Columbia Business School Private Equity Program

The new Private Equity Finance (PEF) course at Columbia Business School follows the "private equity cycle" of selection, valuation, and harvesting. Initially, students learn to evaluate a target company from the perspective of a private equity firm, keeping in mind the needs of limited partners and management. The course features nine CBS alum guest speakers to teach the students how practitioners implement what is learned in class. The course, taught by Professor Michael Ewens, then delves into funding negotiations, deal structuring, and private equity investment management. The class covers the key financial framework used in PE: the LBO model. The class complements with classic valuation techniques such as DCF, comparables, and APV. Throughout the term, students search for a take-private target in the U.S. public markets to produce an investment committee memo. Stay tuned for highlights of guest speakers we will share during the term!

This weekend, I had the pleasure of attending the Private Equity Deal Camp hosted by Columbia Business School Private Equity Program in the Hamptons. It was an incredible experience surrounded by executives and leading private equity firms, diving deep into the intersection of strategy, technology, and operations to drive enterprise value and firm valuation across #Consumer, #Retail and other sectors. One of the most thought-provoking discussions revolved around the evolving market landscape—how IPOs and traditional S&P listings may no longer be the default paths for unlocking market value. With private credit emerging as a powerful alternative, it’s clear that the future of capital markets is evolving rapidly. A big thank you to Prof Donna M. Hitscherich and Greta Larson and all the speakers for making this a weekend of learning, networking, and inspiration! Looking forward to applying these insights in the field. #PrivateEquity #EnterpriseValue #Technology #DealMaking

Recently Michael Ewens, David L. and Elsie M. Dodd Professor of Finance and Co-Director of the Columbia Business School Private Equity Program, was a featured speaker at SuperReturn North America on November 12-13 where he spoke on a panel discussing the recent US election. As North America’s premier gathering of LPs and GPs, SuperReturn North America explored key topics such as the election, macroeconomic trends, LP allocations, valuations, fundraising, AI, and more. Prof. Ewens, a leading expert in private equity and venture capital, brought invaluable insights from his distinguished career as a researcher, educator, and practitioner. It was great to see Professor Ewens contribute to such an impactful event! 

The deadline for submissions is Sunday, December 1st. Faculty and PhD students: send your papers to submit@columbiapeconference.com).

Not only will our Deal Camp attendees get to hear Michael Gatto speak, but they will be gifted his book, The Credit Investor's Handbook!

We are thrilled to congratulate Team Double Verify as the winning team of the 2024 KKR and Columbia Business School Private Equity Program Diversity, Inclusion, and Innovation Competition! Winning Team Members:  Derek Cohen `25 Tomi Davidson `25 Keertana Krishnan `25 Anushree Periasami `25 Girija Sharma `25 A heartfelt thank you to KKR’s team for their support, especially the Campus Recruitment Team, Annie Boig McMullen and Esha Sharma, for hosting and judging the finals. We also extend our gratitude to CBS personnel Michael Ewens, Michael Hillmeyer, Donna M. Hitscherich, and Greta Larson for their guidance during the preparation and training sessions. Congratulations once again to Team Double Verify and thank you to all participants for showcasing incredible innovation and dedication! Columbia Business School #PrivateEquity #CBS #KKRCompetition #Innovation

Private Equity Field Study Course to run this Spring! We have a roster of 23 talented students - many of who are still looking for firms to partner with for the Private Equity Field Study Course which will run this Spring 2025 led by Professor Michael Ewens. If your firm is interested in working with a talented Columbia MBA, please contact the PE Program (pep@gsb.columbia.edu) and/or read more here: https://lnkd.in/gqH9x_Ad

Please join us in congratulating the finalists of the 2024 KKR and Columbia Business School Private Equity Program Diversity, Inclusion, and Innovation Competition:  Finalist Teams:   AAP  Repay  Qualys Team Double Verify The teams pitched their target companies yesterday, Tuesday, Nov. 19th A sincere thank you to all the teams for their hard work and dedication.  Thanks to the entire team at KKR who helped judge and host the finals. We deeply appreciate their invaluable support of our students during the competition, especially the Campus Recruitment Team at KKR: Esha Sharma and Annie Boig McMullen.  We also extend our gratitude to CBS personnel—Michael Ewens, Michael Hillmeyer, Donna M. Hitscherich, and Greta Larson for their assistance with preparation and training sessions.  We take immense pride in all the teams that dedicated themselves to crafting pitches for this competition. Here's to the collaborative spirit and innovation demonstrated by all participants in making this event a success! Stay tuned for further updates!  Columbia Business School #PrivateEquity #CBS #KKRCompetition #Innovation  

Earlier this week, Patricia Grad, Partner and Head of Investor Relations, guest lectured at Columbia Business School's “PE Allocation” course. Returning as an alumna, Patricia shared her perspectives on private equity fundraising, providing valuable insights and real-world experiences to the next generation of private equity professionals. A huge thank you to Columbia Business School Private Equity Program, Professor Michael Ewens, and Professor Kevin Lu for the invitation!

CBS hosted a Private Equity Alumni-Student Mixer on October 29 at the School's Manhattanville campus. At this special networking event, offered for the first time, distinguished alumni in Private Equity met current students in the Columbia Business School Private Equity Club. Attendees enjoyed an insightful presentation by Michael Ewens, the David L. and Elsie M. Dodd Professor of Finance and Co-director of the Private Equity Program, followed by an engaging discussion with alumna Beth Michelson '97, Partner at Cartesian Capital. The mixer was organized by the Columbia Business School Private Equity Program, Career Management Center, and Development and Alumni Relations.