Buyers that have a "deeper bench of expertise" will have a better chance of winning a deal, says Inverness Graham's Matt Moran in an interview during ACG Phialdephia's M&A East conference.

MORAN: We're seeing operating partners in a variety of capacities, from partnering at the sourcing level, developing investment theme opportunities, proactively pursuing markets and then working together with the private equity firm to close that transaction and manage it through their hold. They're a great way to differentiate. You're seeing it in two different levels. There’s certain firms that recruit operating executives at the GP level, where they're involved in all facets of the fund. And other firms find ways to partner on a deal by deal basis based on the industry. But when you're across the table from a business owner who is looking to sell, and you've got a deeper bench of expertise outside of the operational facets of private equity, it can only bolster your case to be the best buyer.