PRIVATE EQUITY

Over the past decade, an increasing number of private equity firms have introduced the full-time business development role. Executive search firm BraddockMatthews estimates that the number of private equity BD professionals in the U.S. has increased by more than 300% since 2016. The BD role serves as the face of a private equity firm among intermediaries, including sell-side advisors, accountants, attorneys and other sources of deal flow.

While the core of the BD professional’s responsibilities remains the same—to fill a firm’s pipeline with actionable investment opportunities—the role has evolved significantly over the past decade, and the expectations of the position continue to expand.

The deal landscape in the middle market has never been more competitive, as the number of private equity players grows, technological advancements make the dealmaking process more efficient and the trend of smaller sell-side processes emerges. Simultaneously, there is a growing number of investment bankers, brokers and other sell-side advisors.