With a string of successful, power-packed events to its credit, IVCJ is back with a bang. Its upcoming conference on the Real Estate Funds and Infrastructure Investment Forum 2008, to be held from the 23 rd –26 th September, 2008, in Mumbai, is the cause of this fresh current of thrill within the Indian infrastructure and real estate industries. Once again, IVCJ has hit the right chords by organising a well-timed 4-day event that addresses the prevalent issues and opportunities within the infrastructure and real estate sectors. Much talked about as always, the conference claims to fashion out erudite investors out of its attendees.

‘Work in progress' reads the signboard over the Indian infrastructure industry. This tenable status quo has led to the hustle-bustle of eager investors, ready to derive good returns from the sector. However, how good is actually ‘good'? Certainly not as good as the best! Innovation stemming from knowledge and experience is the name of the game in churning the best out of this industry. A relatively soft market with a tough economic scenario requires nothing less than an expert to walk investors through the sector. The event serves as an investor's guide in deriving the maximum value out of the Indian infrastructure and real estate sectors.

The recent global equity markets meltdown, India 's stock markets and the realty market dynamics are undergoing a veritable correction. In these tough times, are developers considering PEs as a valid alternative investment class? At the same time, have developers re-gauged their valuation expectations to be in-sync with PEs ground realities? With more than 35 speakers spread over 14 panels, representing the investor and industry side of the sector, IVCJ's Real Estate Funds and Infrastructure Forum 2008 will provide a platform to discuss and debate these compelling questions. Elaborating on the Infrastructure and Real Estate focus on 23 rd – 24 th September 2008, at Taj Lands End, Mumbai, will be eminent speakers such as, Mr. Anuj Puri, Jones Lang LaSalle Meghraj; Mr. Parimal Shroff, Parimal Shroff & Co.; Mr. Aashish Kalra, Trikona Capital; Mr. Jayesh Kariya, Deloitte Haskins & Sells; Mr. Ved Prakash Arya, Milestone Capital; Mr. M. Murali, Shriram Properties; Mr. Pradeep Jain, Parsvnath Developers; Mr. A K Purwar, India Venture Advisors; Mr. Bijoy Daga, IL&FS; Mr. Gaurav Mathur, India Equity Partners; Mr. Siddharth Shah, Nishith Desai Associates and Mr. Satish Mandhana, IDFC Private Equity, among others.

This forum is set to emerge as a unique assemblage of the key stakeholders involved in the build-up of infrastructure, to discuss, debate and opine on global fund raising trends and institutional investor appetite for private equity in real estate and infrastructure, land acquisition strategies, funding strategies as well as exit options, structuring of overseas investment, listing on overseas bourses, tapping the REITs market and the thrills, frills and dangers of investing into India 's new infrastructure.

Slated to convene on the 25 th and 26 th September, 2008 at JW Marriott, Mumbai, is a knowledge-packed workshop encompassing relevant topics such as, Raising Funds from PEs for Realty Based Companies and Legal De-risking strategies for Developers and REF Managers . Its elite group of speakers includes experienced industry professionals such as, Mr. K Shriram, REBI; Mr. Om Chaudhary, Fire Capital; Mr. Jidesh Kumar, Kings Stubb and Kasiva; Mr. Keyur Shah, HDFC Real Estate Fund; Mr. Vishal Gandhi, Gandhi & Associates; Mr. Anil Harish, DM Harish & Co; Mr. Haresh Jagtiani, Haresh Jagtiani & Associates; Mr. Mahesh Khalap, JLL Meghraj, among others. This workshop represents an invaluable tool for investment bankers, fund managers and developers, to sharpen up their skills in the legal de-risking of realty transactions. This event will leave participants better equipped to get a deeper understanding on how the PE marketplace functions, and be better equipped to value, negotiate and close their funding needs through the PE route.

All in all, this one-of-its kind event is aimed at bringing the industry stakeholders, including eminent players from the fields of legal, regulatory and advisory as well as fund managers under one roof. The conference is slated to emerge as a perfect networking opportunity for developers, fund managers and facilitators in the infrastructure industry. Details regarding the conference are available on www.vcindia.com.