# Priya Kaftan

> Priya Kaftan is a Chicago-based finance executive who leads investor relations and product strategy at Heard Capital. Her career has moved from structuring leveraged-finance transactions at JPMorgan to managing institutional relationships at Silver Point Capital and, since 2019, helping a focused asset manager build durable ties with investors. Outside the firm, she has used the same relationship-building discipline to connect women-led fund managers with institutional allocators through 100 Women in Finance's Global FundWomen Week.

- **Role:** Head of Investor Relations and Product Strategy at Heard Capital
- **Organizations:** Heard Capital, 100 Women in Finance, Global FundWomen Week, Women Investment Professionals, Ten Thousand Villages Oak Park, Silver Point Capital, JPMorgan
- **Education:** Executive MBA, Columbia Business School, BS in Business Administration, magna cum laude, Boston University
- **Known for:** Chaired Global FundWomen Week during a period that included its return to an in-person conference in 2023., Helped lead the 2023 Global FundWomen Week program, which reported 300+ delegates, 60+ women fund managers, 120+ institutional allocators and 500+ one-to-one meetings at its in-person event., Built an 11-year tenure at Silver Point Capital before joining Heard Capital in 2019 to lead investor relations and product strategy.

## Career timeline

- **Before 2008** — Worked as an analyst, associate and vice president in JPMorgan's Syndicated and Leveraged Finance group, structuring leveraged-loan and high-yield transactions for energy, metals, mining, packaging and chemicals clients.
- **2008-2019** — Spent 11 years at Silver Point Capital, most recently as a senior associate responsible for institutional-investor relationships, communications, product strategy, reporting and credit-market research.
- **2019-present** — Joined Heard Capital as Head of Investor Relations and Product Strategy, overseeing client relations, communications, business development and product strategy.
- **2023-2025** — Chaired Global FundWomen Week, a 100 Women in Finance initiative connecting women-led fund managers with institutional allocators, before passing the chair role for 2026.

## Achievements

- Chaired Global FundWomen Week during a period that included its return to an in-person conference in 2023.
- Helped lead the 2023 Global FundWomen Week program, which reported 300+ delegates, 60+ women fund managers, 120+ institutional allocators and 500+ one-to-one meetings at its in-person event.
- Built an 11-year tenure at Silver Point Capital before joining Heard Capital in 2019 to lead investor relations and product strategy.
- Served on the 100 Women in Finance Chicago Leadership Committee and the Women Investment Professionals Sponsorship Committee.
- Served on the board of Ten Thousand Villages Oak Park, an organization focused on fair trade and economic empowerment.
- Spoke on investment-market and hedge-fund panels at the SEO Alternative Investments Conference in 2024 and 2025.

## Latest updates

- **2026-07** — Helped convene 100 Women in Finance's Chicago early-career speed-networking program, pairing early-career attendees with senior finance mentors.
- **2026-03** — Returned to the SEO Alternative Investments Conference to discuss strategies, risks and opportunities in the 2026 investment landscape.
- **2025-12** — Completed her run as Global FundWomen Week chair and passed the volunteer leadership role to Lauren Burk for 2026.
- **2025-11** — Joined a 100 Women in Finance discussion of the Milken Institute and Recast Capital report on women-led fund managers.
- **2025-08** — Represented Heard Capital at the RTX United Way Golf Tournament with colleague Tyler Williams-Sinclair.

## Links

- Website: https://www.heardcapital.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/priya-kaftan

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/priya-kaftan
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-09-27
