We invest heavily in our team at all levels in a productive and family-oriented environment. We put as much care into hiring and growing our staff as we do with our investment decisions. We choose to operate a flat and highly collegial team environment, as we believe that is the best way to grow staff at all levels and foster a team atmosphere.

This was one of the driving factors when choosing the design of our new Dubai office in Boulevard Plaza, Downtown. We have a completely open plan office, which sits staff at different levels all together.

Outside of work, we incorporate a variety of team building activities that focus on the physical and mental well-being of each of our team members. Activities range from puzzling escape Rooms to paint balling to a team treasure hunt in the desert. 

Philanthropy is also a global key focus for the firm. We are proud to work with Action for Children in the UK, where we actively encourage clients and staff, old and new to make a difference through donations and voluntary work. We actively encourage our staff to involve themselves in philanthropic activities, no matter how small.

For the private equity industry, we expect deal making volume to decrease, with a potential increase in deal value. 

Deal making will understandably decline as a natural follow on from this economic climate. As purchasers demand lower prices and vendors hold out for better bids, there becomes a market mismatch for deal making. However, vendors will be likely entering into the market out of need, rather than want, putting vendors on the back foot.

Lending will tighten from banks and credit houses; however, we doubt it will completely freeze as it previously did in 2008. As PE firms move to fill this funding gap, this could lead to two distinct trends. Firstly, firms may decide to call the unprecedented amounts of unspent committed capital (known as dry powder), currently valued at 2.5TN USD. 

Secondly, firms may plug some of this liquidity gap as banks back out the credit scene. Since 2008 the level of opportunistic private lending funds has increased three-fold as firms look for short term dislocations to lend against at favourable rates. 

As public markets deflate, corporates will hold their cash meaning competition for available deals with solid fundamentals will certainly increase in the favour of PE firms, just as it did in 2009.