June 2017 Issue

Hamilton Lane sprang a surprise by going public, but chief executive Mario Giannini tells PEI why the firm was happy to stay out of the spotlight — and why caution should stand it in good stead for any potential downturn.

Since Oaktree’s Howard Marks sounded the alarm on subscription line financing, criticism has rained down on an established product. We ask a number of GPs about how they use the facilities.

The French private equity industry is seeing strong fundraising and plenty of deals. So where do the country’s GPs go from here?

The US regulator and the limited partner lobby group are gathering data on fund-level leverage, and are likely to focus on disclosures to LP.

The region’s powerful demographic trends mean investing there is no stab in the dark.

Investors are broadly happy with the benefits that subscription lines can bring their funds, but the facilities may contain restrictions they need to be aware of.

Vast, oil-backed sovereign wealth funds dominate the MENA LP landscape and most of them have exhibited a healthy appetite for private equity investment. We examine the big players.

LPs in the region represent a huge amount of capital, and they are increasingly looking to deploy it on their doorstep.

Fund of funds: merge, adapt or cease to exist.

Ardian’s record deal with Mubadala prompted admiration and wariness among its peers — not that it is paying much attention.

Adam Le: Limited partners compete with the big beasts

Baring Asia’s second take-private of Nord Anglia could have a profound effect on the firm’s next fundraise.

Sponsors are counting on operating improvements to drive returns as valuations climb, but success hinges on the alignment between operating partners and investment teams.

Fundraising activity in Japan has soared in the last year and overseas investors who once bypassed the country are now touching down.

Alternative asset managers are tapping the small investor market through new channels to increase AUM and diversify investor bases.

A strong brand name and a market with plenty of room for growth enticed Equistone to get behind the mortgage broker.

Rutland Partners’ sale of Bernard Matthews incurred the wrath of politicians and prompted renewed debate about insolvency rules.

Jay Clayton has been confirmed as head of the US regulator, but the future direction of the agency remains unclear.

The design of Blackstone's innovation office in New York, true to the name, is anything but conventional.

A charity event that never went offside.

A legal firm that packs a punch.

Investors have latched on to the healthcare sector because of powerful demographic trends and because of its proven resilience in turbulent times.

CDPQ’s former chief investment officer left to stand for the French parliament as the representative for North American expats.

The growing complexity of private equity funds is driving a move toward fund administrators. So how are outsourcers adapting to meet the industry’s needs?

The increased workload placed on chief financial officers is forcing them to outsource more day-today tasks.

How the different domiciles compare for competitiveness, according to the latest Global Financial Centres Index.

What are the factors to consider when finding a home for your fund? We pick out the seven key issues that determine where you should register your funds.

GPs are turning to outsourcing to cope with an increasingly complex set of regulatory and investor demands, says Bruno Bagnouls, global head of private equity and real estate at TMF Group.  

Two private equity funds have adopted the blockchain so far this year. We find out how a tech-shy industry can benefit from the cutting edge.

Want to improve your data management systems? Worried about the prospect of being hacked? PEI brought together five top tech experts to answer the big questions facing private equity firms.

Greater demands for transparency are placing huge pressure on private equity executives, say Robert Brimeyer and Alan Dundon of Alter Domus.

Venturing into debt brings a whole new set of back-office issues for private equity firms, say Greg Myers and Stuart Wood of Cortland Capital Market Services.

The back office is feeling the strain of increased regulatory and LP scrutiny, according to Jim Cass, managing director at SEI Investment Manager Services.

As the Australian economy continues to weather domestic and international headwinds, manager appetite for growth and expansion investments is rising.

How can UK managers keep marketing their funds to EU investors despite Brexit? Stephan Schilken of SGG Fund Management gives his thoughts on the implications for UK fund managers marketing their products to EU investors.

With many global investors yet to set foot in Australia, we asked some leading limited partners for their tips on where to commit capital.

New entrants are shaking up the private equity landscape in Australia.

Chinese buyers are dominating foreign investment in Australia and their spreading role should mean a win-win situation for both countries.

Tim Burrow, head of Agribusiness Australia, says the decision by superannuation funds to sell a farmland portfolio shows early investors are ‘reaping the rewards’

Navis Capital Partners transformed and internationalised the Australian automotive company WorldMark Group before sealing a 3x exit through two trade sales.

Pacific Equity Partners managing director Jake Haines explains why investing in Australia and New Zealand is not just a commodity play.

A busy 2016 saw the emergence of some powerful new forces in Australian private equity, say Tim Gordon and John Williamson-Noble of law firm Gilbert + Tobin.