Skip to main content

Podcast

Risk in Context Podcast: Maximising value in private equity exits

Learn how early risk identification, human capital considerations, and tailored insurance solutions can help maximise value in private equity exits.

Following a prolonged period of historically low exit volumes and extended holding periods, private equity activity is regaining momentum, with 215 significant deals announced in the first half of 2025, totaling more than US$300 billion in enterprise value.

As private equity firms consider exiting their investments, it is important that they remain vigilant and focus on identifying and addressing potential risks early in the process to safeguard value and optimise returns. Human capital considerations, tailored insurance solutions, and innovative transactional risk insurance solutions are helping firms navigate challenges in an evolving risk landscape.

In this episode of Risk in Context, Paul Knowles, the Global Head of Marsh’s Private Equity and M&A Practice, speaks with Katie Gensheimer, Chief Client Officer for Marsh’s North American Private Equity and Mergers and Acquisitions business, Dhruv Mehra, who leads Mercer’s Global Private Equity client teams, and Philipp Giessen, who leads Marsh’s Private Equity and M&A Practice in Germany. They discuss the current private equity landscape and its impact on exit strategies, the people-related issues that funds should consider in their exit strategy, and the insurance solutions that can help firms mitigate risks.

Apple Podcast Spotify Podcast
Download transcript

Key takeaways

Early risk identification is critical to maximising exit value

Proactively address potential challenges early in the exit process to minimise risk and optimise returns for both the fund and the portfolio company’s future success.

Human capital risks increasingly influence exit outcomes

Leadership stability, succession planning, employee engagement, and evolving executive compensation schemes can be key drivers of value creation ahead of exits.

Tailored insurance solutions support diverse exit strategies

Different exit routes, such as strategic sales, IPOs, or secondary buyouts, require distinct risk transfer approaches that can help facilitate smoother transactions and protect sellers.

About our speakers

Placeholder Image

Paul Knowles

Global Head of Private Equity and M&A

  • United States

Paul Knowles is the Global Head of Marsh Specialty’s PEMA Practice and a member of the Global Specialty Executive Committee. He is also a member of the Marsh McLennan Private Equity and M&A leadership team. Throughout his 33-year insurance broking career, he has helped structure and manage risk and insurance programs for global clients, as well as manage major infrastructure projects around the world in the power and energy and civil engineering sectors.

Placeholder Image

Dhruv Mehra

Partner, Private Equity and M&A Advisory, Mercer

  • United States

Dhruv Mehra is a Partner in Mercer’s M&A Advisory Services business. Based in San Francisco, he leads Mercer’s global private equity strategy and client engagement. Prior to his current role, he led the M&A Advisory services business for Mercer in the Asia, Middle East, and Africa region. He has over 20 years of human capital advisory experience and has worked on a broad range of assignments, including cross-border M&A due diligence, do-by-close and post-close support for mergers, joint ventures, spin-offs, carve-outs, and reorganisations.

Placeholder Image

Dr. Philipp Giessen

Head of FINPRO & PEMA

  • Germany

Philipp Giessen leads Marsh’s Private Equity and M&A Practice in Germany and the German Financial and Professional Services Practices. Since joining Marsh in 2017, he has helped develop tailored insurance solutions that help strategic and financial investors, alternative asset managers, and infrastructure investors manage M&A risks. He holds a doctorate in law and has authored more than 20 publications.

Placeholder Image

Katherine Gensheimer

Chief Client Officer, PEMA North America

  • United States

Katherine Gensheimer is the Chief Client Officer for Marsh’s Private Equity and M&A (PEMA) Services Group in North America. She works closely with the North America Practice Leader and broader team to support the work undertaken by the firm in conjunction with private capital clients and their portfolio companies, helping them to effectively address complex issues and provide valuable insights that enhance the success of their investments.