Methodology

PEI Media’s Research & Analytics team surveyed 92 private fund finance leaders in August and September 2021. We wanted to know, directly from the people doing the job, how the roles and responsibilities of the chief financial officer are changing while the private markets industry experiences rapid growth and change.

We targeted CFOs, but if they were unavailable, we asked for responses from other professionals, including COOs and controllers, provided they were aware of their firms’ practices.

Emails were sent to the most appropriate professionals at all the leading private fund management firms. We asked respondents to fill out a short questionnaire, the results of which were collated and analyzed by PEI Media’s research analysts.

The survey is entirely confidential. No names of the individuals or firms that responded are revealed.

While the emphasis is on private equity, firms managing real estate, debt and infrastructure funds have also been included. Many of the challenges facing private equity firms are just as relevant to managers of other closed-ended alternative asset classes funds. The survey reflects the full perspective of the global private fund management community.