Private equity companies own a significant element of the UK financial services sector. As they typically look to realise their investment within a fixed time frame, an appreciation of their investments is important in determining likely transaction activity. Selecting the right private equity partner can be crucial in achieving a successful MBO. Knowing what investments each has made and their investment criteria (including size) is vital in selecting the correct partner.

The data below is not driven off private equity firms' declared investments, as many are not obviously disclosed, but from our own analysis of the ownership of every ultimate holding company.