September 2017 Issue

Counting down sister title Secondaries Investor’s list of the 20 most impressive professionals under 36...

Sister title Secondaries Investor’s list of 20 of the most impressive professionals under 36 in the industry was so popular last year, we decided it deserved a wider audience.

As head of the private equity team at Stonehage Fleming, Richard Clarke-Jervoise knows a thing or two about how to attract private wealth to the asset class. By Isobel Markham and Toby Mitchenall.

With many people predicting recessionary conditions ahead, PEI examines the lessons from the global financial crisis and how firms are reacting a decade on.

Early figures indicate the secondaries market could hit fundraising and transaction records in 2017.

Many factors govern a secondaries deal, but chronology is often overlooked.

Record raises and deals have characterised the 12 months since our first ranking of the top 30 managers.

The secondaries market is no longer confined to plain-vanilla sales of LP fund stakes, and with the increased diversification in deals come important legal and structural ramifications.

Ian Charles, a partner on Landmark Partners’ private equity team and Jamie Sunday, a partner on the firm’s real estate team, discuss how secondaries transactions worth more than $1bn may lead to a record year for deal volume.

Whether your private equity programme is gearing up for the first pitch or already in the seventh inning, there’s a place for secondaries on the roster.

Successful GP-led transactions involving high-quality firms may finally lead to growth in that corner of the secondaries market.

Nigel Dawn, from advisor Evercore, discusses some of the ways in which GPs can strategically access the secondaries market to actively manage their portfolio, accelerate liquidity for their investors while maximising the value of their portfolio companies.

Final close: Lay-ups and start-ups

Nordic investors remain unruffled by the political and economic uncertainty shaking some of the markets on their doorstep.

What the increase in sponsor-to-sponsor transactions says about the growing private equity market.

Developed market limited partners have fallen out of love with Africa as currency volatility continues to take its toll on returns.

Private equity activity in Africa has grown markedly in the last decade, but where offers the best opportunities? With two of the biggest economies South Africa and Nigeria beset by macro headwinds, investors are looking to diversify to other parts of the continent. wE look at which places are picking up the slack.

Fintech is taking off all over the continent as firms plug the gap filled elsewhere by traditional financial services providers.

The private equity industry has a vital role to play in developing the management expertise that is key to progress in Africa, writes CDC’s Murray Grant.

The continent’s markets can be difficult to navigate, but there are plenty of businesses with growth potential — if you know where to look, says Actis head of private equity Natalie Kolbe.

Mezzanine finance provides investors with a less risky way to access sub-Saharan Africa and offers business owners a flexible alternative to diluting their equity holding, says Ethos Mezzanine Partners’ Phillip Myburgh.

As the African private equity market matures, now is the time for fund managers to dedicate their efforts to achieving full and clean exits for their assets — or risk a tough time on the fundraising trail, says Baker McKenzie partner Scott Nelson.

A responsible approach is required if you are to make the most of the opportunities in Africa, says Paul Boynton, CEO of Old Mutual Alternative Investments.

The African start-up ecosystem has witnessed some game-changing advances over the last decade. These are enhancing the prospects for venture capital deployment across the continent.