Best of LinkedIn: Private Equity Insights CW 36/ 37

The conversation centered on execution, human capital, and disciplined value levers while deal flow clustered in healthcare and the German-speaking mid-market. AI moved from rhetoric to practical adoption and tooling, and secondaries plus private credit dynamics continued to shape liquidity conditions

Date

September 3, 2025

Private Equity Insights

Thomas Allgeyer

Methodology: Every two weeks we collect most relevant posts on LinkedIn for selected topics and create an overall summary only based on these posts. If you´re interested in the single posts behind, you can find them here: https://linktr.ee/thomasallgeyer. Have a great read!

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Value Creation and Operating Excellence

CEOs are expected to initiate value creation planning and narrow focus to a few measurable priorities
Dual-hatting of commercial leaders impedes progress, prompting calls for a dedicated Commercial Transformation Director
Operational expertise is a differentiator as traditional strategies wane and expectations reset
Sector examples highlight workforce development as an edge in HVAC and IT, cyber, and print as integration value drivers
Marketing must deliver immediate impact with tight financial alignment, and execution outranks discovery in building value
New portfolio CEOs benefit from independent advisors, while treasury optimization and interim executives accelerate stability and results
Human capital levers and digital transformation are positioned as core routes to returns and successful exits

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Deals and Sector Moves

Healthcare remained active with ophthalmology, technology, digital health, and diagnostics in focus
The DACH mid-market showed resilient activity with a weekly recap of transactions
Dreyer Capital invested in BABAUBA, a children’s fashion brand with a strong community
Blackstone acquired Citrin Cooperman, signaling change within the accounting industry landscape
Activity remained diversified across healthcare, infrastructure, and digital services
Software acquisitions continued under growth equity and private equity, with carve-outs highlighted as a focus area

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Fundraising, Secondaries, and Liquidity

Firms are leaning into secondaries as a strategic allocation in a shifting market
Unsold deals and low distributions drove complex financial engineering to manage cash flow and liquidity
Private wealth channels recorded strong allocations to private credit while competition compressed returns
Extended holding periods in Europe are documented, and the Yale experience underscored the need for discipline and creativity in alternatives
Choosing between VC and PE capital was framed as a strategic decision for sustainable growth

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Due Diligence and Risk

Weak SaaS deal diligence is linked to a 70% acquisition failure rate, prompting calls for stronger tooling and rigor
Technical due diligence is reinforced as essential to unlock value and avoid costly surprises
Healthcare buyouts drew attention to diligence depth, and integration planning emphasized IT and cybersecurity from day one

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AI and Data

Proprietary data channels and AI scalability are framed as magnets for strategic capital
PE firms are behind portfolio companies in AI adoption, with emphasis on pragmatic, value-led implementation
GenAI is being adopted for portfolio and internal workflows, supported by real-world transformation case studies
Practitioners advocate moving beyond static BI dashboards toward orchestration of dynamic, operational data
Digital programs couple efficiency, cybersecurity, and AI to drive returns, with family offices also applying AI for growth and structured data use

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New Products

S&P Global introduced solutions for private markets to enhance portfolio monitoring and document search capabilities

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Talent, Leadership, and Human Capital

Executive search priorities emphasize operational excellence, sector expertise, precision, and adaptability
PE presents more CEO opportunities for GTM operators than venture capital
New CEOs are advised to secure independent advisors and install clear commercial leadership rather than dual-hatting roles
Internal consulting teams are spinning out as independent firms, and operators who deliver authentic value are preferred over performative personas

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Family Offices and Private Wealth

Family offices are increasing allocations to private markets and influencing investment trends
Private wealth channels continue to steer capital into private credit despite tighter return profiles

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Events, Reports, and Thought Leadership

Bain’s global report portrays a sector in transition across market dynamics and fundraising patterns
The Private Capital Compass covers healthcare buyouts and diligence themes
Manufacturing PE Intelligence examined extended holding periods across Europe
A webinar focused on multiple expansion through sector choice and pricing
The Private Equity Insights Conference in Munich and an AI Strategy Day in London reflected community emphasis on AI and operating value

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