Top 10 Private Equity Firms

We list the ten largest global PE firms by capital raised.

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Private equity firms

Private Equity (PE) is an asset class and investing style that consists of buying operating companies that are private and not publicly traded.  Common strategies within P.E. include leveraged buyouts (LBO), venture capital, growth capital, distressed investments and mezzanine capital. Typically, a PE firm will be looking firms that are undervalued so that their acquisition will create value for them. Alternatively, a PE firm will look for a target firm that will synergize with its current operations to create value.

Across these various strategies firms raise large amounts of capital (equity and debt) to buy companies, hold them for a period of time, and typically sell them as an “exit strategy”. Total amount of capital raised is how we have ranged the top ten private equity firms in the world.

Who are the 10 largest PE firms in the world?

(Top 10 P.E. firms sorted by total capital raised from Wikipedia)

  1. The Carlyle Group — Washington D.C.
  2. Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) — New York City
  3. The Blackstone Group – New York City
  4. Apollo Global Management — New York City
  5. TPG — Fort Worth
  6. CVC Capital Partners — Luxembourg
  7. General Atlantic — New York City
  8. Ares Management — Los Angeles
  9. Clayton Dubilier & Rice — New York City
  10. Advent International — Boston

How to get hired by a PE firm?

People typically enter private equity from investment banking, as bankers work closely with PE firms on most of their deals and it’s a very logical way to enter the industry.

For more information on how to break into P.E. check out our interactive Career Map as well as our financial modeling and valuation courses that are required skill-sets for the job.