Hi! 

From my experience, having a finance background (in terms of academics and work experience) is definitely important when applying for PE infra. I would also say that PE funds doing infra are a bit more technical vs. normal PE funds (given the lower business risk of target companies, higher leverage, etc.). You will find most of the investment team coming from IB M&A, but also Leveraged Finance and Project Finance.

On the positive side, renewables is one of the “hottest” sectors within infra, thus having specific knowledge on the sector can be a strong asset when recruiting.

When applying I would suggest you to i) target renewable-focused PE infra funds (where you can best leverage your experience), ii) study hard the for the financial part of the interview (they will get technical).

I hope this helps!

Hi there,

I would be happy to share my thoughts on your question:

• First of all, your experience with CDDs, especially in the renewable energy sector, is a great asset just from the limited information you have provided. Your sector-specific consulting experience can be highly valued in the PE industry, especially for infrastructure investments.
• Moreover, networking within the industry can significantly improve your chances to transition. Socialize with professionals in the PE sector, attend industry conferences, and possibly seek out a mentor within PE to gain insight and advice for a more effective transition.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on your specific situation, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

(edited)

Hi there,

Q: Do you think I am qualified enough to enter PE, focusing on infrastructure investments?

Without having a look at your full profile it is difficult to comment. 

In general, PE is very competitive. You can get an idea if your firm might lead to PE as follows:

1. Go to LinkedIn
2. Look for alumni of your company. If your company is too small, you can add competitors as well
3. Check how many moved to PE in your target region
4. Adjust for the size of the current employer to find the percentage
5. If you are considering other options (eg an MBA): repeat for the alternatives, to see if they lead to a better ratio

This should give you an idea of the likelihood of the transition, or at least, the common career path to get to PE for people with a background similar to yours.

Good luck!

Francesco

Hi there,

I believe it's a borderline case where networking can make all the difference. Essentially you have to focus on two stages here:

1. Network extensively to collect more information and capture some referrals. This is what gets your foot into the door.
2. Prepare for the financial part of the interview as it will be technical. Consider taking some prep courses. This is what gets you the offer.

All the best,

Florian

Your CDD experience should be useful for your transition. However, knowing the choosiness that PE firms exhibit - you should definitely want to develop some financial skills on the side. Financial modeling is an important skill to have for PE.

For short-term targets - you might want to engage in online certifications/micro-degrees on the topic. For medium-term targets, there are other online-degrees available that can give you the credentials.

It's really about showing the combination of being able to thing about the market in a strategic way / business perspective, and being able to translate that into the financials and understanding what are the financial value drivers.

While networking can help you out, having some good finance training would strongly support your case.

It's not impossible, but it's also hard to tell with how much I know about you at this point. 

My recommendation is to do 2 things

1. Test it. Speak with 5 recruiters from PE firms and see if your profile is relevant for them, and if not, ask them what's missing. Then you at least have clarity over your situation. 

2. Aim to develop the sort of skills PEs look for in your current job. That will then make you a more attractive candidate.

Best,
Cristian