Diligent diligence
Monday 15 May 2017 | NewsDue diligence is no longer just an exercise which involves ticking boxes and uncovering any deal-breaking risks. Dealmakers and advisers discuss the changing role of due diligence in the deal process and the widening pool of options available to GPs.
The due diligence process used to be an exercise in ticking all the boxes and uncovering any deal-breaking risks. As the buyout market has become more competitive and sophisticated, however, GPs have come to demand more from due diligence. The focus is increasingly on finding angles that can offer buyers an edge in auction processes, with GPs often looking beyond the general suite of due diligence products in order to gain every possible advantage.
In a Real Deals roundtable, experts from across the industry discuss the latest developments in the due diligence provision, the widening pool of options available to GPs and changes to the way firms use due diligence in the deal process.
Topics for discussion included:
- Is the purpose of the due diligence process changing?
- Are processes becoming more bespoke and is due diligence becoming less commoditised?
- As private equity firms dig deeper into the detail, does this create opportunities for a broader range of niche due diligence providers?
- Are GPs bringing in advisers even before auctions start to get ahead of their competition?
- Do GPs expect more from the due diligence process?