In today’s tougher exit environment, private equity firms are facing longer holding periods, valuation gaps, and increased pressure to return capital. Kai Vollhardt and Jelena Bauer are joined by Christian Habrich and Frederyk Schroeder as they unpack their latest article on how to drive successful exits. They share strategies that top-performing firms use to improve exit outcomes and turn preparation into premium valuations, including how to translate AI potential into a credible value story.

Related Insights

Beating the odds: How private equity firms can improve exit prospects

Global Private Markets Report 2026

Private equity 2026 outlook: Clearer view, tougher terrain

Unlocking full potential: Five practices reshaping PE value creation

Transforming value creation in private equity portfolio companies (podcast)

The coming wave of business transfers (podcast)

What every CEO can learn from private equity (podcast)

 

In today&rsquo;s tougher exit environment, private equity firms are facing longer holding periods, valuation gaps, and&nbsp;increased pressure to return capital. <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/kai-vollhardt?cid=cl4c-cml&amp;amp;sid=%7b%7blead.SFDC%20Id:default=CL4C%7d%7d">Kai Vollhardt</a> and <a href="https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fjelena-bauer-10266ba0%2F&amp;data=05%7C02%7CClare_Kitada-SYDN%40external.mckinsey.com%7Cf5ac2d1e73d84e1759e408ded85233ed%7Ccc8936bc93824fff87cb6f55999549e7%7C0%7C0%7C639186044766911165%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=f4ATwjPDyvRsK08OxKIKRsYscAf3o55QsNelnJzNo5w%3D&amp;reserved=0">Jelena Bauer</a>&nbsp;are joined by <a href="https://de.linkedin.com/in/christian-habrich-4480a916b">Christian Habrich</a> and <a href="https://dk.linkedin.com/in/frederyk-schr%C3%B6der-6542a19a">Frederyk Schroeder</a> as they unpack their latest <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/private-capital/our-insights/beating-the-odds-how-private-equity-firms-can-improve-exit-prospects">article</a> on how to drive successful exits. They share strategies that top-performing firms use&nbsp;to improve exit outcomes and turn preparation into premium valuations, including how to translate AI potential into a credible value story.
Related Insights
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/private-capital/our-insights/beating-the-odds-how-private-equity-firms-can-improve-exit-prospects">Beating the odds: How private equity firms can improve exit prospects</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/private-capital/our-insights/global-private-markets-report">Global Private Markets Report 2026</a>
<a href="https://omny.fm/shows/inside-the-strategy-room/293-private-equity-2026-outlook-clearer-view-tougher-terrain">Private equity 2026 outlook: Clearer view, tougher terrain</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/transformation/our-insights/unlocking-full-potential-five-practices-reshaping-pe-value-creation">Unlocking full potential: Five practices reshaping PE value creation</a>
<a href="https://omny.fm/shows/inside-the-strategy-room/306-transforming-value-creation-in-private-equity-portfolio-companies">Transforming value creation in private equity portfolio companies (podcast)</a>
<a href="https://omny.fm/shows/inside-the-strategy-room/304-the-coming-wave-of-business-transfers">The coming wave of business transfers</a> (podcast)
<a href="https://omny.fm/shows/inside-the-strategy-room/302-what-every-ceo-can-learn-from-private-equity">What every CEO can learn from private equity</a> (podcast)
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The world is moving faster, and as upheaval becomes the norm, vast business opportunities will be within the grasp of the extraordinary few. &nbsp;But it takes bold people and courageous approaches to seize those opportunities and create value.
In each episode of our weekly podcast, we interview the world&rsquo;s highest-performing CEOs, CFOs, innovators, and McKinsey experts and discuss how they build the courage, clarity, conviction, and cohesion that allow their businesses to win by moving faster than the world around them.&nbsp;