Private Equity Secondaries in the Spotlight
Private Equity Secondaries in the Spotlight: A Market in Motion
The private equity secondaries market is experiencing unprecedented growth. In 2024, global transaction volume soared to a record-breaking $162 billion, marking a 45% increase from the previous year and surpassing the prior peak set in 2021. This trend appears set to continue into 2025.
This surge is driven by a combination of factors, including increased demands for liquidity as private equity primary fund distributions sink to record low levels, narrowing bid-ask spreads, and a growing acceptance of GP-led continuation funds as viable exit strategies. These GP-led deals, which allow sponsors to generate liquidity and hold on to quality assets for longer, represent the fastest growing segment of the secondary market today, accounting for almost half of all secondary transaction volume.
Join Obsiido for an insightful discussion where we delve into the current state of the private equity market and the critical role that secondaries are playing within it.
Who Should Attend
The session will appeal to investment professionals with an interest in deepening their knowledge and understanding of private equity secondaries.
The session aims to unpack the dynamics, opportunities and risks currently at play in the global PE secondaries market.
Speaker Details
The session will be moderated by Obsiido Chief Investment Officer, Sean O'Hara, and will feature special guest, Christopher Row from HarbourVest Partners, a leading global investor in the private equity secondary market.
Sean O'Hara, CAIA
Chief Investment Officer & Investment Committee Chair
Obsiido Alternative Investments Inc.
Christopher Row
Principal
HarbourVest Partners
Christopher Row joined the HarbourVest team in 2018 as a product specialist focused on global secondary investments and works closely with the investor relations team.
Christopher joined the Firm after nine years at Alpine Associates Management, where he was a senior investment professional working closely with their investor relations team on a wide range of client-related activities. His prior experience includes roles at Cisco Systems and Accenture.
Christopher received an AB (summa cum laude) in History from Bowdoin College in 1994, an MBA from Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College in 2001, and an MA in International Relations with a focus on Monetary Economics from Tufts University in 2003.