage our diverse audience by delivering clear, concise and compelling content about the private market and the innovation economy.

Authors

Andrew Bloomenthal

Financial Journalist

Andrew Bloomenthal is an experienced financial journalist covering all areas of finance and investment. He previously held positions at Institutional Investor Magazine, Investopedia and CNN. Read more from Andrew.

Chris Cannon

Senior Director, Lifecycle Marketing

Chris Cannon develops lifecycle programs that engage Forge’s existing client base. Prior to joining Forge, he led audience engagement programs and newsletter operations at Investopedia, the global financial and investing media company. Chris received his MBA from East Carolina University and a BA in History from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Read more from Chris.

Dan Chaparian

Thought Leadership Editor

Dan Chaparian led Product Marketing at Forge Global. Prior to his tenure at Forge, Dan was VP, Global Product Marketing for BlackRock’s iShares ETF business. He previously held positions at Apple and Uber and a former startup founder. Read more from Dan.

Jeannine DeFoe

Financial Writer

Jeannine DeFoe is a former Bloomberg News reporter and an experienced financial writer who focuses on a variety of topics such investing, wealth management and fintech. Read more from Jeannine.

Craig Derbenwick

Financial Writer

Craig Derbenwick led the development and execution of cross-channel marketing and thought leadership content at Forge. Before his tenure at Forge, he spent 15 years in financial marketing roles and as a consultant for asset management and fintech companies. Read more from Craig.

Vidya Eashwer

Chief Technology Officer

Vidya Eashwer is Chief Technology Officer at Forge Global. Prior to joining Forge, she was Head of Technology, Edge Systems, at Intercontinental Exchange, and Managing Director of IT at the New York Stock Exchange. Read more from Vidya.

John Kimelman

Financial Journalist

John Kimelman is a veteran journalist who has worked at Barron’s and CNBC covering such topics as investing and commercial banking. Mr. Kimelman has received compensation from Forge Global, Inc. for authoring this article. Read more from John.

Shane Larkin

Senior Director of Fundamental Research

Shane Larkin is a private market investment leader with extensive experience in private and public markets, combining a strong analytical foundation with a background in engineering and business. He has conducted in-depth due diligence across a range of sectors, leveraging his expertise in financial modeling, data analysis and market research. Shane holds an MBA from Cornell Johnson Graduate School of Management. Read more from Shane.

Jay Manciocchi

Senior Director of Content Marketing

Jay Manciocchi is a marketing and communications professional with experience in content marketing operations, digital marketing and event strategy. He most recently led these functions at BMC Software. He holds a JD from New England Law | Boston and a BS in Political Science from Northeastern University. Read more from Jay.

Howe Ng

Head of Data and Investment Solutions

Howe Ng is the Head of Data and Investment Solutions at Forge Global. Prior to Forge, Howe held senior roles at BlackRock and Barclays Global Investors, including in their iShares ETF and Systematic Active Equity Portfolio Management divisions. He also served as Chief Operating Officer at Nipun Capital, an alternative asset management firm focusing on EM and Asian strategies. Read more from Howe.

Lindsay Riddell

EVP, Corporate Marketing and Communications

Lindsay Riddell, EVP of Corporate Marketing and Communications at Forge, has over 20 years of experience in tech and finance. She specializes in developing content strategies that drive brand engagement and business growth. Her background in journalism enhances her ability to create clear, impactful narratives that resonate with diverse audiences. Read more from Lindsay.

Jake Safane

Financial Reporter / Thought Leadership Editor

Jake Safane specializes in financial reporting and is a former thought leadership editor for The Economist with articles appearing in Business Insider and The Washington Post among other media outlets. Mr. Safane has received compensation from Forge Global, Inc. for authoring this article. Read more from Jake.

Bobbie Turner

Financial Writer

Bobbie Turner is a Wall Street veteran and financial writer with articles appearing in ThinkAdvisor’s Daily Wire and Investment Advisor magazine. Her freelance writing clients have included J.P. Morgan Chase, Janus Henderson, Citigroup and AIG, among others. Ms. Turner has received compensation from Forge Global, Inc. for authoring this article. Read more from Bobbie.

Data and Quantitative Analysts

Andrew Alden, CFA

Vice President of Quantitative Research, Forge

Andrew Alden, CFA, previously worked as the CIO of Semantiqa and as the Head of Quantitative Research at WeatherStorm Capital. With skills in asset and portfolio management, he brings a wealth of knowledge to his director role at Forge. Andrew has a Master of Financial Engineering from Haas School of Business, CA.

Shane Larkin

Senior Director of Fundamental Research

Shane Larkin is a private market investment leader with extensive experience in private and public markets, combining a strong analytical foundation with a background in engineering and business. He has conducted in-depth due diligence across a range of sectors, leveraging his expertise in financial modeling, data analysis and market research. Shane holds an MBA from Cornell Johnson Graduate School of Management. Read more from Shane.

Louis Metzger

Senior Data Analyst, Forge

Louis is a Senior Data Analyst at Forge Global, focusing on valuations and private market trends. Before joining Forge, Louis worked in corporate finance at Initiative Media and was a startup founder.

Yasick Nemenov

Quantitative Researcher, Forge

Yasick Nemenov began his career at Wellington Management, where he was an analyst with the quantitative investment group working across equities and fixed income research. Yasick graduated from Williams College with a degree in Mathematics and Economics. He is a former startup founder and holds a CFA.

Reviewers

Chris Cannon

Senior Director, Lifecycle Marketing

Chris Cannon develops lifecycle programs that engage Forge’s existing client base. Prior to joining Forge, he led audience engagement programs and newsletter operations at Investopedia, the global financial and investing media company. Chris received his MBA from East Carolina University and a BA in History from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Read more from Chris.

Céline Gerakin

Senior Director of Growth Marketing, Forge

Céline Gerakin, a seasoned Senior Director of Growth Marketing, previously worked at Rakuten and a Digital Marketing agency where she handled high-profile clients including LinkedIn, Airtable, and Everlane. Céline has delivered strategic and data-driven approaches for numerous brands and is a driving force in steering Forge's marketing endeavors to new horizons. Céline has a Master in Business and Marketing from IDRAC Paris University.

Sara Pedlar

Senior Acquisition Manager, Forge

Sara Pedlar, a Senior Acquisition Manager, brings her expertise to Forge after tenures at ShopStyle and Rakuten. With a proven track record in driving impactful digital campaigns, Sara's strategic and analytical skills and her dedication to optimizing online presence make her an asset in the world of digital marketing. Sara received her BA in Communication and Psychology from UC Davis.

Andrew Reynolds

Product Marketing Manager, Forge

Andrew Reynolds is Forge’s Product Marketing Manager, where he develops and executes go-to-market and messaging strategies across Forge’s new and existing business lines. With a strong financial services background developed through working at Goldman Sachs for five years, he leads Forge's product marketing effort by connecting product development with institutional customer engagement. Andrew received his BA with Honors in Economics from the University of Chicago.

Guest Speakers

Blythe Masters

Founding Partner, Motive Partners

Blythe Masters is a Founding Partner at Motive Partners. Ms. Masters previously served as the Chief Executive Officer and a director of Motive Capital Corp from 2020 until its business combination with Forge in March 2022. Prior to joining Motive Partners, Ms. Masters served from 2015 to 2018 as the CEO of Digital Asset Holdings.

Kelly Rodriques

CEO, Forge

Kelly Rodriques has been Forge’s Chief Executive Officer since July 2018. Prior to Forge, Mr. Rodriques served as Chief Executive Officer of PENSCO Trust Company from March 2010 to September 2016. Since September 2016, he has been the Managing General Partner of Operative Capital, an early-stage investor in FinTech companies.