New York pension chief criticises private equity fees and retail expansion
The chief investment officer of New York City's $326bn pension system has criticised rising private equity fund expenses and warned that managers' growing focus on retail investors could undermine their relationships with institutional investors, according to a report by the Financial Times.
Monte Tarbox, chief investment officer of New York City’s $326 billion pension system, has raised concerns over the rising expenses of private equity funds and the potential impact on relationships with institutional investors. Speaking at the FT Future of Asset Management North America conference in Boston, Tarbox criticized a private equity firm that attempted to charge investors for employees’ private jet travel, a cost he believed should be covered within the existing management fees.
The chief investment officer expressed worry over the continuous rise in costs passed onto limited partners, questioning whether the general partners of these funds still prioritize the interests of investors. Tarbox connected these deteriorating terms to private equity firms' attempts to attract wealthy individual investors as they seek alternative sources of fundraising growth beyond pension funds and other institutional clients.
In addition to criticizing the rising costs, Tarbox also warned of liquidity risks associated with retail private equity funds. He pointed out that investors may seek to redeem their holdings over shorter periods, despite the long-term nature of the underlying investments. This mismatch, he feared, could potentially trigger a crisis in the industry.
Major private equity managers such as Blackstone, KKR, and Partners Group are expanding their private markets offerings to include individual investors. However, Partners Group has recently faced redemptions from its flagship retail alternatives funds. As a response, the firm decided to separate underperforming private equity investments from newer holdings and restricted withdrawals.
Tarbox’s comments highlight the growing tension between private equity managers and institutional investors over issues of fees, liquidity, and the industry's increasing reliance on retail capital.
Written by urgent.news from Private Equity Wire's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
