Muhammad Akram, founder and CEO of assurance, advisory and tax specialist Akram, sat with Private Equity Wire recently to discuss the current launch environment for private equity funds in the US. 

Muhammad Akram, founder and CEO of assurance, advisory and tax specialist Akram, sat with Private Equity Wire recently to discuss the current launch environment for private equity funds in the US. 

Key takeaways:

• It is a good time to launch a new private equity vehicle, despite the volatility and many challenges in the current market environment.
• Launching with less than $50m is not necessarily a problem – it is also an opportunity to define and market a niche.
• Akram is seeing more PE launches than hedge fund launches as investors – particularly institutions – diversify away from public equity and seek better risk-adjusted returns.
• The key to capital raising is to craft a marketing message that is compelling and easy for investors to understand.
• Best practice for emerging private equity managers: articulate your value proposition, be transparent, and present an institutional offering from the outset.