Analysis
21 May 2020
PE under cyber attack
As cyber attacks become more frequent and more sophisticated, are private equity firms doing enough to protect themselves?
18 May 2020
ODD times
Later stage operational due diligence appears to be pushing through to legals, but more broadly, these exercises will likely be permanently impacted by the crisis
14 May 2020
Join us: CTOs & digital networks
Part three of our mini series: this instalment highlights the lack of available forums for CTOs & digital professionals, and what they could look like if they did exist
13 May 2020
Join us: HR networks
Part two of our mini series on networks in PE: this instalment explores HR networks and finds they've been especially supportive during the crisis
11 May 2020
Join us: CFOs & FD networks
Part one of our mini series on networks in PE: this instalment considers CFO & FD networks and finds they can be more hindrance than help
4 May 2020
The demo is in the detail
Sitting back and watching software demos might seem like a good idea right now, but in reality they require a lot of prep and careful consideration
30 April 2020
Upgrading tech talent
With more demands on PE firms to provide better quality data and reports, a number of GPs are upgrading their talent
27 April 2020
To B or not to B?
Is the B-Corp certification the answer to standardising ESG reporting?
15 April 2020
Going back to your roots
Inefficient reporting methods continue to vex LPs. It’s time to go back to the source
6 April 2020
The operating committee
A number of large private equity houses are setting up operating committees in response to the major tasks now faced by non-deal team members
3 April 2020
Time to bring in the (remote) experts
With private equity firms moving to remote working set ups, now is the time to bring in experts adept at this way of working
2 April 2020
Tech is key to solving work-life imbalance
An eVestment study into private capital work-life balance points to dangerous stress levels and higher risk of burnout
30 March 2020
COVID-19: Economic substance adjustments
Could temporary measures drive global consensus on economic substance requirements?
30 March 2020
New powers
The proliferation of fund financing products opens an unexpected path for CFOs to operate in a strategic and value-add manner
27 March 2020
Hazard warning: valuations in the midst of volatility
Key considerations for valuing portfolio companies in current conditions
23 March 2020
Levelling the playing field
Highlights of recent developments by various bodies to regulate and standardise ESG
16 March 2020
The increasingly public world of private equity
In late January, the IPEM conference in Cannes brought together almost 3,000 delegates, spanning all corners of the industry. The key takeaway was that private equity is an increasingly public affair
9 March 2020
A balanced breakfast
Highlights from our recent Breakfast Briefing event, which explored the work/life balance within private equity
2 March 2020
A life changing experience
As the CFO role undergoes major change, with its scope and responsibility spanning wider and wider, the backgrounds and experiences needed are also shifting
17 February 2020
Face value
A group of venture capital CFOs sat down with The Drawdown to discuss challenges of valuing pre-revenue companies and implications of the new IPEV guidelines
14 February 2020
The Ocado of private equity
AtomInvest’s recent white-labelling of its software could be the much needed investor onboarding remedy the industry is seeking
10 February 2020
Becoming superhuman
From life-coaching to hypnotherapy, we delve into the increasingly weird and wacky world of personnel development
6 February 2020
Are you being served?
Aggressive consolidation plays across the fund administration sector are prioritising revenue growth ahead of improving service levels.
27 January 2020
Video AGaMes
Private equity firms are turning to rich media as a way to spice up AGMs
20 January 2020
Upside down: an in-depth look at Antler’s model
Antler’s approach to investing turns the traditional VC model on its head, requiring an entirely different approach to operations.
17 January 2020
The view on Allvue Systems
The Drawdown speaks to newly-combined Allvue's CEO Rey Acosta to find out more about the deal and what it means
16 January 2020
Blurred lines
The private equity industry requires its high performing professionals to be on their best form and achieve those sought after returns for investors. But how much should a firm try to support its employees' mental health without overstepping personal boundaries?
15 January 2020
Lost in the clouds
The move to cloud computing comes with glorious benefits and efficiencies, but given the particular IT needs of private equity - mainly security - finding the right cloud set-up is proving tricky.
9 January 2020
Valuations what’s new, what’s not and what matters
A round-up of recent regulatory developments for private equity valuation practices
19 December 2019
Take the risk
The cultural shift towards robust risk management is finding its way to private equity, and with it, the potential to unravel entrenched structures.
16 December 2019
Craic on
Reforms to Ireland’s LP structure will likely be legislated in early 2020, however, after years of promises, what will actually be legislated and will PE care?
27 November 2019
The data journey waits for no one
Private equity’s data journey may only just be setting off, but like any expedition, packing the best equipment and selecting the right companions make reaching the final destination a lot more enjoyable
22 November 2019
AIFMD II: WTF? (What the fund, obvs)
Following a review of the AIFM Directive in 2017, where are we now, what has happened, will there be an AIFMD II?
18 November 2019
ESG Role Call
As LP demands on ESG continue to build, what types of skills and backgrounds should PE firms be looking for, and what does the role of ESG practitioner mean today?
15 November 2019
Views from the Summit
Highlights from two of the technical breakout sessions at this year's BVCA Summit in London
8 November 2019
Fund structures are so last season
As new waves of regulation continue to hit private equity, managers are quietly shifting to the peaceful waters of deal-by-deal investing
8 November 2019
Time to bite back
For too long operational leaders have been yes men, it's high time they became key men
9 August 2019
Leverage in secondaries: friend or foe?
The use of leverage in secondaries is on the rise, but does this little talked about feature of the market represent an important driver for growth and innovation, or a matter for concern?
2 August 2019
Standardisation: not the whole story
Aims to improve and create efficiencies for the reporting of fees and expenses are valiant but templates only tell part of the story
24 July 2019
Second look: Gen II’s purchase of QLS
A closer inspection of Gen II’s recent acquisition of Quilvest Luxembourg Services
22 July 2019
Exploring Northern Trust’s PE blockchain tech transfer
A glimpse under the bonnet of Northern Trust’s DLT transfer to Broadridge
4 July 2019
Does it matter who owns your service provider?
Key considerations following continued M&A activity in the service provider space
2 July 2019
Continued consolidation expected for fund admins
eVestment’s latest fund administration survey predicts further M&A activity in the space
25 June 2019
Moving mountains
A quick look at consultancy Holland Mountain’s recent developments, and the drivers behind them
25 September 2018
Masters of the universe
Private equity’s legitimacy is under threat in the new world order shaped by citizen unrest
25 September 2018
Private equity under populist rule
As the economy becomes a global chessboard, what does protectionism hold in store for GPs?
6 September 2018
Private equity’s IRR claims slammed as “fake news”
Calls on LPs to “look closely” pile further pressure on already-controversial metric
3 September 2018
Retail is PE’s major ESG trouble hotspot
Consumer-facing companies key source of reputational risk due to poor supply chains
28 August 2018
The impact of brand awareness
eVestment whitepaper finds GPs with high brand visibility outpace others
24 August 2018
New bid to democratise private equity
AtomInvest has established a digital platform for individuals to access alternatives
22 August 2018
In or out? Tackling back office complexities
AltaReturn whitepaper details new approaches to running the back office
17 August 2018
The enforcers: Autorité des Marchés Financiers
France’s bid for post-Brexit business opens our global series on regulators
17 August 2018
Appetite mounts for standardised performance reporting
Compliance with GIPS rules can be factor in GP searches by consultants, survey shows
9 August 2018
Using numbers to win hearts and minds
Citizens reject PE’s value creation credentials. Could data help GPs tell their story?
10 May 2017
Beyond Excel
Beloved by many, the humble yet omnipresent spreadsheet may be living on borrowed time