News and Insights

FROM WINDSOR KNOT TO FLIP FLOPS - A TALE OF TWO CULTURES​For the last half century, a visitor could spot the private equity professional at fifty paces: double-breasted suit, side parted hair, and a Hermès tie cinched in an impeccable Windsor knot. Their world was quiet, exclusive and, frankly, rather pleased. Partners cultivated relationships in oak-panelled dining rooms; j...

​A Shifting Landscape for Private Equity HiringA flashpoint has arrived in the private equity investor hiring market. Rising from the aftershocks of the pandemic, a new cohort of investment professionals, shaped by remote-only onboarding and limited in-person mentorship, is stepping into bigger roles. This unprecedented shift coincides with firms reversing hybrid work polici...

​At Altus Partners, we proudly partnered with The 10,000 Intern Foundation for another successful year of hosting an intern, demonstrating our commitment to advocating for diversity in the workplace. This year, we collaborated with Pollen Street Capital, to launch our inaugural intern exchange program. We welcomed Daryl Briggs from The 10,000 Intern Foundation and Jennifer...

​We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who attended the ‘Bookmark: Read to Succeed’ charity gala at Hotel Café Royal, London. The event, co-hosted by Drax Executive and Altus Partners (part of the LCap Group), was a truly inspiring evening dedicated to supporting children's literacy in the UK.The evening commenced with an introduction from Mark Sherman, Bookma...

​Having progressed through the initial stages outlined in our preparation guide, you are now about to enter the case study phase of the interview process. This stage closely mirrors the tasks you'll perform on the job, testing your analytical skills, strategic thinking, and investment rationale. Regardless of the level you enter the fund at, the case study is a generally acc...

Altus Partners is delighted to announce the recent promotions of Ben Smith and James Clow to Director in our Portfolio Practice.Ben joined Altus Partners in October 2020 as a Principal specialising in searches for C-suite, and Senior Finance professionals for Private Equity backed businesses across Europe. Ben focuses on technology (SaaS/IoT), consumer goods, and healthcare...

​To some, the anecdote ‘German bureaucracy’ brings with it vivid connotations of red-tape, paper-pushing, and headaches. However, this anecdote is ringing true for certain Private Equity healthcare assets within Germany. German legislation is causing issues in the M&A space, both from an execution perspective, as well as from a hiring perspective.For some time there has been...

The private equity (PE) sector stands on the brink of a significant transformation, a shift underscored by the predictions of industry luminaries such as David Layton, CEO of Partners Group. These forecasts anticipate a dramatic consolidation within the sector, potentially reducing the number of private market fund managers to a mere 100 'next-generation' firms. Such a profo...

​The Evolution of Executive SearchExecutive search, once a function of management consulting, has evolved to earn its independent consultancy model across the globe. This evolution, which began in the 1960s, was driven by the overwhelming demand for experienced executives that surpassed in-house capabilities of companies, leading to the outsourcing of talent expertise. Fast ...

​2023 was a year to forget for large-cap M&A, as mismatched valuations meant many IMs were abandoned. Global M&A volume was down 20% on 2022 according to Bain & Co, rising to 35% amongst private equity-backed deals. That meant many larger assets stopped building their M&A functions completely, instead switching their focus to PMI/Operational activities, and therefore reducin...

​Within a Private Equity asset, The CFO plays a pivotal and multifaceted role in driving growth and achieving the milestones in the value creation plan. The changes in the CFO role and transition from traditional finance leader to strategic partner, instigator, and value driver are well documented. However, the value a CFO can create during a holding period is underpinned b...

The recent CFO Survey from Private Funds CFO, themed "How LP Scrutiny is Increasing - Insights 2024," offers a treasure trove of insights into the evolving landscape of private equity fund administration. As we delve into the findings, it's clear that the industry stands at a crossroads, grappling with external pressures, technological transformation, and internal strat...

In our attempts to support the global strides being taken to address the unbalanced diversity scales in the workforce, AltusPartners were pleased to partner with 10,000 Black Interns in our first-ever internship program in support of young black talent in the corporate world.​Purpose-driven approach To be candid, diversity initiatives will only bear significance if planned a...

​Unlike conventional interviews, Private Equity interviews are uniquely designed to assess your potential for excelling in a challenging role that demands a distinct set of skills and behaviours. To distinguish yourself, you must skillfully navigate three pivotal stages: the initial interview, the modelling test, and the coveted case study.As you step into the first stage o...

​Private Equity investors require unique skills to navigate the complex and fast-paced industry. That's where the PACE assessment tool comes in. Designed exclusively for the Private Equity sector, PACE has delivered several thousand assessments to date, helping identify and develop the key competencies needed for success. Following the recent acquisition of Altus Partners by...

​The private markets experienced a whirlwind of events in 2022, with fundraising activities navigating through contrasting trends. Despite formidable challenges like high inflation, interest rate hikes, geopolitical uncertainties, and the denominator effect, fundraising managed to achieve a commendable milestone, reaching $1.2 trillion, a figure on par with pre-pandemic l...

Altus Partners is pleased to announce the launch of its Data & Analytics Practice. The new practice will connect private equity firms and their portfolio businesses with highly skilled professionals in data engineering, data science, machine learning, business intelligence and commercial analysis.In today's data-driven business landscape, organisations recognise the immen...

​Unravelling the Impact of DE&I in Private EquityToday's progressive funds and businesses actively prioritise and champion diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I). While this triad is broadly understood and endorsed, the intersection of these concepts, particularly their influence on business outcomes, remains an area ripe for exploration. In particular, what DE&I means to ...

​Altus Partners, a leading Executive Search firm specialising in the private equity industry, is delighted to announce the promotion of Sam Block to Principal within the Investment Practice. Sam has been instrumental in the success of Altus Partners, demonstrating exceptional execution ability and a steadfast commitment to identifying the most talented individuals for Priva...

​A recent survey (May 2023) of over 1000 European Private Equity professionals conducted by Altus Partners gave a perspective on the current sentiment surrounding private equity valuations, portfolio activity and recruitment in the European private equity market. ​Against the backdrop of a decrease in the European Private Equity deal count, how would the private equity profe...