R. David Andrews

Middle Market Private Equity: The Smart Money's Next Move | Global Conference 2025

John L. Bowman, R. David Andrews, Dean Mihas, Molly Murphy, Scott Spielvogel, Andrew Weinberg

Managing nearly $25 trillion, the alternatives industry is pivoting from financial engineering to operational excellence and AI-driven value creation amid an elongated market cycle characterized by suppressed IPO activity and limited M&A supply. Industry leaders are refining differentiation strategies through aggressive AI deployment, specialized management screening by industrial psychologists, and creative exit tactics like recapitalizations to navigate geopolitical volatility and valuation dislocations. As the sector adapts to a future where 98% of finance jobs face AI disruption, general partners are evolving into long-term operating partners to capitalize on the impending $105 trillion wealth transfer while prioritizing earnings quality over gross multiples.