PE Sector Advice

I’m currently a first-year analyst in the Green Tech/Clean Tech group at Jeff/Citi/Nomura, and I’m starting to think about private equity recruiting, which is expected to kick off in Q1 2025. I am not interested in infra PE

Would love to hear your thoughts on:

  1. Sectors that might align well with my background (or not).
  2. Specific funds or types of funds (e.g., growth equity, ESG-focused PE, generalist firms) that I should target.
  3. Whether I could try for a tech or business services focused fund with a green tech/cleantech background
6 Comments
 
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It's pretty interesting actually - I sit within a group that straddles both Traditional Energy and Energy transition. You can basically position yourself however you want (as long as you have good deal experience on both sides of the equation). E.g. I've worked on deals that in one way or another touched the Utility, Infrastructure, Renewable power generation, Energy Equipment, Decarbonization, Emissions Reduction, Traditional Energy verticals / sub-sectors. So it really comes down to where you want to be at when you exit. This is the opposite of what many people think as people assume you're stuck in Oil & Gas forever if you join a Energy banking group (Unless you're at a E&P heavy shop like Jefferies or HL, then you likely will be joining Quantum or another Upstream focused PE shop)

Given that all these PE firms are throwing big money at these new decarbonization / renewable energy / energy transition funds, you really have a lot of options. Also, not a lot of 1st year analysts have worked on energy transition deals so if you have, that already gives you a leg up if you truly understand those sectors / businesses.

 

In the space. It is clearly easier for you to get a esg/cleantech/greentech buyside role, but if you have the option you should rather take a tech gig and potentially position for those kind of deals if you have the interest. You should avoid firms with focus on “measuring impact” - it is greenwashing and to be honest we have a new cleantech bubble..

 

Got it that makes sense, only concern with going in those types of greentech roles is the impact of the trump administration. Not sure if going to regular tech is the move after however

 

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