Pete Stavros
Showing 1–4 of 4 transcripts.
- Milken Institute59 min
Private Equity: Value Creation Under New Rate Regimes | Global Conference 2026
Hugh MacArthur, Joe Baratta, Martín Escobari, Raoul Hughes, Meredith Jenkins, Pete Stavros
Leading private equity firms like KKR and Blackstone are pivoting from speculative AI experimentation to targeted operational efficiency, achieving modest EBITDA improvements while redefining software investment criteria to prioritize durable infrastructure over vulnerable point solutions. As the industry confronts extended holding periods and a capital stack constrained by high entry multiples, firms are shifting focus from financial engineering to deep operational value creation, leveraging specialized sourcing and geographic diversification in markets like Japan and Germany. Looking ahead, the sector anticipates a surge in liquidity driven by a wave of maturing assets and a strategic expansion of retail capital access, provided that new vehicles maintain structural parity with institutional standards to avoid conflict-of-interest pitfalls.
- Milken Institute1h 2m
The New Age of Private Equity | Global Conference 2025
Dan Primack, Per Franzén, David Gross, Julia Kahr, Pete Stavros, Eric Wilmes
Leading global investors including GIC, Bain Capital, and EQT discussed a market defined by regional divergence, where US activity paused due to policy uncertainty while European and Asian deals accelerated. Panelists characterized the current environment as a buyer-seller dislocation rather than a collapse, highlighting the strategic shift toward AI integration, continuation funds, and diversified platforms to navigate valuation misalignments. Despite macroeconomic headwinds like potential tariffs and tax policy changes, the consensus views the present low activity as a strategic buying opportunity supported by record dry powder and resilient portfolio fundamentals.
- Milken Institute42 min
The American Athlete: Feeding the US Olympic Pipeline | Global Conference 2025
Pete Stavros, Maya Andrews, Dan Gable, Karch Kiraly, Carl Lewis
Former Olympic legends Maya Andrews, Dan Gable, Karch Kiraly, and Carl Lewis convened to address the critical financial instability threatening U.S. collegiate Olympic sports and the resulting vulnerability of the national team ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Games. The panelists diagnosed a crisis where rising costs and revenue concentration have decimated programs in wrestling and volleyball, then proposed strategic remedies ranging from philanthropic reinvestment and antitrust lobbying to tuition reform and enhanced financial transparency. Beyond structural solutions, the discussion highlighted philosophical imperatives regarding the mastery of failure and disciplined routines, arguing that preserving the current NCAA-subsidized pipeline is essential for sustaining American athletic dominance and societal leadership.
- Milken Institute59 min
The Promise and Pitfalls of Private Equity | Global Conference 2024
Mark Thierfelder, Joe Baratta, Anne-Marie Fink, Patrick Healy, Jonathan D. Sokoloff, Pete Stavros
In a session highlighting the private equity sector's adaptation to post-2022 market volatility, leaders from Blackstone, KKR, and Hellman & Friedman detailed their strategic pivots toward longer holding periods and operational value creation amid elevated credit costs. To address liquidity constraints and shifting investor expectations, these firms are increasingly utilizing continuation vehicles, expanding into retail capital channels, and reforming stakeholder models to unlock value from the 90% of companies that remain private. The panelists concluded that while public market exits remain constrained, structural advantages in governance and targeted infrastructure investments will drive future growth as the industry transitions from a traditional buy-sell model to a sustained ownership framework.