The Mergermarket Private Equity Podcast

Looking at the entire segment, dealflow was up 10% year-on-year compared with 2019 numbers, with aggregate value ever so slightly down (but, at €37.5bn overall, still way ahead of the historical average over the previous decade). Early-stage VC was even more resilient, and, across the board, the sudden impact of the outbreak early in the year did not impact momentum in Q2. For this venture special...

Much has been made of Sweden's response to Covid-19 and the country's avoidance of stringent national lockdowns, but its private equity market remained as strong as in the previous year. Finland also performed well, in no small part due to its budding tech ecosystem, which will have been bolstered by the supercharged digitalisation trend. Unquote reporter Katharine Hidalgo welcomes Unquote ’s Nord...

European private equity was hit hard by the coronavirus crisis, but GPs adapted swiftly by protecting their portfolios and switching their due diligence online. In DACH, however, records were broken on both ends of the market – with the most VC and growth investments in a year, and the region's largest buyout ever. Unquote reporter Katharine Hidalgo welcomes Unquote ’s DACH market specialist, Harr...

In a series of 2020 reviews, Unquote dives into the data to discover how the various regions of Europe performed during the coronavirus crisis, and what GPs expect for the year ahead. France was one of the countries hit the hardest by the coronavirus early on in the pandemic, with a very strict lockdown severely impacting PE activity for most of Q2. However, it was also among the strongest rebound...

The full picture of Covid-19's impact on private equity activity will become clearer when final numbers can be tallied up in early 2021. But the early figures highlight how a 2008-style meltdown was averted, both in terms of deal-doing and fundraising. That said, the crisis has further exacerbated a bifurcation in the market that is likely to lead to ever more competitive processes and correspondi...

In a year of unprecedented events, GPs across Europe have adapted working habits and changed their outlook, but despite the shifting economic landscape, many of the same trends have only seemed more prevalent in 2020. Amid rising investment and exit volumes, GPs have witnessed and participated in a continued flight for quality, as the fundraising market continues to bifurcate. Unquote reporter Kat...

Unquote has partnered with Jersey Finance to record a second podcast. Funded by members of the local finance industry and the Government of Jersey, the not-for-profit organisation works to represent the interest of its 160 member firms, encourage best practice, and help the local industry develop. Elliot Refson, head of funds for the organisation, discusses the blend of innovation and stability th...

This week, the Unquote Podcast focuses on LP appetite and concerns for the private equity industry. GPs have been working hard to continue investing throughout the crisis and maintain a resilient portfolio. But what have LPs thought of their performance, and what are their major concerns for the upcoming year? Unquote ’s Katharine Hidalgo hosts editor Greg Gille and speaks with Elias Korosis, head...

Unquote has partnered with Rutland Partners to record a special podcast on tactics for superior portfolio management, and to get the firm’s view of the current market. Portfolio management has never been more vital following the coronavirus crisis, with liquidity and balance sheets needing to be catered for. Investors also need to consider fundamental strategy shifts and acquisitions to prepare fo...

The Unquote Podcast discusses our upcoming LP/GP conference, Allocate. Katharine Hidalgo speaks to Sam Kay, head of investment funds at Travers Smith, as well as Olivia Cummins, our conference producer. Topics on the agenda include illiquidity solutions and the secondaries market, long-term capital and its relevance in today’s market, and ESG and diversity at the conference.  1:39 – Allocate:...

With the H1 figures in, the impact of Covid-19 on European buyouts is now apparent: the private equity market stalled to a crawl, reminiscent of the post-GFC malaise. But did every region suffer the same, or were there bright spots amid the gloom? Unquote editor Greg Gille hosts the entire team to break down the data in detail, analyse the signs of early recovery in some markets, and see whether i...

German private equity has continued in an industrious fashion despite the coronavirus crisis, partly due to the country only partially shutting down at the virus’s peak, and thanks to a swiftly organised and generous furlough scheme. Unquote 's Katharine Hidalgo hosts DACH reporter Harriet Matthews, who spoke with Joachim Braun of Silverfleet Capital and Klaus-Martin Haussmann from Duff & Phel...

Unquote has partnered with technology advisory firm Intuitus to record a special podcast on the implications of the coronavirus pandemic on technology due diligence. This segment of the market has experienced solid growth in recent years, with growing interest from major private equity firms. But the coronavirus crisis has undoubtedly accelerated digitalisation across the private equity industry,...

The pandemic may have slowed down fundraising processes, but numerous closes have still been announced, and Q1 activity figures paint a defiant picture of the market. To get a better understanding of how fundraisers are faring on the (virtual) road, Katharine Hidalgo spoke to Unquote editor Greg Gille about the underlying data, and three specialists in the field: Cebile Capital founder Sunaina Sin...

As VCs come to terms with what the coronavirus crisis means for European venture founders and investors are looking to see what opportunities may arise, if any at all. When will activity return to normal levels? And how will venture funds rebound in comparison to the previous global financial crisis? Katharine Hidalgo explores the venture ecosystem with an Unquote panel discussion before an interv...

As investors pause for breath, the secondaries market has ground to a halt. But when activity begins again, will LPs be willing to take a pricing hit? And where will buyer and seller expectations meet? Katharine Hidalgo sets the scene with Unquote associate editor Denise Ko Genovese before a panel discussion featuring three secondaries specialists.   0:00 – Intro 1:15 – Grinding to a halt 2:0...

Unquote has partnered with Liberty GTS to do a special podcast on the implications of the coronavirus pandemic on W&I insurance. This segment of the market has experienced solid growth in recent years, with the steady uptick in deal activity leading to a similar rise in the volume of policies being written. With large swathes of the PE pipeline on hold in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak,...

PE firms are seeking to shore up their portfolio companies amid the economic sinkhole of Covid-19, but if sourcing liquidity proves impossible, managers can turn to fund financing to back their businesses. Katharine Hidalgo speaks with Unquote associate editor Denise Ko Genevese and Debtwire reporter Oscar Geen about NAV and preferred equity, and to Investec's Matt Hansford about the evolution of...

The private equity industry is shifting its strategy to cope with the deadly coronavirus pandemic, delaying deals and fortifying their portfolios to weather the sharpest downturn in generations. Unquote editor Greg Gille gives an overview of the situation across Europe and later hosts senior reporter Alessia Argentieri and reporter Katharine Hidalgo to hear how GPs have reacted in southern Europe...

Welcome back for another episode of our "In conversation with..." series, which will periodically bring you more in-depth interviews with players from various corners of the industry. This week's episode is brought to you by DealCloud  – a data-powered platform built specifically for the capital markets, providing unified deal, relationship, fund and compliance management solutions. Matthew H...

This week, Unquote introduces a new podcast format for our listeners. Our "In conversation with..." series will periodically bring you more in-depth interviews with players from various corners of the industry. The inaugural episode in this format is brought to you by Jersey Finance . Funded by members of the local finance industry and the Government of Jersey, the not-for-profit organisation work...

As Unquote launches our DACH Fundraising Report 2020 , published in association with Aztec Group, editor Greg Gille spoke with Acuris head of fund research Paul Tilt and our very own DACH-focused reporter Harriet Matthews about the data they uncovered, and the market's sentiments around dry powder, PE's perception in the Mittelstand, venture fundraising, and more. 0:00 – Intro 1:54 – Overview of D...

In this highlights episode, we bring you the most interesting talking points from our interviews at international private equity conference Ipem 2020, held in Cannes between 28-30 January.  You can watch the complete interviews on our website, using the links in the optional summary below… Featured on this pod: Ivan Vercoutere , Managing Partner and Head of Private Equity, LGT Capital Maggie...

As we enter the roaring twenties, Unquote looks back at 2019's private equity activity, which endured myriad political flash points to consistently sustain its growth. Greg hosts the entire Unquote editorial team to glean their expert insight on their covered regions.  We had a lot to cover, so please use the handy timecode below to skip to the areas you're most interested in! 1.38 – European...

With competition fierce for most high-quality vanilla assets, corporate carve-outs and spinoffs have enjoyed something of a resurgence as GPs seek to take the road less travelled when it comes to origination. To discuss the topic in further detail, editor Greg Gille hosts Francesca Veronesi, Julian Longhurst and Katharine Hidalgo, and special guest Tristan Nagler, managing director at Aurelius. 0:...