From headwinds to tailwinds: Private equity's path forward

Private equity is entering a new phase as investors adapt to a more complex market environment and reassess opportunities for future growth.

In recent years private equity has faced a range of challenges, with more and more moving towards faster growing asset classes and specialisation. Higher interest rates, slow deal activity, tough exits and harsh fundraising condition has muddied the water and prompted firms to rethink their approach to strateg, value creation and managing liquidity.

Across the main conference of SuperReturn International 2026, those topics were present across a range of sessions, with senior private market leaders diving into everything from growing asset classes like private credit secondaries, to the new PE reality, geopolitical and global markets' affect on the industry, fundraising, AI and much more. To make sure you're not missing anything, we spoke to some of those leaders on what they view as the biggest challenges and opportunities in the markets right now and how they're hoping the rest of 2026 will play out.

Unlocking alpha in Europe with Alexandra Hess, President, Head of UR and Strategic Initiatives, Cinven

27 countries in the EU, 450 trillion of GDP, cheaper public markets. These are just some of the reasons Europe is experiencing tailwinds according to Alexandra Hess. In our discussino she highlighted the current fundraising climate in Europe, emphasising the ongoing challenges, rather than easy opportunties, dominate the market whilst opportunities offered a unique investment landscape. Watch the interview to learn about:

• Strategic exit planning in Europe
• How to unlock opportunities within a challenging environment
• Building strong partnerships with LPs
• The impact and potential of AI