Private Equity Wire Newsletter

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NEWSLETTER | 26 Jun 2020

Schwarzman predicts post-pandemic supply chain reaction…

Covid-19 and ESG are currently two of the hottest topics in the world of private equity – and finance in general – and that’s certainly reflected in this week’s newsletter.

James Williams reports on the thoughts of some of the key participants at the recent Bloomberg Invest Global digital summit, including Blackstone Chairman, CEO and co-founder Stephen Schwarzman who believes that lockdown measures introduced around the world to curb the coronavirus pandemic will prompt companies to diversify their supply chains to reduce their dependency on individual markets. Economist Nouriel Roubini, meanwhile, is predicting a post-coronavirus drop in temperature in the current cold war between the US and China, leading to de-globalisation and a de-coupling of China’s economy relative to the US.

Staying with the post-coronavirus theme, Nick Evans has news of the third private markets fund from Italian investment banking and asset management group Mediobanca. Launched in collaboration Russell Investments, the fund will employ a diversified strategy aimed at exploiting opportunities arising from the economic and financial dislocations caused by Covid-19.

We also have news of another launch, this time a new ‘evergreen’ PE fund of funds vehicle from MAPFRE, launched in conjunction with Abante and Altamar. The Spanish insurance group is committing equity totalling EUR250 million to the new fund which is open to co-investments from other institutions.

And on the responsible investing front, we look at a new survey by corporate and fund solutions provider Intertrust which reveals that almost 90 per cent of PE investors plan to step up their efforts to manage and measure ESG performance in their portfolio companies over the next two years. Almost half though, have concerns that using their own proprietary ESG scoring methodologies will leave them open to accusations of 'greenwashing'…

Private Equity Wire

Companies will diversify their supply chains, says Blackstone’s Schwarzman

Fri | 26 Jun 2020, 12:35

Stephen Schwarzman, the Chairman, CEO and Co-Founder of Blackstone, believes that companies will respond and diversify their supply chains, with the coronavirus lockdown exposing risks that previously might not have been factored in.

Fri | 26 Jun 2020, 12:35

Sandberg Capital acquires a 35 per cent stake in Czech company Revolgy Business Solutions. The management team stays on board and continues to lead the company.

Fri | 26 Jun 2020, 12:35

Italian investment banking and asset management group Mediobanca is launching a new private markets fund aimed at Italian private clients, aiming to offer a diversified strategy that will seek to exploit opportunities arising from the economic and financial dislocations caused by Covid-19.

Fri | 26 Jun 2020, 12:35

Spanish insurance group MAPFRE has taken a significant step forward in its growing commitment to alternative investments with the launch of a private equity fund of funds that is open to co-investments from other institutions.

PE firms reveal concerns on impact measurement, lack of standardised data, and greenwashing amid fast-rising ESG focus

Fri | 26 Jun 2020, 12:35

The rapid acceleration of ESG as a major focus for private equity investors around the world is highlighted by the results of a new survey released this week by corporate and fund solutions provider Intertrust.