News & Analysis

WATCH – Livingbridge’s Kolade: PE isn’t as relevant as it thinks

The private equity firm's managing partner Wol Kolade says private equity must scale and become more mainstream to become a 'must-have.'

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Livingbridge is no stranger to expansion.

The lower- and mid-market focused private equity firm almost doubled its flagship fund size with its latest £660 million ($912 million; €741 million) vehicle, a 2016-vintage. The London-headquartered firm has also opened offices in Australia and the US in the past year.

“As an industry, we have to scale, become more mainstream, and become not a nice-to-have in the investment universe but a must-have in the investment universe, to stay relevant 20, 30, 40 years down the road,” says managing partner Wol Kolade.

Kolade speaks to sister publication Private Equity International about why private equity must scale and institutionalise if it wants to remain relevant. He also discusses Livingbrige potentially opening an office on continental Europe and another two bureaux in the US.