Tech PE doesn’t require MBA

I’ve noticed that many tech-focused PE firms like Vista, Thoma Bravo, SLP, and many others don’t require an MBA. Does anyone know why that is? I’m in tech investing and starting to wonder if it even makes sense to go, given that many of my peers are staying in the industry without one. Is there a specific reason behind this trend? Also, does returning to PE post-MBA carry a negative perception, as if you weren’t strong enough to get promoted without leaving?

2 Comments
 

People stay because they don't want the $ 250,000+ real cost of an MBA, plus another $400,000+ of opportunity cost. If you can get promoted without an MBA and not doing an MBA is the cultural norm of a firm, of course, nobody is going to an MBA

As for the second question, it probably depends on whether or not your firm requires an MBA, just from the perspective of having to justify an MBA and still wanting to do more buyouts. I would guess a former Carlyle associate recruiting is going to have an easier time explaining why MBA vs. a TB or Vista one.

 
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