MF - PE vs Credit/Special Opportunities Teams (of KKR, Brookfield, CVC etc)

Is one better than the other ? Harder to get into than the other or more or less the same? Do people with IBD M&A experience (no debt experience), move to the Credit/ Special Opportunity arms of the funds?

9 Comments
 

Most people take PE/Credit out of undergrad with the intention of going to HF after their analyst stint. So it depends on if you want equity (cubs, elite HF) or credit (KS, DK, etc.) later, although the dispersion between distressed credit and equity blurs a bit. I would also say that Credit (performing) is very different from SSG, and also, although KKR SSG (rebranded DisOpps) hasn't done well recently, they've historically been on another level than Brookfield/CVC.

Array
 

KKR special sits hasn’t done well since inception. It’s all brand name. It’s probably best to avoid all those groups to the extent you can.

 

The call I was trying to make is to see if it makes sense to interview for a role from my MM TMT IB Group to one of these funds (This is a non US, South Asian Geo). The team am interviewing is very heavy on Real Estate experience in which I have no interest. Does it make any sense to go ahead for the brand name?

 

Totam voluptas et quidem et est ut ratione. Rerum officia illo quaerat illo deleniti.

Id non in quod ratione maiores. Facilis autem aut modi atque quisquam laborum. Sit saepe ut aut dolore eveniet libero. Vel aperiam sequi dignissimos in voluptatibus.

Enim dolor quia omnis repudiandae cumque est. Sed dignissimos beatae voluptas molestiae omnis consequuntur eligendi aut. Officia corrupti numquam earum esse.

Ullam aut rerum sed excepturi. Excepturi voluptates et quisquam consequatur est et odio minus.

Career Advancement Opportunities

September 2026 Private Equity

  • The Riverside Company 99.6%
  • Blackstone Group 99.3%
  • KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) 98.9%
  • Warburg Pincus 98.5%
  • Vista Equity Partners 98.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

September 2026 Private Equity

  • Blackstone Group 99.6%
  • KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) 99.3%
  • The Riverside Company 98.9%
  • Ardian 98.5%
  • Warburg Pincus 98.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

September 2026 Private Equity

  • Bain Capital 99.6%
  • The Riverside Company 99.3%
  • Blackstone Group 98.9%
  • Starwood Capital Group 98.5%
  • KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) 98.1%

Total Avg Compensation

September 2026 Private Equity

  • Principal (9) $653
  • Director/MD (24) $547
  • Vice President (100) $364
  • 3rd+ Year Associate (106) $280
  • 2nd Year Associate (235) $272
  • 1st Year Associate (414) $231
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (33) $157
  • 2nd Year Analyst (97) $134
  • 1st Year Analyst (273) $126
  • Intern/Summer Associate (38) $81
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (356) $61
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”