Navigating Potential Conflict of Interest When Reaching Out to PE Analyst

I’m currently interning in IB and looking to lateral to private equity for a full-time role. My top choice PE firm has an analyst I’d like to reach out to, but I’m uncertain about his specific group as it’s not listed on LinkedIn.

Here’s where it gets tricky: my current IB firm is in contact with this PE firm regarding a deal. I’m concerned that the analyst I want to contact might be on the same team handling the deal. 

If he/she is part of that team, is it still safe for me to reach out? I’m worried about the risk of him/her potentially informing my current firm, which might jeopardize my chances of getting a return offer. The PE shop is pretty big so in all likeliness, he/she is probably on a different team but in the unlikely case that he/she is?

Any advice or similar experiences would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

4 Comments
 
Most Helpful

I wouldn't stress to much about it. It's generally a "confidential" industry in which people have absolutely no interest in damaging your reputation just for the sake of it (which, I guess, would be what you are anxious about).

Having been in the position of being reached out to by other juniors looking to move to the buyside, even from my previous employer, I don't see why I would inform said employer about it. Hell, I have even been in process with PE funds for which the partners were very close friends to the partner in the team I was looking to move out from and they had no clue (usually they ask if they can discuss it).

My advice: go for it, I don't think you will be taking such a risk 

 

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