October 29, 2025

Value Creation: Transformation at scale

What it takes to unlock portfolio company performance today

Earlier this year, we conducted surveys across key developed markets, including the US, Europe and Australia, to investigate how the thinking around value creation is changing.

With funds no longer able to ride the wave of multiple expansion and abundant capital, and new headwinds such as tariffs adding complexity, the pursuit of portfolio company (PortCo) value creation has become a matter of survival for the private equity industry.

The survey findings offer a clear picture of the evolution: value creation is no longer about isolated, incremental improvements, often limited to cost-cutting in specific functions. Instead, business-wide transformation - driving change in all aspects of a PortCo's strategy and operations - has become the primary route to PE returns.

This article explores how PE firms are redefining their approach to portfolio company success. We shine a spotlight on the shift from piecemeal fixes to strategic resets, life after tariffs and how to address stranded assets.

Europe

Rewriting playbooks: PE value creation and exits in 2025

The report explores the major issues affecting the PE industry today, including the persistent delay in exits and the challenge of unlocking value from aging portfolios in a volatile and uncertain environment.

Extended exits and value creation in 2025

While some firms are already adapting, sustainable growth now demands strategic urgency - and no one can afford to stand still. This report unpacks key findings from private equity leaders.

Australian PE in the productivity trap

The report provides an in-depth exploration of how funds are addressing the challenges of managing ageing assets, navigating trade and cost pressures, and executing impactful value creation strategies.

The CFO Toolkit: Driving Value Creation Through the Office of the CFO

Discover how today’s CFOs are turning financial insight into strategic impact to drive real business value.

Private Equity in 2025: Key Takeaways from Actum Group's Private Equity Value Creation Forum

As the private equity landscape continues to shift under the weight of geopolitical tensions, rising regulatory demands and rapid technological advances, the question on every investor’s mind is: how do you create value in 2025 and beyond?

Tech Modernization: Turning Constraints Into Value Creation Opportunities

Vendor-driven system transitions, increased IT complexity and escalating cyber threats are just a few of the pressures forcing companies to rethink their technology systems. More than a technical obstacle, such modernization programs should be treated as an opportunity to realign technology with strategic goals to drive tangible business value.