The Current Private Equity Market Pulse: When Patience Meets Strategy
- cnasir9
- Jul 14
- 2 min read
What seasoned executives are telling us about private equity's evolution
The best market intelligence sometimes doesn't come from reports or headlines. It can be revealed through conversations we have with the people living through these changes every day. Joe Heterington, Managing Partner, Green Executives, sheds light on a recent, illuminating exchange.
This week, an email from a seasoned PE executive crystalised something I've been sensing across our searches. Beyond the usual pleasantries about summer plans and challenging first halves, they shared two observations that cut straight to the heart of how private equity is rewiring itself.
The Value Creation Revolution
"Increased focus on value creation teams," they wrote, noting how firms are moving these roles from part-time add-ons to full-time strategic priorities.
It’s about...
Having someone to help portfolio companies optimise.
Survival in an environment where quick exits are folklore and transformation are the new normal.
We're seeing this across our client base at Green Executives. Value creation leadership is becoming a fundraising differentiator, not just an operational nice-to-have. When Limited Partners, LP, conversations inevitably turn to "how will you create value in this environment," firms need more than PowerPoint promises.
The Transformation Imperative
The second trend, for me, hit even deeper: "CEOs are starting to turn-over and chief transformation roles in larger funds are starting to emerge."
When hold times extend from 3-5 years to 7-10 years, you need leaders who can orchestrate multiple waves of value creation. Quick operational fixes and leverage optimisation that defined the last cycle? They're table stakes now.
The Human Element
What struck me beyond intellectualising was how this executive framed their own career navigation: "actively and patiently exploring the right next opportunity." That patience is probably more strategically sensible than resignation.
I have witnessed our best executives refraining from taking the first opportunity that comes their way or panicking about market conditions.
They're reading the signals, breathing... understanding the structural shifts and positioning themselves for the capabilities that will matter in the next cycle.
Reading the Signals
These hiring trends also indicate to me private equity's evolution. Firms that initially appear to be weathering a difficult period — but dig deeper — are preparing for a fundamentally different operating environment.
The question on the minds of many is whether deal flow will return to 2021 levels. Understandably. An equally important thought - are firms building the muscle they'll need when it does?
In our conversations with fund leaders, we're seeing this play out in real time. The firms making these capability investments now—even in a challenging hiring environment—are the ones positioning themselves to win when markets turn.
What We're Watching
At Green Executives, we incessantly track these trends. As a dynamic, personable team who always prefer in-person discussions, our ongoing conversations disclose much about the type of leader our clients will need.
Value creation expertise, transformation leadership and the ability to operate in extended hold periods aren't nice-to-haves anymore.
They're the competitive advantage.
What signals are you seeing in your corner of the market? The best insights come from the conversations we have with each other.
About the Author: Joe Hetherington is Managing Partner at Green Executives, connecting exceptional leaders with companies driving the energy transition. Based in the UK, Green Executives specialises in senior-level appointments across clean technology, renewable energy and sustainable finance.
