Private Equity News & Analysis

PEI Awards 2020: Bright lights in a dark year

We are now accepting submissions for the 2020 PEI Awards. Don’t miss the chance to share your highlights with us before we draw up the shortlists.

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2020 has been an unusual year, to put it mildly.

What started off ordinarily enough turned on a dime when the coronavirus pandemic swept across the globe at the end of the first quarter, causing not only a global public health emergency but severe economic hardship for many.

And it’s still going on. At the time of writing, case numbers were beginning to spike again in both the US and Europe. All told, more than 1 million worldwide have died and 40 million have been infected.

Private equity has not escaped unscathed. While fundraising numbers remain robust, it’s been tough for all but the most familiar household names to raise capital. Some portfolio companies have been boosted by a “covid bump” while others – such as those in the travel and hospitality industries – have been devastated. All have been forced to grapple with new ways of working.

But among the challenging stories are those of perseverance, resilience, opportunity and community-mindedness. And that’s where the PEI Awards 2020 come in.

We’re now accepting submissions for this year’s awards, and we want to hear all about your 2020 success stories.

To recap: our award winners (in all 71 categories) will be decided by a reader vote during December. Before then, our editorial team will compile the shortlists upon which readers will be invited to vote. This is the point we are at now, and this is your chance to tell us who you think should be on the shortlists.

For full instructions on how to do so, as well as a list of categories, please click here. The deadline for doing so is Friday 13 November.

The link to submit your entries is here.

If you’re wondering what kind of information we’re looking for, having a read over last year’s winners should give you an idea. We highlighted fundraising prowess, exceptional returns, complex deals, ambitious direct investment programmes, innovative partnerships and much more.

Click here to review the categories and throw your hat into the ring. We look forward to hearing what you’ve been up to in this one-of-a-kind year.

And keep your eyes on Private Equity International for your chance to vote in the coming weeks.

Have a question about the awards? Contact isobel.m@peimedia.com or adam.l@peimedia.com