June 2009 Issue

Brant Maller, Founder and chief executive, Alternative Investments Forum, New York, New York

With fundraising slower than ever, perfecting your pitch is crucial. Below you’ll find advice on developing engaging, persuasive presentations. By Amy Solas of Solas Communications

With placement agents under attack in several US states, fund managers may have to consider new ways to reach out to pensions.

With LP defaults becoming a more common occurrence, GPs need to understand all the implications of these events for the management company, for the fund, and for the other investors.

In seeking to keep their investors satisfied, these bits of advice can help maintain healthy relationships

A scandal in New York is causing big trouble for placement agents everywhere.

In the private equity real estate world, fund sponsors are giving ground to their investors.

New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has reached a resolution with the firm under which Carlyle has pledged to avoid hiring placement agents to obtain investments from New York’s public pensions.

LPs across the US are using the current recession to push back against certain fund terms.

A minor change to the name of its joint funds with Carlyle signals a more independent path for Riverstone Holdings.

Obama’s proposals to change the taxation of foreign operations of US companies would deal a blow to common private equity deal structures.

The Delaware Chancery Court recently ruled that Blackstone doesn’t owe Alliance a termination fee – sticking to a strict interpretation of the language in the merger agreement.

The Basel Committee on Banking Supervision recommends that banks improve the governance and consistency of their valuation methodologies.

The European Commission has released a detailed plan to regulate alternative investment funds, one that would require significant disclosures from private equity funds.