
INSIDE YOUR BUSINESS – How does private equity work?
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GUEST – Kondi Nkosi, Country Head for Schroders in South Africa
Whether you realize it or not, many of the goods, services, and products you use every day are from private equity-backed companies. Grabbing dog food at PetSmart? It's private equity-backed. Picking up Arby’s or Panera Bread on the way home? Yep, those are PE-backed, too. Looking into your family history with Ancestry? PE is all around us all the time. But what exactly is private equity? A foundational concept for anyone interested in learning about—or working in an industry tangential to—the private markets, this article breaks down the basics of PE.
Private equity (PE) firms buy unlisted companies with the aim to increase their value. After a few years, they will sell them, creating a profit for investors.
Whether you realize it or not, many of the goods, services, and products you use every day are from private equity-backed companies. Grabbing dog food at PetSmart? It's private equity-backed. Picking up Arby’s or Panera Bread on the way home? Yep, those are PE-backed, too. Looking into your family history with Ancestry? PE is all around us all the time. But what exactly is private equity? A foundational concept for anyone interested in learning about—or working in an industry tangential to—the private markets, this article breaks down the basics of PE.
Private equity (PE) firms buy unlisted companies with the aim to increase their value. After a few years, they will sell them, creating a profit for investors.

