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The future private capital CFO: Evolving in a digital age

Private capital investors want more data than ever – so how can CFOs deliver? Our global survey addresses this challenge – and more.

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Between December 2020 and January 2021, we surveyed 300+ private capital CFOs from around the world to ask them how they expect their roles to evolve over the next decade. The results were compelling – and highlighted an urgent need for transformation in the private capital space.

Respondents to our survey, conducted in partnership with Global Custodian, anticipate a sharp rise in reporting demands from their LPs over the coming years. Many expect a requirement for daily, or even live updates. As trends such as ESG become even more widespread, the diversity and depth of this reporting will only become more complex – so private capital funds must pick the right tools to help them deliver.

In this journey towards greater transparency, private capital CFOs say they’ll look to one of these three options: outsourcing operations, investing in more technology, or hiring in more talent.

Read on for more of our key report insights.

We also revisited these themes in January 2022 – click here for more recent findings.

Top level findings include:

64%

of CFOs expect LPs to require live or daily reporting updates

57%

expect their LPs to require greater focus on cybersecurity

51%

expect a need for daily or live ESG updates

The private capital CFOs we surveyed also highlighted these as their top three solutions:

  • Outsourcing more functions
  • Investing in more technology
  • Increasing the size of their in-house team

Private capital funds must invest US$5.5 billion globally over the next five years to meet investors’ increasing demands for transparency

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Data has become a lot more complex in the private capital world. The more complex the data needs, the more geographies that data comes from and the more frequent the reporting that clients expect to be available – then the more of a challenge it will be to maintain all these functions in-house.” Chitra Baskar, Chief Operating Officer and Global Head of Funds and Product

Our report insights

UK insight

Outsourcing offers solutions for UK private capital funds as transparency demands rise.

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US insight

US private capital funds must adapt to meeting new demands for transparency.

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China insight

China’s private capital market is coming of age as investors push for more transparency.

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Opinion

Private capital CFOs must adapt to demands from ‘increasingly empowered’ LPs, says our Global Head of Fund Sales Jonathan White.

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Opinion

Our Chief Commercial Officer Ian Lynch discusses what private capital can learn from the hedge fund space.

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Opinion

Read COO Chitra Baskar's opinion piece on the key and emerging trends that will impact in private capital CFOs.

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Join our webinar, in partnership with the BVCA, on Friday 19 March, where we discuss how the private capital sector is adapting to a ‘data-centric’ age.

Register now
Both the level of information required around a fund’s strategy and the frequency of data required by investors will vary depending on the type of fund. From the most liquid to the most illiquid, you'll probably see debt, private equity, real estate, infrastructure, and natural resources. The more illiquid the fund, the less frequent the updates will be.” David Sarfas, Managing Director, Private Capital

Key experts

Chitra Baskar

President, Fund Solutions

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James Donnan

Regional Managing Director, Asia Pacific

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David Sarfas

Country Head, Luxembourg

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Edwin Chan

Director, UK Funds

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