Private equity‘s cash and courage in these times of crisis

by Imad Ghandour November 3, 2008

written by Imad Ghandour November 3, 2008

The repercussions of the catastrophic events witnessed during the past few weeks will be felt throughout the globe and in every corner of the financial system. Private equity will be no exception. Even in the Middle East, many miles and economies away from the epicenter in New York, the first nine-month data show a dramatic drop in PE activity, and we should expect further deterioration as the aftershocks of the collapse are felt in the last quarter of 2008 and well into 2009. Slowing to a halt? The private equity industry elsewhere has begun feeling the slowdown as early as late 2007. Since the beginning of the year, deal activity dropped significantly, and private equity houses are barely closing deals these days as bank lending tightened to a halt. According to Dealogic, global deal volumes dropped by 74% to $180 billion, a four-year low. In the US, deals worth $62

Imad Ghandour

Imad is the Co-founder and Managing Director of CedarBridge, an investment company focusing on high-growth opportunities in education, healthcare, wellness & beauty, and retail in Europe and MENA. With over 15 years of experience in private equity across MENA, the UK, and China, he serves on several boards, including SAE Arabia and The Grooming Company. He has also served as a director for major organizations like CIRA, Maarif Education, and Metito. Imad co-founded the MENA Private Equity Association, is a member of the British Venture Capital Association, and holds an Engineering degree from the American University of Beirut and an MBA from the University of Wisconsin – Madison.

Private equity‘s cash and courage in these times of crisis

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