Private Equity Secondaries

Northleaf's private equity secondaries program provides focused exposure to private equity secondary transactions globally.

Leveraging Northleaf’s 10+ year secondary investment track record, Northleaf's experienced secondaries team focuses on negotiated acquisitions of mature fund and portfolio company interests, taking an opportunistic approach in situations where Northleaf has a competitive advantage. Northleaf invests ~30% of its global private equity funds in secondary transactions and currently manages two specialist secondary funds. Northleaf's first specialist secondary fund, Northleaf Secondary Partners I (2013), is fully committed. Northleaf Secondary Partners II (2017) has commenced its investment period.

Northleaf's consistent focus on secondary transactions has produced significant benefits, including:

  • Targeting enhanced returns through re-pricing existing portfolio company investments
  • Achieving increased diversification across stage, vintage and sector
  • Accelerating investment pace and return of capital
  • Mitigating the “j-curve” effect in the early years of a private equity program
  • Leveraging access and informational advantages created by primary investment program

Secondary investments are also an important part of Northleaf's global private equity investment strategy, and typically comprise 20-40% of the global fund and custom mandate investment programs.