Ms. Rode is Partner and Head of Aon Investments Inc.’s (“Aon”) global private equity and infrastructure research group where she manages all related research, strategy, and consulting assignments for retainer and project clients on both a discretionary and non-discretionary basis.

Prior to joining Aon in 2009, Karen was a Senior Managing Director for GE Equity, where she managed a portfolio of limited partnership investments and direct co-investments. She was President and CEO of Global Fund Partners, GE Capital’s fund of funds, and practice director of the Healthymagination Fund, GE’s internal healthcare growth equity fund.

Karen joined GE via its acquisition of Heller Financial in 2001. She began her career as an auditor with Ernst & Young and subsequently joined Heller Financial Inc.’s Leveraged Finance Group where she spent nine years, working in capital markets, sourcing, underwriting, and portfolio management of highly levered senior and mezzanine loans and co-investments in private equity backed companies. In 2000, she moved to the firm’s equity team and focused on underwriting and managing fund and equity co-investments.

She is a member of the CFA Society of Chicago and a Certified Public Account. Karen has an MBA in Finance and Marketing from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a BS in Finance and Accounting from Indiana University, Bloomington.