Private Equity 8 Hours

Last updated: May 14, 2026, 11:30 AM ET

Private Equity Deal Flow & Exits

Brookfield set to acquire World Freight Company from PAI Partners and EQT in a transaction valued at approximately $1.2bn enterprise value, according to reports, marking a major exit in outsourced air cargo management services. Elsewhere, Gen Nx360 exited Precision Aviation to VSE for a reported $2bn, as the energy sector sees activity despite geopolitical concerns, with Houlihan Lokey flagging $30bn of oil and gas assets potentially coming to market. In strategic acquisitions, Ambienta snapped up Disano, the Italian professional lighting fixture manufacturer, while Ansor-backed Complii will acquire The Escalator Company, a specialist in escalator servicing and refurbishment.

Sector-Specific Investments & Funding

Large-cap players continue to deploy significant capital across specialized infrastructure and services. Blackstone raised $1.75bn in a record-setting blind-pool REIT initial public offering, explicitly targeting data center real estate necessary for AI expansion, while also reportedly anchoring a €600m funding round for German drone maker Quantum Systems, which could value the firm near €7bn alongside Airbus. Meanwhile, in specialized consulting, Sunstone Partners backed Peloton Consulting Group to aid global organizations across retail and financial services modernization efforts. Growth-stage funding saw Xpanner securing $18M in a Series B round to scale its "Automation As A Service" platform for construction sites using robotics and physical AI.

Secondaries, Talent, and Strategy

Activity in the secondary market suggests tightening valuations, as buyside demand climbing coupled with greater asset selection focus is reducing the percentage of continuation vehicles (CVs) priced in the lower range, per Houlihan Lokey’s study. In talent acquisition, Evercore bolstered its infrastructure secondaries team by hiring senior managing director Clay McCoy from Campbell Lutyens, as investment banks continue to build out specialized credit and secondaries desks globally. Separately, European buyouts saw Verdane complete the take-private of Augmentum Fintech following shareholder approval, marking a rare investment trust buyout in the UK market as Indian PE activity slows.

Infrastructure & Strategic Platforms

Global sovereign wealth and major asset managers are teaming up to launch massive infrastructure platforms. BlackRock’s GIP partnered with Temasek and Abu Dhabi entities, including L'IMAD and ADNOC, to establish a $30bn Gulf and Central Asia infrastructure platform aimed at funding major regional projects. In the insurance brokerage space, Aquiline-backed Relation purchased Crop Rx Insurance Services, expanding its national footprint beyond its existing 90-plus locations. Furthermore, Good Springs invested in Snyder Environmental Services, which focuses on public and private water and wastewater markets, emphasizing the ongoing appetite for essential service providers.