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    NextWave Private Equity

    Listen to the NextWave Private Equity podcast series, where Bridget Walsh, EY Global Private Equity Leader, will speak with industry leaders to discuss emerging opportunities and industry trends shaping the global private equity landscape.
    enBridget Walsh69 Episodes

    Episodes (69)

    The evolving middle market landscape

    The evolving middle market landscape

    In this episode, Flor Kassai, Head of the Buyout Fund at Inflexion Private Equity Partners, a leading mid-market private equity fund, joins our host Bridget Walsh, EY Global Private Equity Leader, to discuss the evolving middle market landscape.

    NextWave Private Equity
    enMarch 08, 2024

    PE Pulse: Five takeaways from Q4 2023

    PE Pulse: Five takeaways from Q4 2023

    Pete Witte, EY Global Private Equity Lead Analyst, explores the key themes and market dynamics from 4Q 2023 that are top of mind for Private Equity (PE) investors.

    PE Pulse is a quarterly report and corresponding podcast miniseries that provides analysis and insights on private equity market activity and trends.

    Visit https://www.ey.com/pepulse to view this quarter’s summary. 

    In this episode, we will provide a quick rundown of how last year shook out and some of the things that we expect for 2024. All the important themes and trends and how we think the macro environment is going to impact private equity in terms of deployment, fundraising, financing exits and some of the longer-term impacts as well. And we'll also take a look at some really interesting survey data that we've been collecting over the last few weeks. 

     

    What’s next for tech

    What’s next for tech

    Software’s been a powerful theme for PE investors for much of the last decade, representing between one-quarter and one-third of total PE deployment. David Humphrey, Partner in the Technology, Media & Telecommunications Vertical and Co-Head of Bain Capital’s North American Private Equity business, discusses the philosophy into investing in the tech space.

    NextWave Private Equity
    enNovember 10, 2023

    PE Pulse: five takeaways from 3Q 2023

    PE Pulse: five takeaways from 3Q 2023

    Pete Witte, EY Global Private Equity Lead Analyst, explores the key themes and market dynamics from 3Q 2023 that are top of mind for Private Equity (PE) investors.

    PE Pulse is a quarterly report and corresponding podcast miniseries that provides analysis and insights on private equity market activity and trends.

    Visit https://www.ey.com/pepulse to view this quarter’s summary.

    In this episode, Pete reviews PE deal activity, which continues to accelerate while visibility into interest rate trajectories and macro volatility begins to recede. 

    NextWave Private Equity
    enOctober 25, 2023

    PE Pulse: five takeaways from 2Q 2023

    PE Pulse: five takeaways from 2Q 2023

    Pete Witte, EY Global Private Equity Lead Analyst, explores the key themes and market dynamics from 2Q 2023 that are top of mind for Private Equity (PE) investors.

    PE Pulse is a quarterly report and corresponding podcast miniseries that provides analysis and insights on private equity market activity and trends.

    Visit https://www.ey.com/pepulse to view this quarter’s summary.

    In this episode, Pete reviews the recent PE landscape and modest uptick on European resurgence.

    NextWave Private Equity
    enAugust 21, 2023

    PE Pulse: five takeaways from 1Q 2023

    PE Pulse: five takeaways from 1Q 2023

    Pete Witte, EY Global Private Equity Lead Analyst, explores the key themes and market dynamics from 1Q 2023 that are top of mind for Private Equity (PE) investors.

    PE Pulse is a quarterly report and corresponding podcast miniseries that provides analysis and insights on private equity market activity and trends.

    Visit https://www.ey.com/pepulse to view this quarter’s summary. 

    In this episode, we will provide a quick rundown of what we’re seeing in the private equity space. All the important themes and trends, and how today’s macro environment is impacting PE – in terms of deployment, fundraising, financing, and some of the longer-term impacts. 

    PE Pulse: five takeaways from 4Q 2022

    PE Pulse: five takeaways from 4Q 2022

    Pete Witte, EY Global Private Equity Lead Analyst, explores the key themes and market dynamics from 4Q 2022 that are top of mind for PE investors.

    PE Pulse is a quarterly report and corresponding podcast miniseries that provides analysis and insights on private equity market activity and trends.

    Visit https://www.ey.com/pepulse to view this quarter’s summary. 

    2022 was an incredibly dynamic year for the private equity (PE) industry, characterized by growth, innovation, creativity and the trademark resiliency that has defined the industry since its inception. The first half of the year saw a deal environment that carried over much of the momentum from 2021’s record levels of activity and the second half of the year saw PE firms become increasingly cautious in the face of rising inflationary pressures, the macro impacts of the war in Ukraine, a widening valuations gap, and widespread dislocation in the financing markets that restricted access to PE’s traditional sources of financing.

    PE Pulse: five takeaways from 3Q 2022

    PE Pulse: five takeaways from 3Q 2022

    Pete Witte, EY Global Private Equity Lead Analyst, explores the key themes and market dynamics from 3Q 2022 that are top of mind for PE investors.

    PE Pulse is a quarterly report and corresponding podcast miniseries that provides analysis and insights on private equity market activity and trends.

    Visit https://www.ey.com/pepulse to view this quarter’s summary. 

    The PE sector continued to experience a number of cyclical headwinds in the third quarter, as rising interest rates, growing concerns of a recession, deteriorating macro sentiment and challenges in the financing markets all conspired to limit firms’ ability to execute new transactions. At the same time, however, firms continue to position themselves for long-term strategic growth, with new product launches and innovations, and by tapping new sources of capital that will allow the industry to continue to grow.

    What PE is outsourcing to create value [re-release]

    What PE is outsourcing to create value [re-release]

    Greg Schooley, EY-Parthenon US Value Creation Leader, joins Winna Brown to discuss what tasks PE is outsourcing across business functions such as finance, IT, HR and customer service to create value.

    The path to successful value creation in private equity (PE) today goes beyond typical levers such as G&A cost-cutting, sales force effectiveness and strategic sourcing. It’s about an approach that leverages digital tools including automation, strategic outsourcing and advanced analytics.

    Going forward, PE-owned companies of all sizes may need to look at outsourcing as a way to access cutting-edge technologies and capabilities that can lead to revenue growth opportunities, in addition to reducing costs.

    Why mentoring matters for women in PE [re-release]

    Why mentoring matters for women in PE [re-release]

    Pam Jackson, CEO of Level20, joins Winna Brown to reveal how mentorship programs can help women build long-term careers in PE. 

    According to a report that EY teams recently published on diversity, equity and inclusiveness (DEI), the private equity industry’s ability to meet stakeholder demands, access capital, win deals and compete for talent is increasingly contingent on progress against DEI metrics. Talent management has become the number two strategic priority across PE firms of all sizes, second only to asset growth. DEI initiatives are now proliferating in private equity as the industry begins to address how its culture has historically impeded diversity.

    Level20 is a non-profit organization based in the UK that is dedicated to improving gender diversity in the European PE industry and specifically in senior leadership roles at PE firms. 

    Read “Can PE win deals if it doesn’t deal with DEI?”: https://www.ey.com/en_gl/private-equity/can-pe-win-deals-if-it-doesn-t-deal-with-dei

    Calculate how long it will take to achieve your diversity goals: https://kenaninstitute.unc.edu/diversity-integration-model/

    Ten ways male PE leaders can support and mentor their female colleagues:

    1. Serve as role models and mentors
    2. Engage with colleagues who are different from yourself
    3. Encourage women to realize their value
    4. Promote stories of inspiring women
    5. Engage in small interventions
    6. Embody inclusive leadership
    7. Give cultural shifts time to come to fruition
    8. Build a diverse talent pipeline from the bottom over time
    9. Recognize that recruiting senior women is not a “quick win”
    10. Model how long it will take to achieve your diversity goals with the EY Diversity Integration Model

    How PE firms can win tech deals [re-release]

    How PE firms can win tech deals [re-release]

    In this episode, Laura Grattan, Managing Director at Crosspoint Capital, and Jeff Vogel, Head of the Software Strategy Group at EY-Parthenon, join Winna Brown to explore how PE firms can position themselves to win tech deals in today’s highly competitive market.

    Contact Laura: lgrattan@crosspointcapital.com
    Contact Jeff: jeffrey.vogel@parthenon.ey.com

    According to the latest EY PE Pulse report, 2021 was the year of the tech deal: 30% of total capital deployed last year was allocated to technology companies. The technology sector, once just another industry vertical, now permeates every sector, claiming an ever-increasing share of deals as more companies differentiate themselves based on their technology regardless of the industry in which they sit or serve.

    Crosspoint Capital focuses on the cybersecurity, privacy and infrastructure software sectors. PE firms that choose a niche specialization in the tech sector can bring deep sector expertise that translates to value creation for their portfolio companies. In an increasingly competitive tech environment, PE firms that focus on a highly targeted category of assets can find themselves in a differentiated position. They are able to quickly discern where to spend time, recognize the opportunities and limitations of an asset, and identify patterns indicative of future success.

    Three characteristics of today’s tech deal environment include:

    1. Increasing presence of and need for club deals
    2. Increasing speed at which deals are clearing
    3. Developing deal theses early

    A note from Winna

    A note from Winna

    To the NextWave Private Equity audience:

    Since February of 2020, just before the covid-19 pandemic uprooted all of our lives, the EY global private equity team has turned to this podcast series to discuss the topics and insights that are top-of-mind for our audience of PE executives and practitioners.

    From the bottom of my heart, thank you! For listening, for giving us your time and for trusting us to deliver best-in-class perspectives.

    Over the next couple of months, we will re-publish some of our most downloaded and talked-about episodes about tech deals, DEI and other timely topics. These are some of our best episodes, and when you listen, you will surely understand why.

    Thanks for tuning in!

    Winna Brown, EY Americas ESG Private Equity Leader
    winna.brown@ey.com 

    NextWave Private Equity
    enSeptember 01, 2022

    How Brightstar balances value and values when implementing ESG

    How Brightstar balances value and values when implementing ESG

    Maha Eltobgy, Chief Sustainability Officer and Managing Director at Brightstar Capital Partners, joins Winna Brown to explore how operating executives can effectively communicate the value prop of ESG at the portco level.

    ESG is top of mind for PE executives right now. According to the 2022 EY Global Private Equity survey, ESG is one of the top four strategic priorities listed by PE firms. 42% of the largest fund managers seriously consider ESG in their decision-making process, while a further 39% say they consider ESG issues seriously in certain risk areas. ESG is a top priority for firms, but effectively implementing ESG strategy and principles across the portfolio remains challenging.

    Five ways PE can navigate the implementation of ESG strategy and principles across the portfolio include:

    1. Win trust of management teams
    2. Start with employee retention and engagement
    3. Meet the portfolio company where they are in their journey
    4. Demonstrate how ESG values translate to business value
    5. Translate ESG principles into tangible, actionable initiatives

    PE Pulse: five takeaways from 2Q 2022

    PE Pulse: five takeaways from 2Q 2022

    Pete Witte, EY Global Private Equity Lead Analyst, explores the key themes and market dynamics from 2Q 2022 that are top of mind for PE investors.

    PE Pulse is a quarterly report and corresponding podcast miniseries that provides analysis and insights on private equity market activity and trends.

    Visit https://www.ey.com/pepulse to view this quarter’s summary. 

    PE firms will continue to remain active as they seek to continue to deploy more than US$1.4t in dry powder available for new deals. While market volatility, inflationary pressures and rising interest rates are combining to make the investment landscape far more challenging than a year ago, in many instances, PE firms will look to new strategies and investment themes that provide increased resilience against a macro backdrop for which few modern playbooks exist. 

     

    How geopolitical power shifts will affect investment opportunities

    How geopolitical power shifts will affect investment opportunities

    Famke Krumbmüller, EY EMEIA Leader, Global Geostrategic Business Group, joins Winna Brown to discuss how shifts in geopolitical power will affect growth and investment opportunities.

    As a result of the war in Ukraine, three major power blocs are emerging, and it has become critical for companies to understand the allies of the markets in which they are invested.

    1. Developed markets are leading one bloc, with the EU and the US having reached new levels of cooperation. Relatedly, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has been reinvigorated.
    2. Russia is leading a small bloc of countries, including several autocracies.
    3. A significant number of emerging markets, including China and India, are not aligning with either of these blocs, preferring to pursue a more neutral or transactional stance.

    Several strategic sectors (i.e., farming and medical equipment, agriculture and food commodities, and critical infrastructure) have come into focus due to their relevance to national security and economic growth and the resulting geostrategic competition between these great powers in those strategic sectors. Cross-border deals have decreased as a share of global M&A in favor of more regional and intra-area deals. In this emerging multipolar world, companies are likely to see increased government intervention in their supply chains, limitations on or rejections of cross-border investments, export controls, restrictive trade measures and greater regulatory scrutiny.

    Three priorities companies can incorporate to adjust to the new geopolitical environment include:

    1. Assess current and future political risks annually.
    2. Establish a cross-functional geostrategic team.
    3. Refine the company strategy to match new geopolitical realities.

     

    What ESG means to KKR

    What ESG means to KKR

    Elizabeth Seeger, Managing Director of Sustainable Investing at KKR, joins Winna Brown to discuss why KKR views ESG as a business opportunity that both creates and protects value over time.

    ESG has skyrocketed to the top of many PE firms’ list of strategic priorities in the past couple of years. PE firms that may have historically viewed ESG as a “nice to have” or a “check the box” exercise, are now increasingly considering ESG to be a business issue that is embedded in the business, not peripheral to it.

    PE firms such as KKR that were early adopters of and believers in ESG are now in a position not only to lead the charge to net zero, but to share their learnings with other firms that may be earlier on their ESG journey. At KKR, ESG is viewed as a way to both protect and enhance value over time and is managed alongside other business issues.

    KKR is focused on climate change, data and integrating ESG issues and subject matter expertise into the investment process. The firm views ESG data not as a way to score potential targets, but to identify a pathway to managing ESG-related risk sover the duration of the hold period. Lastly, KKR has identified three measurable ESG pillars across the portfolio regardless of industry: climate, human capital and data responsibility (cybersecurity and data privacy).

    PE has an interesting role to play in the transition to net zero, and firms are likely to focus on 6 key areas:

    1. Creating and protecting value through ESG
    2. Building and deploying teams of resources and expertise
    3. Integrating climate and ESG considerations into investment processes
    4. Launching standalone ESG or impact funds
    5. Spotlighting portfolio companies that are addressing critical environmental and social challenges
    6. Collaborating and knowledge sharing to share solutions and best practices

    What’s in store for SPACs

    What’s in store for SPACs

    Karim Anani, EY Americas Financial Accounting and Advisory Services Transactions Leader, and Mark Schwartz, Head of IPO and SPAC Capital Markets Advisory, join Winna Brown to explore why SPACs remain highly relevant despite market volatility and regulatory headwinds.

    Contact Karim: karim.anani@ey.com 
    Contact Mark: mark.schwartz1@ey.com 

    In 2021, more than 40% of new public companies listed through mergers with SPACs. While SPACs have been around for decades, the boom of the last few years has dominated its narrative in the marketplace. Today, there are hundreds of SPACs seeking “transactable” targets that face potential liquidation in the next year or so if deals aren’t made.  Against this backdrop, SPAC sponsors are operating in an extremely choppy market environment for SPACs and other new issues, and recently proposed SEC regulation has increased uncertainty in an already uneasy deal-making environment.

    Today’s episode explores why SPACs remain highly relevant in EY dialogue with operating companies and their backers despite the market and regulatory headwinds.

    What is in store for SPACs over the next one to two years and beyond?

    • Recent innovation and complexity in SPAC mergers
    • Evolving negotiation dynamics in recent dealmaking processes
    • Ongoing evolution of what makes an attractive operating company for a SPAC merger
    • Transforming and adapting of SPACs in the face of the current challenges