Partners Group AG vs. Carlyle Group
I was lucky enough to be given FT offers at both of these firms.
I'm currently a senior and trying to decide which is the better option to pursue. The role at Carlyle is with their RE PE team. The role at Partners Group is a 3-year analyst program through PE, RE PE, and Infra. PE.
What is the reputation comparison between the firms? Compensation? People/Culuture?
I'm leaning towards Partners Group at the moment, but obviously passing up Carlyle is causing a massive hesitation, but I truly believe Partners Group is going to be better than Carlyle in a decade. Thanks.
What happens at the end of the 3 year programme at Partners? Do you leave for a MBA or potentially make Associate? If you make Associate, do you move to Associate in the same team as your 3rd rotation, or do you state a preference and hopefully lateral to your preferred team?
I'd take Partners. Unless you are happy to spend your career in RE PE, the rotations in vanilla PE and Infrastructure PE offer extra optionality post Analyst programme.
Is the Partners Group role for direct investing? I ask because Partners Group as viewed from the US is as a large asset manager/FoF. I know they do some direct/co-invest, but I don't think that's their focus (I could be wrong). If this is for FoF Partners Group, I'd go with Carlyle.
It would be predominantly with direct & primary investments. As would the CG role. PG has a major presence in secondaries too, and I'd get some exposure to that as well. They recently closed a $2B fund in February of 2017 dedicated to direct infra investments (or at least I think it's infra).
Update: Went with PG.