Course Overview

Private Equity Projects is a hybrid field and lecture series that provides the opportunity to work hands-on with leading private equity firms on projects of "mutual value" and learn about the so many things critical to success in PE beyond the transaction itself. Over thirty firms have participated with an over 90 percent requested renewed participation rate.

Through project work, students will get the opportunity to "practice private equity" in a setting as close to authentic as possible. Projects will entail many different aspects of private equity, and students will work directly with private equity firms and/or portfolio companies. A final presentation is made to a component of the private equity firm investment committee. Project work is designed to be of mutual value to students and the PE partner. Students are permitted, upon firm review, to list the projects and the firm on their resumes.

The course is structured to expose students to the inner workings of up to ten PE firms at once. Private equity firms hosting student projects for the 2022 year could include Abry Partners, Advent, Apollo, Bain Capital, CD&R, Great Hill, KKR, L Catterton, New Mountain, Odyssey, Warburg, Summit Partners, and TH Lee. The course has enjoyed very high ratings from both the PE firms and students for several years and is an excellent relationship-building opportunity.

Projects range from sector vertical analysis, re-underwriting failed deals, deal sourcing, platform deal add-on strategies, and much more. The workload is carefully managed. In addition to the projects, a very popular slate of PE professionals provides full-class lectures on a variety of PE topics, including Deal Sourcing, Portfolio Operations, Capital Formation, PE CEO's, First Time Funds, Career Management, Recent Alumni Retrospectives, "Getting Paid" and Product Line Extensions. The professor pushes the guests hard to maximize learning for the students.

Professor Dionne also provides a popular weekly Random Musings report stemming from his role as Blackstone Senior Advisor, his PE fund formation business, and director of many companies.

A mid-term networking event is held with the local PE community in downtown Boston.

There is virtually no overlap with Starting Your Own Private Investment Firm, which Professor Dionne co-founded as a SIP, and PE Finance.

Who Teaches This Course?

The course will be taught by John Dionne, a Blackstone Senior Advisor and Senior Managing Director for seventeen years. Mr. Dionne was a Member of the Private Equity and GSO investment committees and has led investments totaling $4 billion of equity over his career in Distressed and PE investing. He co-founded five multi-billion investment vehicles, including Blackstone's Tactical Opportunities Fund, its Energy Fund, and its Distressed Securities Fund. He has served on fourteen boards and raised more than $30 billion in equity capital.

Professor Dionne ensures he is accessible to meet the various needs of his students.

Enrollment

The course could be open for limited cross-registration, and enrollment will be limited to 50 students.

Enrollment by application only: To apply, please submit your CV and a paragraph of interest to this survey by January 5th, 2024. Email Andrew Mickle (amickle@hbs.edu) with any questions. Early applicants are encouraged.

Applicants are asked to submit a brief one-page summary explaining their interest in the course.

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