Private Equity Lists and Recruitment

While private equity most traditionally is recruited into after spending a couple years in investment banking, it is not the only way to get to private equity. Furthermore, studying the industry can be very useful for people interested in the private markets.

While there is a large and ever-changing universe of private equity firms, we try to provide you with some of the authoritative lists below. We also provide some local options.

PEI Media

PEI Media is a major publication in private equity, with countless sub-sites and publications which are more specified (for example, the PERE 50 is a list of the top 50 private equity real estate firms).

If you find yourself curious about more specific areas of private equity, try looking through their resources.

Private Equity International 300 (PEI 300)

1. The Carlyle Group
2. Blackstone
3. KKR
4. Apollo Global Management
5. CVC Capital Partners
6. Warburg Pincus
7. EQT
8. Neuberger Berman Group
9. Silver Lake
10. TPG
11. EnCap Investments
12. Bain Capital
13. Vista Equity Partners
14. Apax Partners
15. Cinven

Other Major Lists

Private Equity Real Estate 50 (PERE 50)

1. Blackstone
2. Brookfield Asset Management
3. Starwood Capital Group
4. Lone Star Funds
5. The Carlyle Group

IPE Real Assets Top 50 Infrastructure Investment Managers (article)

Secondaries Investors 30 (SI 30)

A little bit of background first. Private equity secondaries are when an LP’s commitment to a private equity fund is sold to another investor. So when a firm invests with a private equity group, they are promising to give some amount of money to a fund. Secondaries involve either allowing someone to sell that commitment so the seller can use the money elsewhere, or, when a private equity fund is closing-out, buying companies from that fund. In either case, the commitment or company is often sold at a discount to make it attractive.

1. Ardian
2. Lexington Partners
3. Goldman Sachs Asset Management
4. HarbourVest Partners
5. Blackstone Strategic Partners
6. Partners Group
7. Landmark Partners
8. AlpInvest Partners
9. LGT Capital Partners
10. Coller Capital

PE Firms in Los Angeles

Oaktree Capital

Canyon Capital Advisors

K-1 Investment Management

Architect Equity

Riverside Partners