Interview

How important is a manager’s operating model to its fundraising success in today’s market? To what extent has this changed and why?

Private markets assets under management have more than trebled to $14.5 trillion over the past decade, according to analysis by Bain & Co. In a climate of increased competition, LPs are placing a growing emphasis on private markets firms’ operating models.

This is in part because LPs have substantially larger pools of capital invested in private markets today. As a result of these larger exposures, they are leaning towards managers with robust operating models in order to limit the downside risk.

At the same time, managers with best-in-class operating infrastructure are better positioned to collect, analyze and harness data to improve deal origination, execution and portfolio company performance. Of course, dealmaking will always remain the core priority for managers, but GPs have come to realize that back-office capabilities and operating models can contribute to front-office success and play an important role in supporting future fundraising.

What areas are LPs scrutinizing in particular? What are the must haves and the red flags for investors doing their due diligence on operating models prior to committing to a fund?

Investors are certainly demanding more when it comes to reporting, compliance and technology. Having the right bespoke operating model in place puts GPs in a better position to differentiate their firms through speedier, more detailed, value-add reporting to investors. In addition, LPs are looking to interact with their GPs in a more digital and data-driven manner, gaining access to information about investments in new and deeper ways.

As well as supporting fundraising, how else can fit-for-purpose, future-proofed back-office infrastructure support front-office activities?

A rigorous back-office capability is essential for GPs who want to offer more co-investment opportunities, take advantage of the liquidity offered through NAV financing, or are considering GP led deals that require solid accounting and reporting frameworks. These are all inherently data-driven activities, which means that the way in which they will ultimately be delivered will be through the use of technology.

What role is technology playing in supporting the modern private equity operating model more generally, and what opportunities does this present?

Technology is undoubtedly playing an ever more important role across the private equity industry. This initially played out in the back office, with various types of financial statement reporting, cash management solutions, as well as workflow and case management tools coming to the fore. Then, in the middle office, we started to see a focus on fund performance and portfolio monitoring, with information being collected across asset classes to support risk management and sophisticated reporting.

Finally, in the front office, technology is now being used to support investment and diligence processes, as well as investor relations. What I think is particularly new and exciting is the proliferation of specialist private markets tools that we are able to leverage today. This is in complete contrast to what was available a decade ago.

It used to be that if an alternatives manager was looking at an aircraft lease, for example, we would have to adapt that into the fund accounting system in the form of some sort of bond. That is no longer the case. Technology now has the language of alternative investing built into it, enabling us to provide different views on risk, better access to data to support superior decision making, and allowing LPs to actively monitor their investments.

The other area where we are seeing significant changes, and where development is primarily driven by LPs, is an enhanced digital experience. It’s still early days, but we are seeing generative AI being used to answer client queries, to leverage large knowledge bases and to respond to requests for proposals. Then, from an operational perspective, optical character recognition is being widely used to make tasks that were historically manual more automated.

Looking ahead, I cannot think of a single operational function where we won’t be using some sort of AI to either extract or manage information differently, or to start drawing conclusions based on that information to support reporting or decision-making, at some point in time.

However, the focus should not just be on AI, but automated machine learning as a whole the process of taking upstream and downstream data and standardising it – given the sheer volumes of financial documents that come into play.

To what extent is artificial intelligence being integrated into digital solutions?

Technology is being used to create great UI, visualization and mobile access, for example. A wide variety of digital interactions – from something as simple as getting a K-1 in the US to performance analysis, cashflow fore[1]casting and benchmarking – have all become, if not the norm, then certainly the expectation for investors. Alternatives have become a much more digital and data-driven industry.

Is the rapid adoption of technology also creating challenges?

I would say the biggest challenge for managers involves data management. While we have made great strides in systems that speak the language of alternatives, we are nonetheless faced with significantly increased demands from clients – both GPs and LPs – when it comes to managing that data. Of course, the cloud has helped us a great deal in that regard, but there is still a lot of hard work involved in operationalizing data that has historically been manually inputted into spreadsheets. Finding ways to ensure that data can be accessed and analyzed in sophisticated ways is something that will certainly be enabled by technology, but there is still some way to go.

The service that an administrator provides reflects directly on the manager. It is a reputational issue for GPs, and therefore for LPs too. LPs are looking to interact with their GPs in a more digital and data-driven manner.

How are all of these developments impacting the decisions that managers are making around what to outsource and what to keep inhouse, and how are third-party providers responding?

Rather than investing large amounts of capital into ever-expanding back-office teams and technology, managers are increasingly working with third-party administrators in order to benefit from the scale, cost advantages and specialized back-office focus. This enables managers to instead invest capex into their core business of dealmaking. In response, fund administrators are evolving their offering from the provision of basic outsourced fund accounting services to providing technology best practices, together with support for managers to enable effective implementation and harness technology in modular operational models.

What is particularly exciting for us is that we are receiving a lot of inbound interest regarding solutions to many of the challenges that I have described. Those enquiries sometimes center on the use of data to support better investment decision-making, for example, or the need to provide different types of information to end clients.

The focus can also be on improving the manager’s cost profile. In short, managers are looking to third parties to fulfil functions that they either can’t or don’t want to invest in at the level that an external provider can. Another driver, meanwhile, is the desire from managers to partner with organizations that are able to glean insight and experience from working with market participants across the entire industry.

As a result, third-party administrators are being approached not only as outsourced service providers but as accelerators for the strategies that their clients are trying to implement.

Is the choice simply between insourcing and outsourcing, or are other models emerging?

Co-sourcing is certainly a trend. That is something that managers are talking to us about and it is something that we have the flexibility to implement. However, I would add that most of those conversations are followed by questions about what our plans are as a third-party administrator to provide some of those functions in a fully out[1]sourced manner.

Co-sourcing is typically seen as a step on the journey towards outsourcing.

What questions should LPs be asking of a potential outsourced provider?

Operational excellence is, of course, incredibly important in this space, because the service that an administrator provides reflects directly on the manager. It is a reputational issue for GPs, and therefore for LPs too. Other sources of differentiation among third-party providers include the degree to which these organizations are investing in their own core systems and operations in order to take advantage of industry trends. GPs should also select an expert partner with firsthand experience in managing processes across multiple strategies and different investment vehicles.

An understanding of cross-jurisdictional knowledge is also vital, should they wish to expand investment beyond their regional boundaries. In addition, LPs should consider the extent to which administrators are investing ahead of the curve, thinking about the next wave of innovation, whether that be generative AI, sophisticated data management or the provision of different ways for LPs to access information.

That kind of forward-thinking approach can help put managers on the front foot when fund[1]raising, and give LPs the comfort that operations are being well run by experienced industry specialists, and that it can scale as their firm grows.

What is your number one piece of advice for a manager re-evaluating its existing operating model with the intention of building something that is sustainable and that will allow it to scale?

My number one piece of advice would be to take time to review the market. I would add that it is also important to understand that the role of the fund administrator has changed.

Today, the right outsourced partner can provide operational support from back-office accounting, all the way through to client services, thereby enabling firms to focus on their own value proposition in a very different and much more sophisticated way.

Mike Janiszewski, Chief Operating Officer, spoke to PEI Fund Services report about the value of outsourcing administrative functions to respond to the increased market demand from individual investors. With about half of global assets under management (AUM) held by individuals, private fund managers are keen to tap into this vast potential. Large asset managers, like Blackstone, have ambitious goals for increasing their retail capital offer. However, accommodating individual investors in alternatives, presents significant complexity- complicated structures, dealing with varying regulations, individual tax burdens and increasing back-office administration.

Mike opined that “Taking on investment from private wealth investors will require a step-change in middle- and back-office infrastructure” Private markets have responded to this already and multiple investment structures are being adopted to accommodate the differing needs of individual investors, as well as new distribution channels and digital platforms. At AD, we have been specializing in this for the past 20 years; delivering for our clients via a combination of jurisdictional, technological and administrative expertise.

Ultimately, leveraging technology for automation and data streamlining must come alongside partnership with third-party providers who can harness new tools for great success. Reach out to to find out more.

Interview

Q To what extent do the SEC’s private fund rules impact the secondaries industry and how have these changes

been received?

Tim Toska: The US Securities and Exchange Commission’s new private fund adviser rules are certainly far reaching and there are significant changes involved. But, as it relates to the secondaries industry, it is the mandatory requirement for a fairness opinion or valuation in every GP-led secondaries deal that is the most directly relevant. There are also new disclosure requirements around material business relationships and activities, which must be formally documented and posted to a portal. In many instances, both are already happening, but the rules mean there is now a regulatory requirement to take these extra steps in what might well be a time sensitive transaction. That can always be a cause for concern. Managers want to be able to proceed with  deals in as frictionless a way as possible. That said, compared to some other aspects of the rules, these provisions are unlikely to keep many awake at night.

Q Could a clearer regulatory framework around GP-led  secondaries be welcomed, particularly when it comes to ensuring LPs are comfortable with these deals?

TT: Absolutely. This is a fast-growing market, and it has been exciting to see GP-led secondaries emerge as a valid avenue for generating liquidity, alongside traditional M&A and IPOs. But there are clearly some inherent conflicts of interest that need to be carefully managed because the last thing anyone wants is for questions to be asked in hindsight, should a deal not turn out as planned. These are not arms length transactions and so they lend themselves to being second guessed. Increasing the regulatory framework helps eliminate any of that doubt and so from the perspective of the ongoing growth and maturity of the sector, I think it is largely to be welcomed.

Emily Ergang Pappas: It also goes long way towards ensuring all investors are in the same situation. Yes, there were many funds that were already including fairness opinions in their deals and going the extra mile in terms of transparency, but now investors in every fund will be afforded that same level of protection from potential conflicts of interest. The codification of best practice means all investors are now in the same boat.

Q What modifications have we seen since the initial rules were proposed and where are we now in terms of when the rules will be enacted?

EEP: We are in a unique position as fund administrators in that these rules don’t technically apply to us, but they will apply to most of our clients and will affect the services we provide. We are therefore keeping a close eye on how things develop. There are a number of lawsuits that are ongoing, and no-one is entirely sure what the timelines are likely to be, but we are certainly paying close attention. I would agree with Tim though that this rule is not as controversial as some of the others. We have been heavily focused on the quarterly statement rule, for example, because there is a lack of clarity there and because it impacts our role as administrators particularly. There have already been some modifications made between the proposed rules and final rules when it comes to secondaries, with greater flexibility to choose between either a fairness opinion or a valuation. Beyond that we are in a wait and watch holding pattern, considering what the eventual outcomes are going to mean for clients.

Q Given the GP-led market’s growth, is it reasonable to expect it will be subject to greater regulatory scrutiny going forward, beyond these specific rules?

EEP: The short answer is yes, absolutely. Anytime something grows in size and popularity to this extent, particularly when it involves readily identifiable conflicts of interest, it is inevitable that the SEC and other regulators around the world are going to want to put some parameters in place to ensure investors are adequately protected.

Q Against this regulatory backdrop, how are you seeing the GP-led secondaries market evolve?

TT: I would say that the GP-led secondaries market has now reached a stage in its maturation journey where it sits side by side with other strategies. Certainly, in terms of deal volumes, GP-leds have been at or about 50 percent of the overall secondaries market for the past few years. In fact, there has been insufficient capital available to meet demand from GPs, who now view this as a viable exit route and means to generate liquidity in an environment where liquidity has been in short supply.

Q Will that growth trajectory continue unabated as and when M&A markets return?

TT: I believe that it will. There will always be reasons for GPs to pursue this type of deal, regardless of what is happening in the broader macroeconomic environment. It is true that a revival in M&A will lessen the need for GPs to turn to continuation vehicles to generate distributions for investors. However, there will always be sectors, or segments of the market, that are facing structural or economic hardships and where secondaries capital is required.

Furthermore, there will always be situations where the timing just isn’t right for a GP to exit, despite the fact it is running up against the limits of a fund’s life. Due to the intense growth in volume and awareness over the past few years, GPs know these GP-led deals are something they will always have in their back pocket.

Q The GP-led market is widely believed to be one of the most undercapitalized corners of private markets. How do you see the buyside evolving going forward?

TT: The secondaries market, and GP-led secondaries in particular, are undercapitalized relative to the supply of transactions in the market. But I don’t necessarily view that as a negative. In fact, in many ways it can be viewed as a positive, because it ensures buyers are able to originate and diligence opportunities in a disciplined manner rather than feeling any pressure to put money to work. Of course, we don’t want to see that undercapitalization continue forever. But it is no bad thing for supply to outpace demand as the asset class matures. That will help ensure everyone concerned has positive experiences, including LPs that decide to roll and the new investors that come in. The more of these win-win situations that we see come to fruition, ultimately leading to successful realizations over time, the better it is for the asset class in the long term.