
華平投資集團(tuán)(Warburg Pincus)自稱是美國歷史最悠久的私募股權(quán)公司,。如今,該公司正一如既往地以堅守本源的理念面對未來,。甚至在少壯派接棒后,包括去年七月41歲的潘建出任首席執(zhí)行官后,,公司仍未改變這種堅持,。潘建在接受《財富》雜志專訪時表示,有近60年歷史的華平投資不會轉(zhuǎn)型為貸款機(jī)構(gòu),,不會謀求上市,,也不會演變成另類資產(chǎn)管理公司。
潘建還明確表示,,華平投資不會跟風(fēng)參與私募股權(quán)行業(yè)對私人信貸的狂熱追逐,。私人信貸已然成為華爾街最炙手可熱的投資領(lǐng)域。盡管華平投資去年募集了規(guī)模達(dá)40億美元的“資本解決方案創(chuàng)始人基金”,,但該基金僅為企業(yè)提供融資支持,,并非直接放貸的私募基金。
潘建對《財富》雜志表示:“需要澄清的是,,我們最核心的定位始終是投資者優(yōu)先的私人合伙公司,。”他解釋稱,,華平投資將繼續(xù)深耕周邊領(lǐng)域,,例如亞洲房地產(chǎn)市場或由普通合伙人主導(dǎo)的二級市場交易。
這種理念意味著與華爾街部分競爭對手相比,,華平投資顯得格外低調(diào),。但對潘建和他的團(tuán)隊而言,這正是最適合公司的經(jīng)營理念。自1971年以來,,華平投資集團(tuán)累計為投資者回報1,510億美元,,并且令人驚艷的是,整個過程一直波瀾不驚,。
華平投資的年輕化革命
華爾街從不乏權(quán)力更迭的恩怨故事,,尤其在私募股權(quán)領(lǐng)域,領(lǐng)導(dǎo)權(quán)交接往往伴隨劇烈動蕩,。阿波羅全球管理公司(Apollo Global Management)前首席執(zhí)行官萊昂·布萊克執(zhí)掌帥印31載,,卻因與杰弗里·愛潑斯坦的關(guān)系曝光,于2021年黯然離職,。據(jù)《財富》雜志報道,,阿波羅內(nèi)部隨后圍繞接班人爆發(fā)了權(quán)力斗爭,最終由馬克·羅文接任,。2022年,,凱雷投資集團(tuán)(Carlyle Group)首席執(zhí)行官李揆晟突然辭職,公司不得不著手尋找接班人,。[公司最終選擇了高盛(Goldman Sachs)前高管哈維·施瓦茨,。]相較之下,以低調(diào)著稱的華平投資已完成兩次平穩(wěn)的權(quán)力交接,,合伙人體系內(nèi)始終波瀾不驚,。
去年七月,執(zhí)掌華平投資逾二十年的紀(jì)杰卸任,,與美國第75任財政部長蒂莫西·蓋特納共同擔(dān)任聯(lián)席董事長,,由潘建接任首席執(zhí)行官。紀(jì)杰因1994年帶領(lǐng)華平投資進(jìn)軍亞洲市場而廣受贊譽,,使該公司成為最早布局該地區(qū)的私募股權(quán)機(jī)構(gòu)之一,。擁有十三年亞洲工作經(jīng)驗的潘建,則助力華平投資持續(xù)拓展亞洲市場,,包括2016年設(shè)立新加坡辦公室,。
作為私募行業(yè)罕見的少壯派首席執(zhí)行官,潘建表示其晉升是華平推進(jìn)代際傳承戰(zhàn)略的重要環(huán)節(jié),。全球金融解決方案聯(lián)席主管維沙爾·馬哈德維亞和丹·齊爾伯曼都是公司大力培養(yǎng)的年輕一代領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人,。馬哈德維亞同時負(fù)責(zé)亞洲私募股權(quán)投資,齊爾伯曼則執(zhí)掌全球資本解決方案業(yè)務(wù),。為保持業(yè)務(wù)連續(xù)性,,美國私募股權(quán)聯(lián)席主管馬克·科洛德尼與吉姆·尼亞里繼續(xù)留任。(科洛德尼曾任《財富》雜志記者,。)
這個約十人組成,、幾乎全為男性的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)團(tuán)隊,,多數(shù)在2000年代初期至中期同期加入華平投資集團(tuán)。潘建表示,,所有領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者都對“公司新階段的發(fā)展充滿期待”,。
掌舵華平投資二十余載的紀(jì)杰評價此次交棒“完美延續(xù)了品牌基因且無縫銜接”。他認(rèn)為新一代領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者理應(yīng)獲得“與我當(dāng)年同等的機(jī)會去施展抱負(fù)”,。
小而強的行業(yè)先驅(qū)
新管理層接手的華平投資,,與1966年創(chuàng)立時早已截然不同。1966年,,萊昂內(nèi)爾·平卡斯與埃里克·華伯聯(lián)手創(chuàng)辦了這家公司,,并以他們的名字命名。這家公司對私募股權(quán)行業(yè)的演進(jìn)產(chǎn)生了與其規(guī)模不相符的巨大影響力,。1971年,,華平投資募集首只4,100萬美元私募股權(quán)基金,這筆資金在首日就全部到賬,。這與當(dāng)今私募基金先獲承諾,、按需提款的通行做法大相徑庭。潘建坦言:“在那個年代,,沒有人信任他們的投資者,。”
1970年代,,平卡斯推動監(jiān)管改革,,允許州養(yǎng)老基金投資私募股權(quán)基金,進(jìn)而促進(jìn)了新興私募股權(quán)行業(yè)的發(fā)展,。借助這股勢頭,華平投資在1987年募集12億美元基金,,創(chuàng)下當(dāng)時的歷史紀(jì)錄,,投資方包括美國電話電報公司(AT&T)和通用汽車(General Motors)的養(yǎng)老基金。
潘建表示:“我們至今仍是唯一擁有超50年連續(xù)投資紀(jì)錄的機(jī)構(gòu),?!?/p>
在堅守本源的同時,華平投資的規(guī)模日益壯大,。華平投資以科技,、醫(yī)療、金融服務(wù)和工業(yè)領(lǐng)域投資著稱,,目前擁有約800名員工,,包括超275位投資專家,分支機(jī)構(gòu)遍布紐約,、柏林,、倫敦,、新加坡和上海。公司管理的資產(chǎn)逾870億美元,,累計向超千家企業(yè)注資超1,200億美元,。
華平投資秉持成長導(dǎo)向的投資理念,涉足全階段交易,,包括早期投資與成長型投資,。該公司會參與被其稱為“成長型收購”的并購交易,同時謹(jǐn)慎使用債務(wù)工具,。華平投資最著名的投資案例之一當(dāng)屬網(wǎng)絡(luò)安全公司CrowdStrike,。2011年,華平投資是CrowdStrike首輪融資的投資者,,且在2019年6月該公司6.12億美元首次公開募股之前,,華平投資一直是其最大股東。潘建表示,,華平投資始終以穩(wěn)健業(yè)績提供持續(xù)回報,。他開玩笑稱:“我們從未不得不請求投資者給予補救機(jī)會,對吧,?”
認(rèn)知的變遷
如今的華平投資在經(jīng)歷多輪經(jīng)濟(jì)周期后,,已成為一家令人尊敬的私募股權(quán)公司。例如2007年的全球金融危機(jī)令私募股權(quán)行業(yè)持續(xù)多年陷入低迷,,還有新冠疫情的沖擊導(dǎo)致部分機(jī)構(gòu)暫停投資數(shù)月,,但均未能撼動華平投資的根基。2021年新冠疫情結(jié)束后,,許多私募機(jī)構(gòu)恢復(fù)交易,,使當(dāng)年的并購交易量創(chuàng)歷史記錄,但這些交易往往伴隨著高估值倍數(shù),。
私募股權(quán)行業(yè)仍在消化2021年泡沫期的后遺癥,。受IPO與并購市場降溫影響,眾多私募股權(quán)機(jī)構(gòu)難以退出項目,,導(dǎo)致回報獲取難度加大,,內(nèi)部收益率面臨壓力。盡管收購基金整體表現(xiàn)仍優(yōu)于公開市場,,但根據(jù)《貝恩2025年全球私募股權(quán)報告》(Bain’s Global Private Equity Report 2025),,北美地區(qū)十年期基金收益率過去三年已下滑三個百分點。
華平投資亦未能完全避開近年逆風(fēng),。自創(chuàng)立以來,,該公司累計募集約25只基金,包括2023年募資173億美元的旗艦基金“華平全球成長14號”,。這是公司史上規(guī)模最大的一只基金,,較2018年募資150億美元的“全球成長”基金(實際上是華平投資的第13只旗艦基金)增長15%,。據(jù)知情人士透露,截至2024年底,,13號基金的凈內(nèi)部收益率為15%,,全球成長14號基金則達(dá)20%。
在私募行業(yè),,出色的內(nèi)部收益率通常需超過20%,。雖然全球成長14號基金因存續(xù)期尚短不宜評判,但13號基金的表現(xiàn)遠(yuǎn)未達(dá)到這個標(biāo)準(zhǔn),。華平投資拒絕對基金業(yè)績置評,。
不同于眾多競爭對手的是,華平仍在持續(xù)退出,。今年迄今為止,,該私募股權(quán)公司已經(jīng)賣掉了三個不同行業(yè)的三家公司。3月初,,澄湖資本集團(tuán)(Clearlake Capital)收購華平投資在醫(yī)療科技軟件即服務(wù)公司ModMed的股份,,對該公司的估值為53億美元。華平投資還同意將熱泵制造商森戴恩公司(Sundyne)以21.6億美元出售給霍尼韋爾(Honeywell),。2月,,華平投資將其在經(jīng)紀(jì)交易商Kestra持有的股權(quán)出售給Stone Point Capital。
目前暫不上市
自創(chuàng)立以來,,華平投資也在持續(xù)發(fā)展,,在堅守私募股權(quán)投資主營業(yè)務(wù)的同時,正著力拓展資本解決方案,、亞洲房地產(chǎn)及普通合伙人主導(dǎo)的二級市場交易,。
另外一個增長領(lǐng)域可能來自中東地區(qū)。華平投資已在當(dāng)?shù)夭季?。華平投資正在與沙特社會保險總會(General Organization Social Insurance,,GOSI)旗下的投資管理機(jī)構(gòu)Hassana投資公司(Hassana Investment Company)合作開拓沙特市場。沙特社會保險總會管理的資產(chǎn)規(guī)模達(dá)3,200億美元,,是全球最大的養(yǎng)老基金之一。華平投資委派高級合伙人維拉杰·索尼主導(dǎo)中東投資業(yè)務(wù),。
與許多同行一樣,,華平投資也認(rèn)識到人工智能的重要性,已投資Personetics,、CData Software,、Contabilizei等AI技術(shù)應(yīng)用企業(yè)。但潘建表示,,公司無意“押注誰最終能打造出最高效的類ChatGPT模型”,。華平投資自身也在使用人工智能技術(shù)構(gòu)建智能體,,以輔助判斷企業(yè)上市時機(jī)或篩選符合投資標(biāo)準(zhǔn)的目標(biāo)。
在漫長的公司發(fā)展過程中,,華平投資總是要面對外界對私募股權(quán)的認(rèn)知轉(zhuǎn)變,。一些私募股權(quán)高管抱怨行業(yè)被誤解甚至污名化。潘建指出,,2006年他加入華平投資時,,公眾尚不了解什么是私募股權(quán),但隨著行業(yè)的發(fā)展,,其投資已經(jīng)覆蓋了許多人,。這恰好與股市的繁榮同步。當(dāng)更多人參與股市投資(當(dāng)前七大科技股在標(biāo)普500指數(shù)的權(quán)重達(dá)到約30%),,部分投資者開始選擇另類投資,,以實現(xiàn)多元化配置。
如今,,當(dāng)潘建遇見非金融圈人士時,,對方或許不知道華平投資的大名。然后他就會提到公司投資的眼保健公司博士倫(Bausch & Lomb),、零售商尼曼集團(tuán)(Neiman Marcus),、CityMD等知名企業(yè)。他說道:“人們馬上就會產(chǎn)生共鳴,,他們由此就能理解華平投資的行業(yè)地位,。”
上市目前也不在華平投資的考慮范圍,。黑石集團(tuán)(Blackstone),、凱雷投資集團(tuán)、KKR,、阿瑞斯(Ares),、EQT、CVC,、德太投資(TPG)等競爭對手都已上市,。但預(yù)計華平投資暫時不會跟進(jìn)。潘建表示:“如果我們認(rèn)為不上市會在競爭上處于劣勢,,我們就會重新考量,。但現(xiàn)狀恰恰相反——繼續(xù)作為一家投資者優(yōu)先的合伙企業(yè),正是我們的獨特競爭優(yōu)勢,?!保ㄘ敻恢形木W(wǎng))
譯者:劉進(jìn)龍
審校:汪皓
華平投資集團(tuán)(Warburg Pincus)自稱是美國歷史最悠久的私募股權(quán)公司。如今,,該公司正一如既往地以堅守本源的理念面對未來,。甚至在少壯派接棒后,,包括去年七月41歲的潘建出任首席執(zhí)行官后,公司仍未改變這種堅持,。潘建在接受《財富》雜志專訪時表示,,有近60年歷史的華平投資不會轉(zhuǎn)型為貸款機(jī)構(gòu),不會謀求上市,,也不會演變成另類資產(chǎn)管理公司,。
潘建還明確表示,華平投資不會跟風(fēng)參與私募股權(quán)行業(yè)對私人信貸的狂熱追逐,。私人信貸已然成為華爾街最炙手可熱的投資領(lǐng)域,。盡管華平投資去年募集了規(guī)模達(dá)40億美元的“資本解決方案創(chuàng)始人基金”,但該基金僅為企業(yè)提供融資支持,,并非直接放貸的私募基金,。
潘建對《財富》雜志表示:“需要澄清的是,我們最核心的定位始終是投資者優(yōu)先的私人合伙公司,?!彼忉尫Q,華平投資將繼續(xù)深耕周邊領(lǐng)域,,例如亞洲房地產(chǎn)市場或由普通合伙人主導(dǎo)的二級市場交易,。
這種理念意味著與華爾街部分競爭對手相比,華平投資顯得格外低調(diào),。但對潘建和他的團(tuán)隊而言,,這正是最適合公司的經(jīng)營理念。自1971年以來,,華平投資集團(tuán)累計為投資者回報1,510億美元,,并且令人驚艷的是,整個過程一直波瀾不驚,。
華平投資的年輕化革命
華爾街從不乏權(quán)力更迭的恩怨故事,,尤其在私募股權(quán)領(lǐng)域,領(lǐng)導(dǎo)權(quán)交接往往伴隨劇烈動蕩,。阿波羅全球管理公司(Apollo Global Management)前首席執(zhí)行官萊昂·布萊克執(zhí)掌帥印31載,,卻因與杰弗里·愛潑斯坦的關(guān)系曝光,于2021年黯然離職,。據(jù)《財富》雜志報道,,阿波羅內(nèi)部隨后圍繞接班人爆發(fā)了權(quán)力斗爭,最終由馬克·羅文接任,。2022年,凱雷投資集團(tuán)(Carlyle Group)首席執(zhí)行官李揆晟突然辭職,,公司不得不著手尋找接班人,。[公司最終選擇了高盛(Goldman Sachs)前高管哈維·施瓦茨,。]相較之下,以低調(diào)著稱的華平投資已完成兩次平穩(wěn)的權(quán)力交接,,合伙人體系內(nèi)始終波瀾不驚,。
去年七月,執(zhí)掌華平投資逾二十年的紀(jì)杰卸任,,與美國第75任財政部長蒂莫西·蓋特納共同擔(dān)任聯(lián)席董事長,,由潘建接任首席執(zhí)行官。紀(jì)杰因1994年帶領(lǐng)華平投資進(jìn)軍亞洲市場而廣受贊譽,,使該公司成為最早布局該地區(qū)的私募股權(quán)機(jī)構(gòu)之一,。擁有十三年亞洲工作經(jīng)驗的潘建,則助力華平投資持續(xù)拓展亞洲市場,,包括2016年設(shè)立新加坡辦公室,。
作為私募行業(yè)罕見的少壯派首席執(zhí)行官,潘建表示其晉升是華平推進(jìn)代際傳承戰(zhàn)略的重要環(huán)節(jié),。全球金融解決方案聯(lián)席主管維沙爾·馬哈德維亞和丹·齊爾伯曼都是公司大力培養(yǎng)的年輕一代領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人,。馬哈德維亞同時負(fù)責(zé)亞洲私募股權(quán)投資,齊爾伯曼則執(zhí)掌全球資本解決方案業(yè)務(wù),。為保持業(yè)務(wù)連續(xù)性,,美國私募股權(quán)聯(lián)席主管馬克·科洛德尼與吉姆·尼亞里繼續(xù)留任。(科洛德尼曾任《財富》雜志記者,。)
這個約十人組成,、幾乎全為男性的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)團(tuán)隊,多數(shù)在2000年代初期至中期同期加入華平投資集團(tuán),。潘建表示,,所有領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者都對“公司新階段的發(fā)展充滿期待”。
掌舵華平投資二十余載的紀(jì)杰評價此次交棒“完美延續(xù)了品牌基因且無縫銜接”,。他認(rèn)為新一代領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者理應(yīng)獲得“與我當(dāng)年同等的機(jī)會去施展抱負(fù)”,。
小而強的行業(yè)先驅(qū)
新管理層接手的華平投資,與1966年創(chuàng)立時早已截然不同,。1966年,,萊昂內(nèi)爾·平卡斯與埃里克·華伯聯(lián)手創(chuàng)辦了這家公司,并以他們的名字命名,。這家公司對私募股權(quán)行業(yè)的演進(jìn)產(chǎn)生了與其規(guī)模不相符的巨大影響力,。1971年,華平投資募集首只4,100萬美元私募股權(quán)基金,,這筆資金在首日就全部到賬,。這與當(dāng)今私募基金先獲承諾、按需提款的通行做法大相徑庭。潘建坦言:“在那個年代,,沒有人信任他們的投資者,。”
1970年代,,平卡斯推動監(jiān)管改革,,允許州養(yǎng)老基金投資私募股權(quán)基金,進(jìn)而促進(jìn)了新興私募股權(quán)行業(yè)的發(fā)展,。借助這股勢頭,,華平投資在1987年募集12億美元基金,創(chuàng)下當(dāng)時的歷史紀(jì)錄,,投資方包括美國電話電報公司(AT&T)和通用汽車(General Motors)的養(yǎng)老基金,。
潘建表示:“我們至今仍是唯一擁有超50年連續(xù)投資紀(jì)錄的機(jī)構(gòu)?!?/p>
在堅守本源的同時,,華平投資的規(guī)模日益壯大。華平投資以科技,、醫(yī)療,、金融服務(wù)和工業(yè)領(lǐng)域投資著稱,目前擁有約800名員工,,包括超275位投資專家,,分支機(jī)構(gòu)遍布紐約、柏林,、倫敦,、新加坡和上海。公司管理的資產(chǎn)逾870億美元,,累計向超千家企業(yè)注資超1,200億美元,。
華平投資秉持成長導(dǎo)向的投資理念,涉足全階段交易,,包括早期投資與成長型投資,。該公司會參與被其稱為“成長型收購”的并購交易,同時謹(jǐn)慎使用債務(wù)工具,。華平投資最著名的投資案例之一當(dāng)屬網(wǎng)絡(luò)安全公司CrowdStrike,。2011年,華平投資是CrowdStrike首輪融資的投資者,,且在2019年6月該公司6.12億美元首次公開募股之前,,華平投資一直是其最大股東。潘建表示,,華平投資始終以穩(wěn)健業(yè)績提供持續(xù)回報,。他開玩笑稱:“我們從未不得不請求投資者給予補救機(jī)會,,對吧?”
認(rèn)知的變遷
如今的華平投資在經(jīng)歷多輪經(jīng)濟(jì)周期后,,已成為一家令人尊敬的私募股權(quán)公司,。例如2007年的全球金融危機(jī)令私募股權(quán)行業(yè)持續(xù)多年陷入低迷,還有新冠疫情的沖擊導(dǎo)致部分機(jī)構(gòu)暫停投資數(shù)月,,但均未能撼動華平投資的根基。2021年新冠疫情結(jié)束后,,許多私募機(jī)構(gòu)恢復(fù)交易,,使當(dāng)年的并購交易量創(chuàng)歷史記錄,但這些交易往往伴隨著高估值倍數(shù),。
私募股權(quán)行業(yè)仍在消化2021年泡沫期的后遺癥,。受IPO與并購市場降溫影響,眾多私募股權(quán)機(jī)構(gòu)難以退出項目,,導(dǎo)致回報獲取難度加大,,內(nèi)部收益率面臨壓力。盡管收購基金整體表現(xiàn)仍優(yōu)于公開市場,,但根據(jù)《貝恩2025年全球私募股權(quán)報告》(Bain’s Global Private Equity Report 2025),,北美地區(qū)十年期基金收益率過去三年已下滑三個百分點。
華平投資亦未能完全避開近年逆風(fēng),。自創(chuàng)立以來,,該公司累計募集約25只基金,包括2023年募資173億美元的旗艦基金“華平全球成長14號”,。這是公司史上規(guī)模最大的一只基金,,較2018年募資150億美元的“全球成長”基金(實際上是華平投資的第13只旗艦基金)增長15%。據(jù)知情人士透露,,截至2024年底,,13號基金的凈內(nèi)部收益率為15%,全球成長14號基金則達(dá)20%,。
在私募行業(yè),,出色的內(nèi)部收益率通常需超過20%。雖然全球成長14號基金因存續(xù)期尚短不宜評判,,但13號基金的表現(xiàn)遠(yuǎn)未達(dá)到這個標(biāo)準(zhǔn),。華平投資拒絕對基金業(yè)績置評。
不同于眾多競爭對手的是,,華平仍在持續(xù)退出,。今年迄今為止,該私募股權(quán)公司已經(jīng)賣掉了三個不同行業(yè)的三家公司,。3月初,,澄湖資本集團(tuán)(Clearlake Capital)收購華平投資在醫(yī)療科技軟件即服務(wù)公司ModMed的股份,對該公司的估值為53億美元。華平投資還同意將熱泵制造商森戴恩公司(Sundyne)以21.6億美元出售給霍尼韋爾(Honeywell),。2月,,華平投資將其在經(jīng)紀(jì)交易商Kestra持有的股權(quán)出售給Stone Point Capital。
目前暫不上市
自創(chuàng)立以來,,華平投資也在持續(xù)發(fā)展,,在堅守私募股權(quán)投資主營業(yè)務(wù)的同時,正著力拓展資本解決方案,、亞洲房地產(chǎn)及普通合伙人主導(dǎo)的二級市場交易,。
另外一個增長領(lǐng)域可能來自中東地區(qū)。華平投資已在當(dāng)?shù)夭季?。華平投資正在與沙特社會保險總會(General Organization Social Insurance,,GOSI)旗下的投資管理機(jī)構(gòu)Hassana投資公司(Hassana Investment Company)合作開拓沙特市場。沙特社會保險總會管理的資產(chǎn)規(guī)模達(dá)3,200億美元,,是全球最大的養(yǎng)老基金之一,。華平投資委派高級合伙人維拉杰·索尼主導(dǎo)中東投資業(yè)務(wù)。
與許多同行一樣,,華平投資也認(rèn)識到人工智能的重要性,,已投資Personetics、CData Software,、Contabilizei等AI技術(shù)應(yīng)用企業(yè),。但潘建表示,公司無意“押注誰最終能打造出最高效的類ChatGPT模型”,。華平投資自身也在使用人工智能技術(shù)構(gòu)建智能體,,以輔助判斷企業(yè)上市時機(jī)或篩選符合投資標(biāo)準(zhǔn)的目標(biāo)。
在漫長的公司發(fā)展過程中,,華平投資總是要面對外界對私募股權(quán)的認(rèn)知轉(zhuǎn)變,。一些私募股權(quán)高管抱怨行業(yè)被誤解甚至污名化。潘建指出,,2006年他加入華平投資時,,公眾尚不了解什么是私募股權(quán),但隨著行業(yè)的發(fā)展,,其投資已經(jīng)覆蓋了許多人,。這恰好與股市的繁榮同步。當(dāng)更多人參與股市投資(當(dāng)前七大科技股在標(biāo)普500指數(shù)的權(quán)重達(dá)到約30%),,部分投資者開始選擇另類投資,,以實現(xiàn)多元化配置。
如今,,當(dāng)潘建遇見非金融圈人士時,,對方或許不知道華平投資的大名,。然后他就會提到公司投資的眼保健公司博士倫(Bausch & Lomb)、零售商尼曼集團(tuán)(Neiman Marcus),、CityMD等知名企業(yè),。他說道:“人們馬上就會產(chǎn)生共鳴,他們由此就能理解華平投資的行業(yè)地位,?!?/p>
上市目前也不在華平投資的考慮范圍。黑石集團(tuán)(Blackstone),、凱雷投資集團(tuán),、KKR、阿瑞斯(Ares),、EQT、CVC,、德太投資(TPG)等競爭對手都已上市,。但預(yù)計華平投資暫時不會跟進(jìn)。潘建表示:“如果我們認(rèn)為不上市會在競爭上處于劣勢,,我們就會重新考量,。但現(xiàn)狀恰恰相反——繼續(xù)作為一家投資者優(yōu)先的合伙企業(yè),正是我們的獨特競爭優(yōu)勢,?!保ㄘ敻恢形木W(wǎng))
譯者:劉進(jìn)龍
審校:汪皓
Warburg Pincus, which claims to be the nation’s oldest private equity firm, is facing the future the same way it handled the past—by sticking to its roots. That’s the case even as a new team of young guns take the reins, including 41-year old Jeff Perlman, who became Warburg’s CEO last July. In an interview with Fortune, Perlman said the nearly 60-year-old Warburg doesn’t expect to change into a lender or list its shares or evolve into an alternative asset manager.
Perlman also made clear Warburg won’t be joining the private equity industry’s rush into private credit, which has emerged as the hottest area of investing on Wall Street. While Warburg currently has a $4 billion capital solutions founders fund that it raised last year, the pool provides financing to companies but is not a direct lending private capital fund.
“To be clear, we are most focused on remaining an investor first private partnership,” Perlman told Fortune, explaining that Warburg will continue to invest in adjacent sectors like real estate in Asia or GP-led secondaries.
All of this has meant that Warburg cuts a decidedly unflashy figure compared to some of its Wall Street rivals. But for Perlman and his team, that suits the firm just fine. Warburg has returned $151 billion to its investors since 1971 and carried this out with a conspicuous lack of drama.
Youth movement at Warburg
Wall Street is littered with tales of bitter succession and, in private equity especially, the process of passing the torch has led to some messy breakups. Leon Black spent 31 years as CEO of Apollo Global Management but left the firm in 2021 after his ties to Jeffrey Epstein became public. This led to a power struggle at Apollo over who would replace him, Fortune reported, with the role ultimately going to Marc Rowan. Carlyle Group CEO Kewsong Lee abruptly quit in 2022, leaving Carlyle to search for its next leader. (The firm ultimately chose ex-Goldman Sachs exec Harvey Schwartz.) By contrast, Warburg, known for its low-key style, has managed to change its leadership twice without a murmur of dissent coming from its partnership.
Perlman became CEO in July when Chip Kaye, who had led Warburg for more than 20 years, stepped back and became chairman alongside Timothy Geithner, the 75th Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Kaye is credited with leading Warburg into Asia in 1994, making it one of the first private equity firms to have a presence there. Perlman, who spent 13 years in Asia, helped expand Warburg’s presence in the continent, which included opening the firm’s Singapore office in 2016.
Perlman, who is young for a private equity CEO, said his ascendence came as part of a broader push by Warburg to elevate the next generation of leaders. The group includes Vishal Mahadevia and Dan Zilberman, Warburg’s global co-head of financial solutions. Mahadevia also leads Asia private equity for the firm while Zilberman is global head of capital solutions. To help ensure continuity, Mark Colodny and Jim Neary, the co-heads of U.S. private equity, are remaining at Warburg. (Colodny is also a former Fortune reporter.)
Nearly everyone in this group—roughly 10 executives who are nearly all men—joined Warburg around the same time in the early to mid-2000s. All the Warburg leaders are “excited about the next phase and the evolution of the firm,” Perlman said.
Kaye, who spent more than two decades as Warburg’s CEO, said handing over the keys to Perlman was “very brand affirming and seamless.” He said the new cohort of Warburg leaders deserved “the same opportunity I had to go see what they could do.”
Small but influential
Warburg’s new leaders are taking charge of a firm that has changed dramatically since its founding in 1966. That’s the year that Lionel Pincus and Eric Warburg launched the firm that bears their name, and that has had an outsized influence on the evolution of the private equity industry. Warburg launched its first PE fund in 1971 with a $41 million pool of capital—a sum it called in on day one. This is much different from current PE practices, where firms take commitments and call in capital when they need the money. “In those days, nobody trusted their investors,” Perlman said.
In the 1970s, it was Pincus who led efforts to change regulations so as to allow state pension funds to invest in private equity funds, which spurred the growth of the emerging PE industry. In Warburg’s case, it allowed the firm to raise a then-record $1.2 billion fund in 1987, backed by investors that included pension funds of AT&T and General Motors.
“We’re still today the only investor that has more than 50 years of a continuous investing track record,” Perlman said.
While Warburg has worked to stay true to its roots, the firm has gotten bigger. Known for its investments in the fields of technology, healthcare, financial services and industrials. Warburg currently has about 800 employees, including more than 275 investment professionals, that are spread across offices including New York, Berlin, London, Singapore and Shanghai. It has over $87 billion in assets under management and has invested more than $120 billion in over 1,000 companies.
Warburg has a growth-oriented mindset that allows it to invest in all sorts of deals, including early-stage as well as growth. The firm does take part in buyout transactions, which it calls “growth buyout,” while using debt selectively. One of its most well-known deals was CrowdStrike, the cybersecurity firm. In 2011, Warburg was CrowdStrike’s first investor and remained its largest shareholder until its $612 million IPO in June of 2019. Warburg is a steady performer, providing consistent returns, Perlman said. “We’ve never had to go to our investors and ask for a mulligan, right?” he joked.
A changing perception
Today, Warburg stands as a venerable private equity firm that has weathered several economic cycles, like the global financial crisis of 2007, which put the PE industry on its heels for several years, and the covid-19 pandemic that led some firms to suspend investments for some months. The end of covid, in 2021, spurred several firms to return to dealmaking, resulting in a record number of mergers that year that were often clinched at high multiples.
The PE industry is still dealing with the aftermath of the 2021 bubble, with many firms unable to exit their deals because of the slowdown in IPOs and M&A. This has made returns harder to come by and caused PE IRRs to come under pressure. Buyout funds have generally outperformed public markets, but returns for 10-year pools have fallen by three percentage points in North America over the past three years, according to Bain’s Global Private Equity Report 2025.
Warburg has not been immune to the headwinds of the last few years. Since its founding, the firm has raised about 25 funds in all, including Warburg Pincus Global Growth 14, the firm’s flagship fund, which raised $17.3 billion in 2023, its biggest ever. This was up 15% from its prior fund, Global Growth (technically Warburg’s 13th flagship pool), which collected $15 billion in 2018. Fund 13 is generating a net IRR of 15% while Global Growth 14 produced a net IRR of 20% as of the end of 2024, according to a person familiar with the situation.
In private equity, a good IRR typically exceeds 20%. Global Growth 14 is considered too young to critique but the other pool, fund 13, is falling short. Warburg declined to comment on the performance of the funds.
Still, unlike many of its competitors, Warburg has been exiting. So far this year, the PE firm has sold three companies in three different sectors. Clearlake Capital earlier in March bought Warburg’s stake in ModMed in a deal that valued the healthcare tech SaaS company at $5.3 billion. Warburg also agreed to sell heat pump maker Sundyne to Honeywell for $2.16 billion. And, in February, Warburg completed the sale of its stake in broker dealer Kestra to Stone Point Capital.
No IPO right now
Warburg has also evolved since its founding and, while it plans to stick to private equity investing, it also expects to focus on capital solutions, real estate in Asia and GP-led secondaries.
Another area of growth may come from the Middle East where Warburg already has a presence. The firm is partnering with Hassana Investment Company to invest in Saudi Arabia. Hassana is the investment manager of General Organization Social Insurance, or GOSI, one of the world’s largest pension funds with about $320 billion AUM. Warburg has tapped senior partner, Viraj Sawhney, to lead investing activities in the Middle East.
Like many, Warburg recognizes the importance of AI and has been betting on companies using the technology, including Personetics, CData Software, and Contabilizei. But the PE firm has no interest in “trying to predict who’s going to end up as having the most efficient ChatGPT equivalent,” Perlman said. As a firm, Warburg also uses AI, building agents to help it determine when companies might come to market or helping to find businesses that fit their investment criteria.
Over the course of its long history, Warburg has had to navigate shifting perceptions of private equity. Some PE executives have complained that the sector is misunderstood and unfairly villainized. Perlman notes that when he joined Warburg in 2006, people did not understand what private equity was, but as the industry has grown, the firm’s investments have touched many people. This coincides with a rise in the stock market. And, as more players are investing in the stock market, and with seven tech stocks currently comprising roughly 30% of the S&P 500, some investors are seeking out alternatives as a way to diversify.
Now, when Perlman meets a non-finance person, they might not know the Warburg name. But then he mentions some of the well-known businesses that Warburg has invested in including eye care company Bausch & Lomb, retailer Neiman Marcus and CityMD. “Immediately it resonates. They understand who [Warburg] is on that front,” he said.
When it comes to an IPO, that’s also off the menu for Warburg. Many of Warburg’s rivals, including Blackstone, Carlyle Group, KKR, Ares, EQT, CVC and TPG, have gone public. Don’t expect Warburg to join the trend right now. “If we felt we are at a competitive disadvantage by not being public, we would need to revisit. I think the opposite is true today – I believe it’s a real distinct competitive advantage for us to remain an investor first private partnership,” Perlman said.