102 Comments
 

Oh, you're asking about firms that grind my gears? Well, based on the most helpful WSO content, I can't say I have any personal beef with any firms. However, it's important to remember that in the world of finance, competition can be fierce and sometimes personalities can clash. But hey, that's just part of the game, right? As for Whitehorse Liquidity Partners, I don't have any specific insights to share. Remember, every firm has its own culture and dynamics. It's all about finding the right fit for you. Keep your chin up and don't let the tough ones get you down!

Sources: Top firms for distressed investing. Solving for brand and deal experience more than ability to growth within the organization., https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forum/investment-banking/litquidity-sold-out-to-getofficehours?customgpt=1, 15 Things I Hate About Banking

I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.
 
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I just hate my VP, who is clearly getting fired anyways lol

 
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LOL, will probably have to throw on the private comment shield for this one. 

Corsair. I feel like I'm generally colloquially polite when engaging in this kind of stuff - a) you never know whose gonna be reading / listening, and b) a lot of pettiness ensues from these kinds of discussions, with people just shouting out names who have been bad to them, not looking at the full scope. However:

Corsair fucking sucks, both as a firm and as people. 95% of people hear the word "private equity" and assume evil blowhards forcing budget cuts on poor people and fucking over people for fun. I'm not gonna sit here and pretend like we're heroes, but you all know this - most people don't inherently understand the industry, why we do what we do, and how we deploy assets in a way that might not look ideal for a period, but overall actually make sense upon exit. However, by the time deals are finalized, no one cares. That doesn't make for a very good WaPo headline. 

HOWEVER, Corsair is the embodiment of all of this. These guys, in my experience and through others, actually are the fuckin' bad guys. Inept management across the board from c-suite to analyst bullpens, a requirement of "certified douchebag" on any employee who works there, and a terrible sense of critical thinking. We collaborated with their infrastructure team on a project last year, and I swear to God my cholesterol is permanently higher because of those guys. I'm trying to think of specifics without outing this deal and my former team, but Jesus Christ. It's a goddamn clown show. 

Honestly, the ones I want to highlight are the ones that are the funniest - the number of spelling mistakes in emails, the blank stares I'd get when I'd ask a question (from the people who were supposedly running the deal), the complete disregard of time management (radio silence for two days, then a barrage of 43 emails in ten minutes - no, I am not kidding), everything. Their reputation sucks in general, and they did it to themselves.

Presented a snobby sense of unbearable elitism, which was ironic because while they were a restructuring vendor, the arrangement was actually them acting as a 'subcontractor' role - a supplemental source of capital under us, with assets deployed in the way that we saw fit. Not sure they saw it that way, which was hilarious since they wrote the fucking contract. Managing them was turning out to be a bigger PITA than managing the actual fuckin' group we had on our deal, and I welcome any shit-talking that stems from somebody either working for or with them. 

Prospective recruits: R U N. Sprint, even. I don't give a fuck if you went to community college, you can do better. It's like a bunch of people who wanted to pretend to work in finance got together and somehow stumbled across billions of dollars. OK, I'm done ranting. 

 

Imagine working in a place like that as an asso/vp and getting no carry for years and years while having to put up with that just to get the boot 🥾 

 

Agreed- worked with them on a portfolio company and they were useless and created more work. Zero value add. Sounds like they have fund performance issues and trying hard to highlight a few slam dunks.

Mr 305
 

Tell me about it, been staggering like crazy. I still connect with a couple of them on LinkedIn and seems I see talking points about the same shit that could have been posted forever ago. I can't speak negatively about 2023+ Corsair in good faith, as I know they've brought in some external personnel from reputable groups and have been fighting tooth-and-nail to change their image. God knows my Corsair experience was proof of that alone. 

Still though... the only shit I hear about Corsair was their disaster w/ Kyobo Life and the Oakbridge deal that seems to never end. We'll see if their transition into Audax subsidiary yields any actual results or whether it's just hiding behind a new name and logo. 

 

Prospective recruits: R U N. .. It's like a bunch of people who wanted to pretend to work in finance got together and somehow stumbled across billions of dollars. OK, I'm done ranting. 

Sounds like One Equity Partners, ha

 

Yes. One of the principals on the secondaries team is a bad person. One of those kids that went to private school and from a rich family and thinks he is God's gift to the world. My issue with CPP is that some of the team act like they such hot shit but in reality they get gifted the best co-invest and opportunities simply based on their size and primary commitments...it's not like they have to source anything at all ever or have ever experienced the challenge of fundraising.

Schroders - the head of secondaries is a jerk

 

HIG. A mgmt. team we represented hated their VPs so much they told us they wanted them out of the process, even though they were one of the higher bidders . Made me so happy.

 

Symphony Technology Group, had the unfortunate displeasure of speaking to an MD there. Guy was a total shitbag, rude as hell.

 

STG is up there as one of the worst sponsors I’ve worked with in years. Horrible investors. Look at their portfolio and all the companies currently in distress.

 

95% of the folks are the salt of the earth, there’s a couple people who are horrible, horrible people though - leaving it at that

 

What do you expect? Harlem Capital is a firm founded by washed up diversity hires. Couldnt generate returns so branded into an "impact" firm

 
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Jefferies. Everyone I've ever met from there has been a rock-solid shit stained douche bag. It's like they couldn't get enough of Junior year frat parties and decided to make it a bank. I know people on this site jerk off to them, for God knows why, but I don't get it... some of the dumbest mothers out there. Bring on the Monkey Shit - I'm ready to EAT.

 

Not buyside, but BMO IB groups in Canada generally. Seem to be overworked, stressed, and unnecessarily douchey. Don't really like interacting with them in social events or for work.

 

HandsOn Global Management. Small fund in LA. I know one of their former partners and got to know him after he retired. Wanted to pivot careers pre-MBA and he lied about possibly helping. Forwarded my resume to his son who ended up being a complete dickhead (MD on Wall Street).

Didn't learn much about the firm but the fact the CEO's son is a partner and looks super young screams nepotism.

 

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