PEINVEST
Firm Directory
Private Equity Firms
Explore the world's leading private equity firms. Compare assets under management, investment strategies, deal activity, and key personnel across 30+ firms.
30 Firms
Sorted by AUM
Blackstone
New York, NY · Est. 1985
Blackstone is the world's largest alternative asset manager, with a diversified platform spanning private equity, real estate, credit, and hedge fund solutions. The firm is known for its scale-driven approach and deep operational expertise.
BuyoutReal EstateCredit+3
285 deals
KKR
New York, NY · Est. 1976
KKR is a leading global investment firm that manages multiple alternative asset classes including private equity, credit, and real assets. Founded as a leveraged buyout pioneer, the firm has evolved into a diversified asset manager.
BuyoutGrowth EquityCredit+3
312 deals
Carlyle Group
Washington, D.C. · Est. 1987
The Carlyle Group is one of the world's largest and most diversified global investment firms, operating across three business segments: Global Private Equity, Global Credit, and Global Investment Solutions.
BuyoutGrowth EquityCredit+2
245 deals
Apollo Global Management
New York, NY · Est. 1990
Apollo is a high-growth alternative asset manager with expertise across the full risk-return spectrum. The firm excels in credit-oriented strategies and value-oriented buyouts with deep operational improvement capabilities.
BuyoutCreditReal Estate+2
278 deals
TPG
Fort Worth, TX · Est. 1992
TPG is a leading global alternative asset management firm with a multi-product platform spanning private equity, impact, real estate, and market solutions. The firm is known for its differentiated impact investing platform, TPG Rise.
BuyoutGrowth EquityImpact Investing+2
168 deals
Warburg Pincus
New York, NY · Est. 1966
Warburg Pincus is a global growth equity investor with more than 50 years of experience in growth investing. The firm focuses on growth-stage investments across healthcare, technology, financial services, and energy sectors.
Growth EquityBuyoutTechnology+2
192 deals
Thoma Bravo
Chicago, IL · Est. 2008
Thoma Bravo is one of the largest software-focused private equity firms in the world. The firm invests in and partners with technology companies to accelerate growth through operational best practices and strategic acquisitions.
BuyoutGrowth EquitySoftware+1
145 deals
Vista Equity Partners
Austin, TX · Est. 2000
Vista Equity Partners is a leading investment firm focused exclusively on enterprise software, data, and technology-enabled businesses. The firm applies its proprietary Vista value creation playbook to drive operational improvements.
BuyoutGrowth EquitySoftware+2
98 deals
Silver Lake Partners
Menlo Park, CA · Est. 1999
Silver Lake is the global leader in technology investing, with a portfolio of major technology and technology-enabled businesses. The firm has pioneered large-scale private equity investments in the technology sector.
BuyoutGrowth EquityTechnology+1
87 deals
Ares Management
Los Angeles, CA · Est. 1997
Ares Management is a global alternative investment manager operating integrated groups across credit, private equity, real assets, and secondaries. The firm is one of the largest credit-focused alternative managers globally.
CreditBuyoutReal Estate+2
156 deals
Bain Capital
Boston, MA · Est. 1984
Bain Capital is one of the world's leading private investment firms, known for its consulting-heritage approach to value creation. The firm invests across multiple strategies and sectors with deep operational expertise.
BuyoutGrowth EquityCredit+3
198 deals
CVC Capital Partners
Luxembourg · Est. 1981
CVC Capital Partners is a leading global alternative investment manager with a network of 30 offices globally. The firm focuses on control buyouts and growth investments across diversified sectors.
BuyoutGrowth EquityCredit+1
172 deals
Advent International
Boston, MA · Est. 1984
Advent International is a global private equity firm focused on investments in five core sectors across North America, Europe, Latin America, and Asia. The firm specializes in international buyouts and growth equity transactions.
BuyoutGrowth EquityBusiness Services+2
134 deals
EQT Partners
Stockholm, Sweden · Est. 1994
EQT is a purpose-driven global investment organization with a Nordic heritage and a strong commitment to sustainability. The firm invests across private equity, infrastructure, real estate, and venture capital.
BuyoutInfrastructureGrowth Equity+2
118 deals
Permira
London, UK · Est. 1985
Permira is a global investment firm that backs successful businesses with the aim of transforming their performance. The firm has a strong track record in technology and consumer sectors across Europe and North America.
BuyoutGrowth EquityTechnology+2
94 deals
Hellman & Friedman
San Francisco, CA · Est. 1984
Hellman & Friedman is a leading private equity firm focused on large-cap buyouts in software, financial services, healthcare, and select consumer sectors. The firm is known for its long-hold strategy and concentrated portfolio approach.
BuyoutSoftwareFinancial Services+1
76 deals
Leonard Green & Partners
Los Angeles, CA · Est. 1989
Leonard Green & Partners is a leading private equity firm that focuses on investments in consumer, healthcare, and services companies. The firm partners with experienced management teams to accelerate growth.
BuyoutGrowth EquityConsumer+2
68 deals
Francisco Partners
San Francisco, CA · Est. 1999
Francisco Partners is a leading technology-focused private equity firm that invests in businesses driven by technology innovation. The firm specializes in software, technology-enabled services, and hardware companies.
BuyoutGrowth EquityTechnology+1
112 deals
General Atlantic
New York, NY · Est. 1980
General Atlantic is a leading global growth equity firm providing capital and strategic support for growth companies across technology, healthcare, financial services, consumer, and climate sectors worldwide.
Growth EquityTechnologyHealthcare+3
187 deals
Brookfield Asset Management
Toronto, Canada · Est. 1899
Brookfield Asset Management is a global alternative asset manager with a focus on real assets including infrastructure, real estate, and renewable energy. The firm manages one of the largest infrastructure portfolios globally.
InfrastructureReal EstateBuyout+3
204 deals
Insight Partners
New York, NY · Est. 1995
Insight Partners is a global software investor and venture capital firm that invests in high-growth technology, software, and Internet businesses. The firm employs a proprietary onsite operations team to drive value creation.
Growth EquityBuyoutSoftware+1
165 deals
Clayton Dubilier & Rice
New York, NY · Est. 1978
Clayton Dubilier & Rice is a private equity firm with deep operational expertise and a hands-on approach to value creation. The firm focuses on buyouts and build-ups in the industrial, healthcare, and services sectors.
BuyoutBusiness ServicesHealthcare+1
89 deals
Welsh Carson Anderson & Stowe
New York, NY · Est. 1979
Welsh Carson Anderson & Stowe focuses on investments in two targeted industries: technology and healthcare. The firm partners with management teams to build market-leading companies through organic growth and acquisitions.
BuyoutHealthcareTechnology+1
82 deals
Cerberus Capital
New York, NY · Est. 1992
Cerberus Capital Management is a global leader in alternative investing with a focus on operational turnarounds and distressed situations. The firm employs an operations-first approach across its private equity and credit strategies.
BuyoutDistressedCredit+2
112 deals
Platinum Equity
Beverly Hills, CA · Est. 1995
Platinum Equity is a global M&A and operations firm specializing in complex corporate carve-outs and operational turnarounds. The firm provides a turnkey solution for sellers seeking smooth transitions.
BuyoutM&AOperations+1
78 deals
Cinven
London, UK · Est. 1977
Cinven is a leading international private equity firm that focuses on building world-class European and global companies. The firm targets large-cap buyouts across six core sectors with a hands-on governance approach.
BuyoutHealthcareTechnology+3
86 deals
PAI Partners
Paris, France · Est. 1998
PAI Partners is a leading European private equity firm that manages approximately €24 billion in assets. The firm focuses on buyouts of companies headquartered in developed EMEA markets across its core sectors.
BuyoutBusiness ServicesFood & Consumer+2
72 deals
Apax Partners
London, UK · Est. 1969
Apax Partners is a leading global private equity advisory firm that has raised and advised funds with aggregate commitments of over $65 billion. The firm invests across four core sectors: Tech & Telco, Services, Healthcare, and Internet & Consumer.
BuyoutGrowth EquityTechnology+3
104 deals
Hg Capital
London, UK · Est. 2000
Hg is a leading investor in European and transatlantic software and technology services businesses. The firm uses deep sector expertise and a data-driven approach to build market-leading technology companies.
BuyoutGrowth EquitySoftware+2
92 deals
BC Partners
London, UK · Est. 1986
BC Partners is a leading international investment firm in private equity and credit with over 35 years of experience. The firm partners with management teams to build better businesses across Europe and North America.
BuyoutCreditReal Estate+3
88 dealsFrequently Asked Questions
What is a private equity firm?
A private equity firm is an investment management company that raises capital from institutional investors (pension funds, endowments, sovereign wealth funds) and high-net-worth individuals to acquire equity stakes in private companies. PE firms typically employ strategies like leveraged buyouts, growth equity, or distressed investing to generate returns over a 5-10 year investment horizon.
How are PE firms ranked?
Our directory tracks 30+ firms ranked by assets under management (AUM), which reflects the total capital a firm manages across all its funds. We also track deal count, strategy focus, founding year, and key personnel. AUM is the most widely used measure of firm scale, though performance metrics like IRR and MOIC are also critical for evaluating firms.
Can individual investors invest in PE firms?
Direct investment in PE fund vehicles typically requires qualified purchaser status (net worth of $5M+ in investments) and minimum commitments of $5M-$25M. However, individual investors can gain PE exposure through publicly traded PE firms (e.g., Blackstone, KKR, Apollo on NYSE), secondary market platforms, and increasingly through democratized access products with lower minimums.
What is the difference between AUM and fund size?
AUM (assets under management) represents the total capital across all of a firm's active funds and vehicles. A single fund is one investment vehicle with a specific size and strategy. For example, a firm with $500B AUM might manage 30+ individual funds ranging from $2B to $30B each, spanning different strategies like buyout, credit, and real estate.
How do PE firms make money?
PE firms earn revenue through two primary mechanisms: management fees (typically 1.5-2% of committed capital annually) and carried interest (typically 20% of profits above a preferred return hurdle, usually 8%). The "2 and 20" model has been the industry standard, though fee structures vary by firm size, strategy, and LP negotiating power.
The Private Equity Industry
The private equity industry manages trillions of dollars across buyout, growth equity, credit, real estate, and infrastructure strategies. Our directory profiles the leading global PE firms, providing investors and professionals with essential data on assets under management, investment strategies, key personnel, and deal activity.
Each firm profile includes detailed information on their investment approach, notable transactions, sector expertise, and organizational structure. Whether you're an LP evaluating fund commitments, a professional exploring career opportunities, or a researcher studying the alternative investment industry, our firm directory offers comprehensive coverage of the PE ecosystem.