WINNING THE VALUE CREATION GAME IN PRIVATE EQUITY:

IT‘S ALL ABOUT INTEGRATION.

Sustainable value creation in private equity can only be achieved through consistent operational execution. What matters is the integration and synchronization of the dimensions PEOPLE, DATA and TIME throughout the entire deal cycle.

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GUIDING THESIS

The current environment in private equity calls for a new definition of Value Creation: focusing on what truly matters.

#People #Data #Time #WinningTheValueCreationGame
#PrivateEquity #DealCycle #ValueCreation
#ItsAllAboutIntegration #OperatingModel

Focusing on what truly matters means not treating PEOPLE, DATA and TIME as separate topics, but consistently synchronizing them as an integrated steering model for PE success. Particularly in today’s challenging environment of limited growth, high interest rates and persistent inflation, success is not determined by the next initiative, but by the ability to execute consistently: clear accountability, a robust data foundation and speed. Value Creation is therefore not a collection of individual measures, but the best possible fit between People, Data and Timing – with the objective of realizing value quickly, measurably and repeatedly. In short: this study is relevant for all stakeholders in the private equity ecosystem seeking value enhancement, operational excellence and sustainable performance.

How do you currently assess the situation in the PE market relevant to you with regard to the following factors? n = 100 [figures in percent]

STUDY CONTENTS

WINNING THE VALUE CREATION GAME IN PRIVATE EQUITY:

IT‘S ALL ABOUT INTEGRATION.

// MANAGEMENT SUMMARY

The integration of PEOPLE, DATA and TIME throughout the deal cycle

is both a challenge and a key success factor.

// [CHAPTER 01] DEAL & FIRST 100 DAYS

Value Creation starts with transparency and clarity –

and ultimately depends on having the right management in place.

// [CHAPTER 02] HOLDING PERIOD

The message is clear: management soft skills and hard skills are by far

the most relevant levers for value enhancement.

// [CHAPTER 03] EXIT

Current Trading is the most important factor for a successful exit (74%).

71% of respondents rank management quality as the second most important factor.

// TWO KEY INSIGHTS

The most important lever throughout the entire deal – management quality – is

assessed the least systematically.

The importance of a consistent data foundation is often dismissed as a hygiene

factor, even though it can make or break the exit.

// 6 ACTIONABLE RECOMMENDATIONS

Turn Value Creation into an integrated system:

People decisions, data integrity and timing discipline.

// CONCLUSION AND CHECKLIST

The best Equity Story is driven by managers who can confidently handle the dual burden of

day-to-day business and the exit process. Structured, consistent data is essential to support them.

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INTERVIEW INSIGHTS

Perspectives, experiences and key insights.

What do PE experts who work intensively on Value Creation throughout the deal cycle think? Here are selected voices from more than 100 interviews we conducted.

  • Data won’t win you a deal, but bad data will lose you every one.

    Dr. Sascha
    Haggenmueller
    Founder & Managing
    Director, Radia

  • Everything that is ugly and painful has to be tackled decisively and quickly in the first few weeks.

    Jan Wasner
    Head of Value Creation, Radial

  • Management and the team are absolutely number one – and then there is a long gap before anything else comes close.

    Matthias Weierer
    PINOVA Capital

  • Continuity beats intensity. ––––––––– There are plenty of 100-day plans sitting in drawers that are never touched again after those 100 days. What you really need is a rolling approach.

    Henning Eschweiler
    Blue Cap

  • You see it time and again: average management delivers high performance simply because the product is in the right cycle and demand is exceptionally strong.

    Martin Scheiblegger
    Accursia Capital

  • If we as PE investors develop the plan behind closed doors and bring management in too late, it works very poorly – if at all.

    Nico Petzold
    Avedon Capital

  • The biggest misconception I had to let go of was the belief that numbers somehow have real value in themselves. Numbers are only the output of the system – the result of processes, people, conversations and actions. You cannot blindly trust the numbers.

    Julian Kohl
    COI Partners

  • What ultimately matters is where the company really stands at exit. The integration needs to be well advanced long before then – otherwise, it simply does not work anymore.

    Max Kluge
    Liberta Partners

  • Data transparency creates tremendous value when you can hold up a mirror to the organization itself.

    Heiko Geissler
    Peter Möhrle Holding

    IN SHORT:

    • > 100

      Interviews with PE experts, institutional investors and managers of portfolio companies, conducted between February and June 2026.

    • Focus:

      73% Buyout

      78% Buy-and-Build

      26% Carve-out

      13% Distressed

    • PEOPLE

      Management quality – both soft and hard skills – is the most important value creation lever, yet it is often assessed too late or too unsystematically. The CFO is usually the bottleneck.

      What respondents say:

      71% critical

      27% relevant

    • DATA

      Consistent financial data and a data-driven Equity Story are the most effective tools for increasing exit readiness.

      What respondents say:

      83% structured financial data as the foundation

      79% data-driven Equity Story

    • TIME

      Readiness beats perfect timing – measurable through early quantification (25%), realistic management of the first 100 days (42% retrospective gap)

      and the high relevance of process maturity at exit (41% critical, 49% relevant).

    • Data is a hygiene factor and the foundation for decision-making – but without the right people, it is worthless.

      Sebastian Bretag, Founder & CEO, Keyplayer

    • Value Creation must begin before signing/closing with a quantified action plan.

    • Execution: The first 100 days are critical, but plans often fail due to a lack of prioritization and capacity. The discipline to leave things out and stay the course is an underestimated success factor.

    • Integration: Value enhancement can only be achieved through the close integration of PEOPLE, DATA and TIME – as an integrated steering model, not as a series of isolated measures.

    • In addition to the overall findings, we also differentiated our analysis by DEAL SIZE and INVESTMENT APPROACH. You can find the detailed results here in our DEEP DIVE >

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