

E114: Brockenbrough $4.3 Billion Investment Edge
Nov 22, 2024
Chris Dion, Co-Chief Investment Officer and Managing Partner at Brockenbrough, shares insights on the compelling world of small buyout funds. He discusses their unique resilience and ability to outperform larger private equity deals. The conversation highlights the importance of individual deal leaders over the firm itself, showcasing how these small investments adapt to changing markets. Dion also elaborates on the appeal of small buyouts for limited partners, emphasizing their strong risk-adjusted returns and operational improvement potential.
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Three Ways to Make Money in Buyouts
- There are three key ways to generate returns in buyouts: growing the business, expanding the multiple, and using debt leverage.
- Multiple expansion can be driven externally by interest rates or internally by professionalizing the business.
Secrets Behind Endowment Outperformance
- Endowments over $1 billion outperform smaller ones mainly due to higher alternative investments and access to capacity-constrained managers.
- Skilled, aligned teams making concentrated decisions also drive their success.
Client-First Firm Origin Story
- Brokenbrough was founded to put clients first, prioritizing long-term relationships over short-term revenue.
- This approach leads to much higher client retention and aligns with the firm's moral and business principles.