Rob Stubbs

👀 Retail access to private equity? It's happening — and the big players are making their move. Capital Group and KKR have just filed with the SEC to launch a co-branded private equity fund aimed squarely at the retail investor market. This fight for fresh capital continues! 🔹 Capital Group brings the distribution firepower 🔹 KKR brings the private equity engine 🔹 And together, they’re targeting the $20T+ sitting in retirement accounts and wealth platforms For traditional allocators and wealth managers, this marks a clear shift in where private capital is heading: mainstream, accessible, and packaged for scale. It also throws down a challenge to the rest of the market. Blackstone. Apollo. Ares. You in? If you’re in alternatives, fund structuring, or asset management distribution, this one’s worth watching closely. #PrivateEquity #RetailInvesting #CapitalMarkets #AssetManagement #KKR #CapitalGroup #Alternatives #FundLaunch #Dealmaking #WealthManagement

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'Revolut has appointed Ernst & Young (EY) as its new global auditor, following a competitive tender process for the financial year ending 31 December 2026. The decision to move to EY comes after Revolut’s Audit Committee assessed a range of candidates against criteria such as global coverage, financial services expertise, and digital audit capabilities. EY’s appointment is subject to shareholder approval as per the Companies Act 2006.' https://lnkd.in/eKGhFH3n

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There has never been a better time to be in a non-investment role within fund management. The perception of these functions has shifted from cost centre to value driver. Automation and AI are stripping out much of the repetitive and manual work, allowing finance, operations and investor relations teams to spend more time focusing on the value add. This shift means it’s no longer all about long days stuck in dark rooms behind excel, the focus is increasingly on analysis, insight and supporting decision making. LPs are demanding more and more from a reporting standpoint. They want more transparent data and sharper analytics. That demand is pulling operational professionals into the spotlight, making them an essential part of the fundraising and investor relations process. In today’s tough fundraising climate, operational excellence is a clear competitive advantage. Firms are investing more in systems, data infrastructure and with it, talented people to run them. At the same time, the investor base is diversifying. Beyond the typical institutional investor base, we’re seeing HNW individuals, family offices and more recently, retail channels coming into private markets, each with their own set of requirements and expectations. And importantly, reward structures are changing. Carry and performance linked incentives are being offered at levels we haven’t seen before in these functions, reflecting the growing role they play in driving success. Over the next five weeks I’ll be sharing The Operational Edge, a series of short, practical posts on the traits that can help you get ahead in finance and operations functions within fund management. From commerciality to data literacy, each week will focus on a different skill that can make a difference to your career. Aria Partners

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Episode 4 of the Merger Talks Podcast is now live! We sat down with Michel Lowy, co-founder of SC LOWY, a $1.3bn Hong Kong based Private Credit fund. We covered a variety of topics including: - Why M&A and IPO market slowdowns are fuelling private credit deals. - How he set up his own credit fund and the challenges he faced. - Investor mindset. What is it and what does good look like? - The differences between a career in PE and Private Credit. We hope you enjoy the episode! 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐲 - https://lnkd.in/eU7tVpVg 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐝𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐬 - https://lnkd.in/ev83uU6y #MergerTalks #InvestmentBanking #MergersAndAcquisitions #Podcast #CorporateFinance #mergertalkspodcast #Dealmakers #PrivateEquity #WallStreet #privatecredit #investing

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🌍 The KYC Offshoring Cycle: Will History Repeat Itself—or Shift? 🌍 Over the years, we’ve seen a familiar cycle in financial services when it comes to KYC operations: - High-volume roles get offshored to lower-cost markets - UK-based hiring slows down - Pressure builds (on quality, turnaround times, or regulatory expectations) - And eventually—KYC comes back home. But this time, the story might play out differently. With increasing national insurance costs, budget pressure across the board, and the growing integration of AI, firms may look to prolong the offshore phase or even rethink what “returning” looks like altogether. In previous cycles, the driver for reshoring was often quality or control. Now, the equation is more complex—with AI agents filling gaps, hybrid models gaining traction, and a market that's still cautious about headcount growth. So the question is: Will UK-based KYC see its usual rebound? Or are we entering a new version of the cycle—longer, leaner, and more digitally driven? Curious to hear how others are seeing it. #kyc #offshoring #ai #hiring #london

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Dubai Investments plans to float up to 25% of its subsidiary, Dubai Investments Park, and is in talks with banks. The group, listed on DFM, reported Q2 pre-tax profit of AED 361m ($98m). DIP, launched in 1997, spans 2,300 hectares with over 4,200 companies. The move follows a wave of UAE real estate and construction IPOs, including Alec Holdings’ planned October listing, Binghatti’s potential offering, and Dubai Residential REIT’s AED 2.14bn raise in May. #IPO #capitalmarkets #shares #realestate #dubai #gcc #uae #abudhabi #madisonpearl #recruitment

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SWIFT delays. Wire fees. FX slippage. Intermediaries stacking on costs.... Crypto-native payment platforms are solving all of it with stablecoin rails that settle in seconds, not days. What used to take a week can now be done instantly—24/7, borderless, and without relying on legacy infrastructure. For global businesses, that’s not just innovation—it’s measurable operational efficiency. And it’s already happening. We’re seeing huge demand across: - Liquidity and trading operations - Compliance and payments infrastructure - Business development and partnerships These companies are moving real volume across jurisdictions—and hiring fast to keep up. Can traditional banking keep pace with this shift, what are your thoughts? Can crypto-native infrastructure overtake banks in cross-border finance? We at CryptoRecruit are already helping top payment solution teams scale into this opportunity. Get in touch if you need talent.

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