Sample Syllabus
TOPIC
The Basics of Private Equity
SAMPLE QUESTIONS COVERED
How do PE Firms make money? How is value created? Why does speed matter (IRR)?
How are they typically structured? What are the various roles?
Who provides funding for them? What do they value?
How do investment professionals succeed?
The Basics of Operating Groups
TOPIC
SAMPLE QUESTIONS COVERED
What is the role of operating groups within PE firms?
How do operating groups align with and support the overall PE strategy?
What are the different roles within an operating group?
What factors do PE firms consider make when determining the composition of the portfolio ops group?
How are operating groups are paid for?
How do operating executives create value?
TOPIC
SAMPLE QUESTIONS COVERED
How do ops professionals inflect the drivers of value creation?
What is the role of capability building for a portfolio company?
How can ops professionals be measured?
What is the difference between “being helpful” and “being impactful”?
How do PE Firms decide on the structure of their operating groups (generalists or specialists, consultants or managers, outsource or insource?)
TOPIC
How to Succeed in an operating group/How to Fail in an operating group
SAMPLE QUESTIONS COVERED
What tools and techniques can help operating groups demonstrate impactful value creation projects?
How do you structure projects and secure stakeholder buy-in?
What strategies can help you prioritize projects and allocate time effectively across your projects?
How do you learn to influence rather than direct?
How do you balance driving change without overwhelming the management team?
How do you identify and manage outside consultants?
Fostering the Relationship Triangle
TOPIC
SAMPLE QUESTIONS COVERED
How can you effectively navigate interactions among the investment team, operating team, and portfolio company management?
What are each groups priorities and concerns?
How do you manage competing priorities between stakeholders while maintaining alignment on overall goals?
What strategies can you use to build trust and establish credibility with each group in the relationship triangle?