Sean Connor, CEO of Global Private Wealth for Blue Owl, joined Julie Cooling, Founder and CEO of RIA Channel, at iCapital Connect 2026 to discuss the value of private markets and the need for education across the wealth management channel.
After decades of institutional market dominance, Connor notes that private markets present an opportunity for individual investors looking for diversification, differentiated return streams, varying risk profiles, and exposure to private companies, which represent a substantial portion of the U.S. economy. He highlights Blue Owl’s expertise across GP stakes, real assets, and private credit, pointing to increased advisor interest in sectors such as real estate and digital infrastructure.
Connor also emphasizes the continued need for accurate and consistent education around private credit, particularly evergreen products, such as interval and tender offer funds. He explains that interval funds are designed to provide access to longer-term investments and to capture illiquidity premiums, while typically offering liquidity of 5% of NAV on a quarterly basis. The cap on redemptions is designed to protect the investment’s long-term integrity. While advisor education on this topic has begun to improve, Connor notes there is still a broader need for education across industry stakeholders, including the media.
To support advisor adoption, Blue Owl launched The Nest, an educational platform that provides in-depth tools and resources focused on private markets implementation and portfolio construction.
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