INSIDE YOUR BUSINESS – How does private equity work?

Loading player...
GUEST – Kondi Nkosi, Country Head for Schroders in South Africa

Whether you realize it or not, many of the goods, services, and products you use every day are from private equity-backed companies. Grabbing dog food at PetSmart? It's private equity-backed. Picking up Arby’s or Panera Bread on the way home? Yep, those are PE-backed, too. Looking into your family history with Ancestry? PE is all around us all the time. But what exactly is private equity? A foundational concept for anyone interested in learning about—or working in an industry tangential to—the private markets, this article breaks down the basics of PE.

Private equity (PE) firms buy unlisted companies with the aim to increase their value. After a few years, they will sell them, creating a profit for investors.
30 Mar 2023 4PM English South Africa Business News · Investing

Other recent episodes

SANEDI on Key AEF Takeaways critical for South Africa's Energy Future

Prof. Sampson Mamphweli, the Head of the Energy Secretariat at the South African National Energy Development Institute (SANEDI), joins us for his view on South Africa's future. He unpacks policy and project-based initiatives that came to the fore on the agenda at this week's Africa Energy Forum.
18 Jun 3PM 11 min

Africa’s Power Market Is Learning to Share: AEF 2026 Highlights

From Uganda’s first independent transmission project to South Africa’s R440bn grid expansion plan, AEF 2026 showcased a continent shifting toward private‑sector participation and distributed energy. Absa CIB's Nikhil Kasiram breaks down the biggest trends shaping Africa’s power future.
18 Jun 3PM 12 min

Pivot Point: BrightRock at 15 and CEO Stevens on Leading the Next Chapter

BrightRock celebrates 15 years of disrupting the life insurance industry with its needs‑matched model. CEO Suzanne Stevens reflects on her leadership journey, the company’s growth to over 12% market share, and the future of life insurance in a rapidly changing consumer landscape.
18 Jun 3PM 18 min