The following has been excerpted from the WSJ Pro Private Equity article "10 Women on Both Sides of the Fundraising Negotiating Table"

We highlight top female talent in roles across fundraising, business development and portfolio management in the general-partner capital-formation or limited-partner worlds

Women have played an active role in the limited-partner and fundraising communities even before they made inroads in the world of deal-making. As part of our annual Women to Watch list, we highlight top female talent in roles across fundraising, business development and portfolio management in the general-partner capital-formation or limited-partner worlds. This year’s class hails from global placement agents, private-equity and venture-capital firms, as well as some of the industry’s most active limited partners.

As a portfolio manager at Morgan Stanley Alternative Investment Partners, Neha Champaneria Markle has worn both limited-partner and general-partner hats. She heads the fund-of-funds unit’s North American growth and buyout investing program. As a member of the investment committee, she also guides commitments and investments across other parts of the globe. Morgan Stanley has deployed around $1 billion to $1.5 billion annually into funds and co-investments over each of the past several years, according to Ms. Markle. She has also led the team’s efforts to establish a dedicated co-investment platform and has played a key role in raising and deploying its first co-investment fund, which closed with $425 million in 2018, ahead of a $350 million target. Ms. Markle said staying open to the potential learning opportunities in each fund or deal that comes to her has helped her build a successful career in private equity. “So much of this business is not what you read in a report but what you learn from talking to others,” she said. “Part of that is establishing a relationship and making them want to share information with you.” Ms. Markle serves on the diversity council for Morgan Stanley Investment Management (AIP’s parent) and also leads the firm’s internal mentoring program to help it cultivate and retain promising talent.