Digital Editions

Borrowers like the speed and certainty of execution they get from private credit

We recognize 14 pioneers with proven track records in fostering diversity, equity and inclusion.

The 11 up and coming dealmakers recognized by Mergers & Acquisitions faced unprecedented challenges from the Covid pandemic and quarantines. Despite the adverse conditions, these stellar transaction professionals sourced and closed deals while displaying creativity, flexibility, proficiency and empathy. All the while, they were champions of ESG and DEI, providing a promising glimpse of the future of private equity. On the pages that follow, read our profiles, featuring quotes from the Rising Stars themselves, as well as comments from their sponsoring executives.

The days when limited partners were passive investors who waited patiently for returns are long over. Today's LPs require more control over portfolio companies and more transparency in their relationships with GPs. They also insist on DEI and ESG initiatives.

The world was on lockdown. Factories were closed, and supply chains were disrupted. Face-to-face meetings were impossible, and everything from education to religion went virtual, as Zoom became the norm. Many deals failed to finish, or even begin. But the 2021 Top 10 Middle-Market Deals of the Year flourished despite the pandemic. What a time to shine.

Today’s competitive deal environment is forcing alternative private capital investors, such as family offices and independent sponsors, to look for new innovative ways to participate.

LPs don’t want anecdotes. LPs require the firms they invest in to have a “repeatable, professional way to source deals.”

Our 6th annual list identifies and honors the top 25 female leaders in the middle market. Not only are they outstanding dealmakers, but they are also champions of change in a challenging era.

We identified four sectors in which we predict activity will be especially high in 2021: Logistics, Cryptocurrency, Telehealth and Education Technology.