March 2016 Issue

Aberdeen Asset Management’s global head of alternatives explains how most of the building blocks are in place to make the firm's next phase all about organic growth.

Private equity fund managers in North America appear to have a significantly more gloomy outlook for 2016 than their European cousins,

Increasingly perceived as a steady ship in a sea of volatility, investors are clamouring to get into the European mid-market, but they should beware of clouds on the horizon.

The 'deliciously funny' world of private equity has finally made it to the stage.

The founder of Colony Capital, Tom Barrack, is a proud backer of his 'humble' and 'kind' friend.

The Apollo chief executive has found himself in the centre of a row between the Picasso family, Larry Gagosian, the art dealer, and Qatari royalty.

With Unitas's Shanghai team contemplating its next step and Permira exploring how to reach the next level in Asia, the deal seems a win-win.

Altor Equity Partners capitalised on an opportunity presented by deregulation of the Swedish pharmacy sector to create an industry leader with Apotek Hjärtat.

The UK’s care homes are nearly all private equity-owned, but the business model has become more challenging for fund managers including the sector’s largest operator, Terra Firma.

A generation of funds reaching the end of their lives coupled with longer hold periods means firms poised to take advantage of secondaries are in for a big year.

The fund of funds market has been evolving to meet LP demands – so much so that some managers balk at being labelled as such given their growing capabilities and business lines.

The growth of defined contribution pensions is creating a wave of innovation in private equity.

Using fair value has become routine for general partners, but measuring private equity assets isn't getting any easier.

Investors are standing by their current energy investments despite falling oil prices, but whether or not they continue to pour as much money into energy funds — and back the same GPs — remains to be seen.

The importance of reporting has seen a huge rise, according to a survey by EY with Private Equity International.

Ruulke Bagijn, CIO of private markets for Dutch pension PGGM, has emerged as one of the most influential private equity voices in Europe.

The biggest deals and the most successful firms in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

From Canada to South America, the biggest and best firms and deals.

From large-cap firms to frontier dealmakers, the companies that stood out from the pack.

High purchase price multiples, rising leverage levels and strong proceeds from realisations: 2015 started well for US private equity, before ominous questions began to be asked.

GPs spent 2015 exiting at high multiples and with compelling returns as they took advantage of investors hungry to buy.

Consumer sector plays were one of the drivers of Asian private equity activity last year, with China a key market despite slowing economic growth.

Despite a testing 2015, market participants were enthusiastic about opportunities in a number of emerging and ‘frontier’ markets.

The growing appetite among limited partners for co-investment and direct opportunities dominated conversations about market trends in 2015.

It was another strong 12 months for the private equity industry, with average fund sizes at their highest since 2010, according to PEI Research & Analytics.

Ten things that almost certainly won’t happen in 2016, courtesy of the PEI brains trust.