Private equity is getting a schellacking thanks to Mitt Romney's time as the leader of Bain Capital.
As someone who has been in the PE industry and written a book about Canadian Private Equity specifically, the American Private Equity scene sounds like a Shark Tank, as compared to the Canadians who tend to be more like the dolphin species.I have met and worked with American funds and there is a wide range to their investment styles - some just want to give expensive money, some want to be on the board and push the strategy and a few will actually do some operational work.
It is ingenuous to say the least, to tar the whole group with one brush. Worse still, it is destructive to the whole economy to make a Salem witch trial for private equity managers like Mitt.
Private companies make up a large part of the economy in a majority of countries and the lion's share tend to be family owned. This type of ownership can too often result in stagnating companies or declining businesses on average. Private equity partnerships helps these companies to grow, morph and find new, invigorating life. Without private equity shaking up the neighbourhood, it is too easy for all the competitors to be complacent. In Canada, McGregor Socks found new life with its private equity partners. Yes, they moved the manufacturing to China which upset the union. The business was going under and the two brothers were not working well together. McGregor saved some of the Canadian jobs and expanded a whole new range of design jobs in Canada. As for the union, well I studied Industrial Relations while at university and worked in a mining union which showed me the selfish nature of unionism. So let's put it this way. Unions have chased jobs away far more than private equity - if you want to talk about who is shellacking the jobs.
One of the themes emerging is that PE is "supported" by pension fund money. It is true that the largest sources of capital looking for a good return in Canada is the Ontario Teachers' Pension Fund and the Hospital Workers Fund, both union funds.
As someone who has been in the PE industry and written a book about Canadian Private Equity specifically, the American Private Equity scene sounds like a Shark Tank, as compared to the Canadians who tend to be more like the dolphin species.I have met and worked with American funds and there is a wide range to their investment styles - some just want to give expensive money, some want to be on the board and push the strategy and a few will actually do some operational work.
It is ingenuous to say the least, to tar the whole group with one brush. Worse still, it is destructive to the whole economy to make a Salem witch trial for private equity managers like Mitt.
Private companies make up a large part of the economy in a majority of countries and the lion's share tend to be family owned. This type of ownership can too often result in stagnating companies or declining businesses on average. Private equity partnerships helps these companies to grow, morph and find new, invigorating life. Without private equity shaking up the neighbourhood, it is too easy for all the competitors to be complacent. In Canada, McGregor Socks found new life with its private equity partners. Yes, they moved the manufacturing to China which upset the union. The business was going under and the two brothers were not working well together. McGregor saved some of the Canadian jobs and expanded a whole new range of design jobs in Canada. As for the union, well I studied Industrial Relations while at university and worked in a mining union which showed me the selfish nature of unionism. So let's put it this way. Unions have chased jobs away far more than private equity - if you want to talk about who is shellacking the jobs.
One of the themes emerging is that PE is "supported" by pension fund money. It is true that the largest sources of capital looking for a good return in Canada is the Ontario Teachers' Pension Fund and the Hospital Workers Fund, both union funds.
"With $107.5 billion in net assets, the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan is the largest single-profession fund in the world." OTPP has also been behind the largest PE deals in the world, including the BCE failed deal.
OTPP is busy investing in China now, taking Canadian earnings and allowing Chinese companies and their workers to get access to capital. Do the union membership know their money is going to Chinese businesses? They would also be interested to know how much gets invested in the USA and how little in Canada.Remember, those who can access capital get to grow their business. Investing Ontario teachers' money into Ontario businesses is actually the fairest investment. But when did "fair" be the pension's investment criteria? Would the teachers want their retirement money invested in OK companies or growth companies if it impacts on the amount they get for their retirement? You be the judge of that.
No comments:
Post a Comment