Partners Group: Global Private Markets Pioneer

Partners Group stands as one of the world's largest private markets investment managers, with USD 152 billion in assets under management and over 1,800 professionals across 21 offices globally. Since its founding in 1996 in Zug, Switzerland, the firm has established itself as a pioneer in private markets investing, consistently delivering innovative solutions and superior returns for institutional and individual investors worldwide.

History & Background

Partners Group was co-founded in 1996 by three Swiss entrepreneurs—Marcel Erni, Alfred Gantner, and Urs Wietlisbach—who previously worked together at Goldman Sachs in Zurich. Starting with modest beginnings and "no money, no clients, no clue," as founder Marcel Erni famously described it, the firm quickly established itself as a differentiated player in European private markets. The company went public on the SIX Swiss Exchange in 2006, becoming one of the first private markets firms to list publicly, and has since become the fifth most valuable publicly listed private markets firm globally by market capitalization.

Investment Strategy

Partners Group's investment approach is built on three core pillars: transformational investing, bespoke client solutions, and stakeholder impact. The firm employs a distinctive thematic investment strategy, focusing on "giga themes" that shape the future economy:

• Productivity: Digitization & Automation
• Synergy: Decarbonization & Sustainability
• Culture: New Living

This top-down approach enables the firm to identify sectors and regions likely to offer superior returns, supporting their relative value investment strategy across all asset classes.

Key Strategies

Partners Group operates across five major asset classes, offering comprehensive private markets exposure through both traditional and innovative structures:

Partners Group Global Value represents the firm's flagship evergreen private equity strategy, managing €8.3 billion with monthly liquidity options. This Luxembourg-domiciled SICAV provides investors with diversified private equity exposure across 70% buyout investments, 20% private credit, and smaller allocations to growth and other strategies, with geographic focus on North America (47%) and Europe (44%).

Partners Group Private Loans demonstrates their private credit expertise, managing €1.9 billion in a direct lending strategy focused 85% on direct lending opportunities. This evergreen fund targets Europe (60%) and North America (40%) markets, providing investors with quarterly liquidity and exposure to senior secured and subordinated loans.

Beyond these flagship offerings, Partners Group manages traditional closed-end funds, bespoke mandates, and innovative evergreen structures across private equity, private credit, infrastructure, real estate, and their newly launched royalties platform—making them one of the few firms operating across five distinct private markets asset classes.

Why Partners Group Matters

Partners Group's significance in private markets extends beyond their scale and performance. The firm pioneered evergreen private markets investing in 2001, creating liquid access to traditionally illiquid asset classes. Their integrated platform approach, combining direct investments with portfolio company management through one of the industry's largest Industry Value Creation teams, delivers operational improvements and sustainable value creation.

The firm's commitment to innovation continues with recent launches including the industry's first scalable multi-sector royalty strategy, partnerships with BlackRock for retail access to private markets, and expansion into growth equity investing focused on technology and healthcare sectors. With CEO David Layton targeting USD 450 billion in AUM by 2033, Partners Group is positioned to capitalize on the continued institutionalization of private markets globally.

About Fundscouter

Fundscouter provides comprehensive profiles of fund managers and detailed analysis of private market investment opportunities. Our platform helps investors discover, analyze, and connect with leading private markets strategies like those offered by Partners Group. Whether you're seeking exposure to private equity, private credit, infrastructure, or alternative investments, Fundscouter offers the insights and access you need to make informed investment decisions.