Private Equity 8 Hours

Last updated: July 30, 2026, 8:30 AM ET

Mega-Funds and Strategic Investments Drive Global PE Activity

Brookfield Asset Management secured $2bn in the first close of its Middle East buyout fund, anchored by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund. In a significant infrastructure deal, a consortium of Blackstone, Brookfield, and KKR agreed to a $16bn lease for Kuwait Petroleum Corporation's crude pipeline network, marking the nation's largest foreign direct investment. Concurrently, Blackstone and Colony IM are poised to acquire Accor's 30.7% stake in hotel owner Essendi for up to €975m ($1.12bn). Elsewhere, Bain Capital is set to acquire UK vitamins leader Vitabiotics for approximately £900m ($1.2bn), signaling international growth ambitions.

Sector-Specific Buyouts and Management Transactions

Providence Equity Partners will assume full control of the agency formerly known as Wasserman, buying out founder Casey Wasserman. In the logistics sector, BlackRock's Global Infrastructure Partners is backing a €1.2bn ($1.38bn) management buyout of Irish Continental Group, led by CEO Eamonn Rothwell. Dominus has made an investment in traffic products manufacturer Pelco Solutions, with Pelco's management team remaining significant shareholders. Meanwhile, Hg and EQT plan to sell Saa S provider Quantios to Vista Equity, while Open Gate is set to carve out Knorr-Bremse’s HVAC unit.

Secondaries Market and Advisory Expansion

Hamilton Lane is leading a single-asset continuation vehicle for wealth management asset firm Savant Capital Holdings, managed by The Cynosure Group. In response to growing market opportunities, Evercore has doubled its headcount since February in its APAC private capital advisory unit, signaling a bet on regional secondaries growth. CVC is reportedly gearing up for a substantial fundraise, while Tikehau is making a series of exits, and GTCR is addressing the private equity market's current slowdown with its latest fund.

Venture Capital Trends and Emerging Opportunities

FIFA is considering a minority stake sale in its commercial arm, valued at around €17.5bn ($20bn), with Thrive Capital's Thrive Eternal tipped as the lead investor. European venture capitalists are finding advantages in the current semiconductor downturn, while European startups are increasingly prioritizing international expansion from the seed stage. In the fintech space, Adyen is adapting its strategy to agentic payments. Separately, AI startup Corgi is planning to in London.