Best of LinkedIn: Private Equity Insights CW 24/ 25

Mid-market momentum endures: the latest PitchBook study shows investors prioritising operational value creation over leverage to unlock returns

European GPs at the Private Equity Insights forum highlight infrastructure and marketing-services niches even as auction dynamics tighten and leverage ratios compress

Allocators recalibrate risk-return targets across private markets, signalling a shift toward more intentional portfolio construction amid persistent rate pressure

Family offices tilt decisively toward private credit as BlackRock research points to demand for stable, senior-like yield in a higher-rate environment

Sponsors respond to elevated borrowing costs with larger equity cheques and hybrid-capital structures that bridge valuation gaps without over-levering assets

Emerging managers refine narratives around people, conviction and cultural alignment to secure commitments from an increasingly relationship-driven LP base

Leading sponsors such as EQT, KKR and Blackstone continue to realise exits by embedding value-creation plans early and broadening the buyer universe

Exit readiness is being hard-wired from day one; portfolio CFOs emerge as central architects of deal--to--exit value capture

Higher rates and longer holds shift focus to AI-enabled operational levers that protect multiples and sustain IRRs

Dedicated Transformation Leaders and independent CTOs are becoming baseline requirements for portfolio acceleration and digital uplift

Vista Equity and peers roll out AI playbooks, emphasising disciplined use-case selection, strong data foundations and measurable ROI

Agencies and investors report rising deal flow in marketing-services platforms as sponsors chase digital topline growth

Client-retention discipline and tight strategic focus are flagged as low-cost, high-impact levers to safeguard fee justifications

CHRO playbooks for sponsor-backed companies stress culture integration, rapid scaling and data-driven people metrics

Thought leadership challenges caricatures of PE leadership, advocating empowered management teams and execution excellence over brute financial engineering

Irish commentary positions private equity partnerships as a more flexible, value-add alternative to traditional bank lending for SMEs seeking growth capital

Industry gatherings in Zurich and across Switzerland catalyse collaboration among GPs, LPs and advisors, reinforcing relationship capital as a competitive edge