Value creation at portfolio speed
The arithmetic of private equity has changed. Vanguard’s analysis of nearly 3,000 exited deals shows leverage’s contribution to value creation fell from 55% before 2000 to 8% since 2008, while operational improvement rose to half of all value created. McKinsey estimates multiple expansion and cheap leverage drove 59% of returns between 2010 and 2022 and expects operational value creation to be the primary source of returns from here. Prime Partners is built for that environment: rapid diagnostics, benchmark-sized levers and delivery inside the hold period.
levers
opportunities
in sprints
measure
Three forces reshaping the sector
Operational alpha is now the core of the deal thesis
Hold periods are longer and exit pipelines are congested
AI is the new value-creation lever
Bain and StepStone’s 2026 GP outlook places AI-enabled operational improvement at the top of the value-creation agenda.
Where we create value
Pre-deal and 100-day diagnostics
ProcessExpert-led discovery of finance, procurement and operations, benchmarked to top-quartile performance, delivering a prioritised lever list with sized EBITDA impact.
Finance function modernization
PE sponsors increasingly benchmark finance cost across portfolios; top-half mid-market performers run F&A at roughly 2% of revenue at US$10–24 million ARR, falling toward 1% with scale (Consero). We close the gap with automated close, reporting and FP&A.
Procurement quick wins
5–10% savings in year one across indirect categories, faster where no spend visibility existed.
Zero base cost transformation
Up to 25% cost savings and +5% EBITDA [PP claim] through operating-model redesign.
AI and automation at portfolio scale
Ready AI products deployed once and replicated across portfolio companies.
Exit readiness
Clean data, documented processes and demonstrable run-rate improvements that support the equity story.
50%
Of PE value creation now comes from operational improvement (Vanguard/MSCI)
59%
Of 2010–22 returns came from multiple expansion and leverage — tailwinds now gone (McKinsey)
Up to 25%
Cost savings and +5% EBITDA from zero-base transformation [PP claim]
100
Days to a measured first result
