Deals

The power of the global M&A market increasingly hinges on the presence of mega-deals.

The number of Asia-Pacific portfolio companies held for more than five years rose 18% in 2025, according to Bain & Co’s Asia-Pacific Private Equity Report 2026.

Private equity managers are once again hoping to break the dealmaking dam in the year ahead.

Southeast Asia, once touted as the continent’s next big thing in private equity, is struggling to live up to expectations. What’s holding the region back?

The San Francisco-headquartered firm has made investments in sports clubs such as the San Antonio Spurs, FC Barcelona and Real Madrid CF.

Although India remains dominated by growth equity, the market is seeing greater appetite for buyouts as GPs and institutional investors seek a more hands-on approach.

Though investors seem increasingly drawn to the market's favourable demographic tailwinds, DPI, exit routes and GP selection remain key considerations for potential entrants.

Structural changes including socioeconomic tailwinds and rising exit values are proving more consequential for private equity appetites than China’s slowdown.

As domain expertise becomes a differentiator in an increasingly crowded PE market, managers are taking varying approaches to building industry know-how.

PEI asks what has unblocked the deal pipeline and explores how firms are getting transactions across the line.