Download or read book The Impact of Private Equity Investments on Portfolio Companies written by Stefan Albust and published by GRIN Verlag. This book was released on 2019-05-28 with total page 75 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Master's Thesis from the year 2019 in the subject Business economics - Investment and Finance, grade: 1,2, Durham University, language: English, abstract: This dissertation takes up the private equity topic and analyzes its impact on the employees of the portfolio companies. As there has been no detailed research done so far on the German market, this paper focuses on the impact on German companies which were taken over by a private equity house. It is assumed that the investment of a private equity company leads to an increase in the number of employees (H1) as well as their average wages (H2). These hypotheses are based on the performed literature review which shows a rather diverse picture with a slight trend towards the advantages of private equity investments. The private equity industry is growing and therefore its importance is increasing as well. However, the reputation of private equity investors is not always positive and some harmful examples confirm this picture in the broader market. The negative history subsequently led to an increasing regulatory environment. Nevertheless, private equity financing has also many advantages for the portfolio companies such as the solution of succession concerns, additional equity financing and added external know-how. By analyzing five private equity owned companies from different industries in Germany and benchmarking them against their local main competitor as well as testing the results against their statistical significance, interesting results appear. On the one hand, H1 needs to be rejected as in 60% of the analyzed companies the number of staff decreased after the investment of a private equity company. On the other hand, H2 can be confirmed as the average wages of the remaining employees increased in 80% of the observed companies and also evolved better compared to their non-private equity backed peers. Additionally, this dissertation shows that the second year after the takeover (T+2) is rater special and requires further investigation. Due to limitations of this research paper, it is recommended to use all the identified results for a more detailed analysis on the reasons of the observations.

Download or read book Portfolio Strategies of Private Equity Firms written by Ulrich Lossen and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2007-12-22 with total page 187 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ulrich Lossen explores the trade-off between diversification and specialization in private equity funds. In a first step, he analyzes the influence of external factors on the choice of private equity firms to diversify their portfolios across different dimensions, such as financing stages, industries, and geographic regions. Then, he examines the impact of diversification on private equity funds’ performance.

Download or read book Private Equity Investment A theoretical Analysis of Process Parties and Requirements written by Sean Miller and published by GRIN Verlag. This book was released on 2011-10-04 with total page 41 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Studienarbeit aus dem Jahr 2011 im Fachbereich BWL - Investition und Finanzierung, FOM Essen, Hochschule für Oekonomie & Management gemeinnützige GmbH, Hochschulleitung Essen früher Fachhochschule (-), Veranstaltung: Investment & Controlling, Sprache: Deutsch, Abstract: The majority of companies are in need of investment capital to pursue their growth strategies. Also, a large number of companies only display a low equity ratio and as a result possess bad credit worthiness. In this regard, Private Equity represents a good alternative solution providing investment capital. It allows companies to make investments to solidify or improve their position among the competitors on the market. In times where banks and credit institutions exercise restraints, the interest of companies in Private Equity even increases. Nevertheless, particularly in Germany the growing importance of Private Equity is accompanied by great controversy. One group argues that often the Private Equity investors in their function as majority shareholders neglect the sustainable development of their portfolio companies in favor of their temporary value increase. On the other hand numerous studies indicate that companies benefit from Private Equity investments. According to these studies, companies, which have entered cooperation with Private Equity investors, comparatively, display stronger revenue growth and productivity and also generate more jobs.1 In this respect, the quality of the partnership between the portfolio company and the Private Equity investment association is a decisive success factor and must not be underestimated. Private Equity deals only generate win-win-situations if both parties are professionally engaged. Lack of preparation can either lead to a one-sided relationship – leaving one party at a disadvantage –, or even to a bad overall business, in which both sides incur losses. This paper takes the perspective of each party and points out which specific aspects they have to consider in order having good chances of benefiting from a Private Equity deal. This leads to the analysis of several critical stages within the investment process: investment stages in general, transaction process, due diligence, business valuation and exit. Prior the meaning, history and significance of Private Equity are described.

Download or read book Private Equity at Work written by Eileen Appelbaum and published by Russell Sage Foundation. This book was released on 2014-03-31 with total page 396 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Private equity firms have long been at the center of public debates on the impact of the financial sector on Main Street companies. Are these firms financial innovators that save failing businesses or financial predators that bankrupt otherwise healthy companies and destroy jobs? The first comprehensive examination of this topic, Private Equity at Work provides a detailed yet accessible guide to this controversial business model. Economist Eileen Appelbaum and Professor Rosemary Batt carefully evaluate the evidence—including original case studies and interviews, legal documents, bankruptcy proceedings, media coverage, and existing academic scholarship—to demonstrate the effects of private equity on American businesses and workers. They document that while private equity firms have had positive effects on the operations and growth of small and mid-sized companies and in turning around failing companies, the interventions of private equity more often than not lead to significant negative consequences for many businesses and workers. Prior research on private equity has focused almost exclusively on the financial performance of private equity funds and the returns to their investors. Private Equity at Work provides a new roadmap to the largely hidden internal operations of these firms, showing how their business strategies disproportionately benefit the partners in private equity firms at the expense of other stakeholders and taxpayers. In the 1980s, leveraged buyouts by private equity firms saw high returns and were widely considered the solution to corporate wastefulness and mismanagement. And since 2000, nearly 11,500 companies—representing almost 8 million employees—have been purchased by private equity firms. As their role in the economy has increased, they have come under fire from labor unions and community advocates who argue that the proliferation of leveraged buyouts destroys jobs, causes wages to stagnate, saddles otherwise healthy companies with debt, and leads to subsidies from taxpayers. Appelbaum and Batt show that private equity firms’ financial strategies are designed to extract maximum value from the companies they buy and sell, often to the detriment of those companies and their employees and suppliers. Their risky decisions include buying companies and extracting dividends by loading them with high levels of debt and selling assets. These actions often lead to financial distress and a disproportionate focus on cost-cutting, outsourcing, and wage and benefit losses for workers, especially if they are unionized. Because the law views private equity firms as investors rather than employers, private equity owners are not held accountable for their actions in ways that public corporations are. And their actions are not transparent because private equity owned companies are not regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission. Thus, any debts or costs of bankruptcy incurred fall on businesses owned by private equity and their workers, not the private equity firms that govern them. For employees this often means loss of jobs, health and pension benefits, and retirement income. Appelbaum and Batt conclude with a set of policy recommendations intended to curb the negative effects of private equity while preserving its constructive role in the economy. These include policies to improve transparency and accountability, as well as changes that would reduce the excessive use of financial engineering strategies by firms. A groundbreaking analysis of a hotly contested business model, Private Equity at Work provides an unprecedented analysis of the little-understood inner workings of private equity and of the effects of leveraged buyouts on American companies and workers. This important new work will be a valuable resource for scholars, policymakers, and the informed public alike.

Download or read book J Curve Exposure written by Pierre-Yves Mathonet and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2008-07-31 with total page 476 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Building on the success of the author’s previous book Beyond the J Curve:Managing a Portfolio of Venture Capital and Private Equity Funds, this work covers new and additional material and offers advanced guidance on the practical questions faced by institutions when setting up and managing a successful private equity investment programme. Written from the practitioner’s viewpoint, the book offers private equity and venture capital professionals an advanced guide that will make high return targets more realistic and sustainable. Factors that can sometimes cause institutions to shy away from venture capital are the industry’s opaque track record, unclear valuations and risks, perceived lack of transparency as well as the significant entry barriers to overcome before tangible results show. These issues are all addressed in details with practical solutions to the problems. Among other topics J-Curve Exposure includes discussions of: Experiences with the adoption of the International Private Equity and Venture Capital Valuation Guidelines to address fair value under IFRS. Approaches for splitting and prioritizing distributions from private equity funds. Techniques for track record analysis and other tools to help limited partners in their due diligence. Approaches to dealing with uncertainty, the relevance of real options, and co-investments and side funds as advanced portfolio management techniques. Questions related to limited partner decision making fallacies and how to manage portfolios of VC funds. Securitization backed by portfolios of investments in private equity funds. Real life case studies illustrate the issues relevant for the practitioner.

Download or read book Private Equity Investment A theoretical Analysis of Process Parties and Requirements written by Sean Miller and published by GRIN Verlag. This book was released on 2011 with total page 81 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Studienarbeit aus dem Jahr 2011 im Fachbereich BWL - Investition und Finanzierung, FOM Essen, Hochschule für Oekonomie & Management gemeinnützige GmbH, Hochschulleitung Essen früher Fachhochschule (-), Veranstaltung: Investment & Controlling, Sprache: Deutsch, Abstract: The majority of companies are in need of investment capital to pursue their growth strategies. Also, a large number of companies only display a low equity ratio and as a result possess bad credit worthiness. In this regard, Private Equity represents a good alternative solution providing investment capital. It allows companies to make investments to solidify or improve their position among the competitors on the market. In times where banks and credit institutions exercise restraints, the interest of companies in Private Equity even increases. Nevertheless, particularly in Germany the growing importance of Private Equity is accompanied by great controversy. One group argues that often the Private Equity investors in their function as majority shareholders neglect the sustainable development of their portfolio companies in favor of their temporary value increase. On the other hand numerous studies indicate that companies benefit from Private Equity investments. According to these studies, companies, which have entered cooperation with Private Equity investors, comparatively, display stronger revenue growth and productivity and also generate more jobs.1 In this respect, the quality of the partnership between the portfolio company and the Private Equity investment association is a decisive success factor and must not be underestimated. Private Equity deals only generate win-win-situations if both parties are professionally engaged. Lack of preparation can either lead to a one-sided relationship - leaving one party at a disadvantage -, or even to a bad overall business, in which both sides incur losses. This paper takes the perspective of each party and points out which specific aspects they have to cons

Download or read book Private Equity Critical analysis from the points of view of investors and target companies written by Henning Wenzel and published by GRIN Verlag. This book was released on 2016-02-19 with total page 38 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Seminar paper from the year 2013 in the subject Business economics - Investment and Finance, grade: 1,7, University of applied sciences, Cologne, course: International Investment & Controlling, language: English, abstract: Private Equity plays an increasingly important role in the financing of a wide range of businesses. Over the past 20 years, private equity has been on of the fastest growing markets for corporate finance. One of the reasons the private equity industry exist is that, in many cases, companies have needs for capital which, for various reasons, cannot be met from the public markets. Investors that provide capital to private equity funds invest in an asset class that entails relatively high-risk and high illiquidity in what remains a largely unregulated market. Planning how to exit an investment is just as important as preparing to make one because a merger adds value only if synergy, better management, or other changes make the two firms worth more together than apart. The target companies are supported with accountants, lawyers, investment bankers and other specialists. Especially Start-up companies are often characterised by negative cash flows and demand high investments. PE gives the chance to reduce the financial gap between selffinancing and stock exchange listing and can also help to improve the equity ratio. Another advantage of PE for target companies is the increase of equity and an improved balance sheet structure. Regarding to that, the negotiating position is strengthened towards creditors, the credit rating is improved and the financial room for investments increases. The main disadvantage of PE for target companies is the weakened influence of the initial shareholders. Especially different strategically views between those two groups might be difficult to solve. Due to the fact of the high risk, from the investors’ perspective, PE is a very interesting form of investment. Especially under diversification aspects the investment in PE funds make sense, because the investors offer investment opportunities that can not be replicated in the financial market and on top of that have a low correlation with other asset class. The firms standard practice of buying businesses and then, after steering them through a transition of rapid performance improvement and selling them is at the core of private equity’s success.

Download or read book Private Equity written by Harry Cendrowski and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2012-03-22 with total page 389 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An authoritative guide to understanding the world of private equity (PE) investing, governance structures, and operational assessments of PE portfolio companies An essential text for any business/finance professional's library, Private Equity: History, Governance, and Operations, Second Edition begins by presenting historical information regarding the asset class. This information includes historical fundraising and investment levels, returns, correlation of returns to public market indices, and harvest trends. The text subsequently analyzes PE fund and portfolio company governance structures. It also presents ways to improve existing governance structures of these entities. A specific focus on portfolio company operations, including due diligence assessments, concludes the text. Seamlessly blends historical information with practical guidance based on risk management and fundamental accounting techniques Assists the book's professional audience in maximizing returns of their PE investments Highly conducive to advanced, graduate-level classroom use Purchase of the text includes access to a website of teaching materials for instructional use Learn more about PE history, governance, and operations with the authoritative guidance found in Private Equity: History, Governance, and Operations, Second Edition.

Download or read book Mastering Private Equity written by Claudia Zeisberger and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2017-07-07 with total page 409 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The definitive guide to private equity for investors and finance professionals Mastering Private Equity was written with a professional audience in mind and provides a valuable and unique reference for investors, finance professionals, students and business owners looking to engage with private equity firms or invest in private equity funds. From deal sourcing to exit, LBOs to responsible investing, operational value creation to risk management, the book systematically distils the essence of private equity into core concepts and explains in detail the dynamics of venture capital, growth equity and buyout transactions. With a foreword by Henry Kravis, Co-Chairman and Co-CEO of KKR, and special guest comments by senior PE professionals. This book combines insights from leading academics and practitioners and was carefully structured to offer: A clear and concise reference for the industry expert A step-by-step guide for students and casual observers of the industry A theoretical companion to the INSEAD case book Private Equity in Action: Case Studies from Developed and Emerging Markets Features guest comments by senior PE professionals from the firms listed below: Abraaj • Adams Street Partners • Apax Partners • Baring PE Asia • Bridgepoint • The Carlyle Group • Coller Capital • Debevoise & Plimpton LLP • FMO • Foundry Group • Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer • General Atlantic • ILPA • Intermediate Capital Group • KKR Capstone • LPEQ • Maxeda • Navis Capital • Northleaf Capital • Oaktree Capital • Partners Group • Permira • Terra Firma

Download or read book The Private Equity Edge How Private Equity Players and the World s Top Companies Build Value and Wealth written by Arthur B. Laffer and published by McGraw Hill Professional. This book was released on 2008-07-01 with total page 449 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The world is changing and has never been more challenging to private equity players, public companies, and investors. With record market volatility and a global economic crisis, decision makers of all types can learn from successful private equity players and other top value builders. Private equity is growing at a rapid rate, with $2.7 trillion in transactions since 2001 and buyouts occurring in every type of market, including declining ones. And now, with the end of investment banks as we know them, the door is open to more opportunities than ever. In The Private Equity Edge, economics giant Arthur B. Laffer, along with value-building experts William J. Hass and Shepherd G. Pryor IV, combines the concepts of intrinsic value, macroeconomics, and incentives into a single strategy used by today’s top value builders. You’ll learn how to create value while reducing risk by: Thoroughly exploring relevant data to quantify ranges of value and risk Anticipating reactions of those whom you seek to influence Exploring possibilities and options before making major decisions Employing incentive systems that work in both up and down markets Examples of major private equity players at Blackstone, KKR, Carlyle, Cerberus, and Madison Dearborne Partners illustrate what to do and what to avoid in specific situations. Decision makers seeking to take full advantage of the new, interconnected world of business and economics will learn how to make the best decision the first time around, quickly and with conviction—the key to seizing the private equity edge.

Download or read book Corporate Governance and Responsible Investment in Private Equity written by Simon Witney and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2021-01-07 with total page 241 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Private equity-backed companies are ubiquitous and economically significant. Consequently, the corporate governance of these companies matters to all of us, and – not surprisingly – is coming under increasing scrutiny. Simon Witney, a practicing private equity lawyer, positions private equity portfolio companies within existing academic theory and examines the laws that apply to them in the UK. He analyses the actual governance frameworks that are put in place and identifies problems created by the legal rules – as well as the market's solutions to them. This book not only explains why these governance mechanisms are established, but also what they are expected to achieve. Witney suggests that private equity owners have both the incentives and the capability to focus on responsible investment practices. Good governance, he argues, is a critical success factor for the private equity industry.

Download or read book Beyond the J Curve written by Thomas Meyer and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2005-08-12 with total page 405 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In recent times, venture capital and private equity funds have become household names, but so far little has been written for the investors in such funds, the so-called limited partners. There is far more to the management of a portfolio of venture capital and private equity funds than usually perceived. Beyond the J Curve describes an innovative toolset for such limited partners to design and manage portfolios tailored to the dynamics of this market place, going far beyond the typical and often-simplistic recipe to 'go for top quartile funds'. Beyond the J Curve provides the answers to key questions, including: Why 'top-quartile' promises should be taken with a huge pinch of salt and what it takes to select superior fund managers? What do limited partners need to consider when designing and managing portfolios? How one can determine the funds' economic value to help addressing the questions of 'fair value' under IAS 39 and 'risk' under Basel II or Solvency II? Why is monitoring important, and how does a limited partner manage his portfolio? How the portfolio's returns can be improved through proper liquidity management and what to consider when over-committing? And, why uncertainty rather than risk is an issue and how a limited partner can address and benefit from the fast changing private equity environment? Beyond the J Curve takes the practitioner's view and offers private equity and venture capital professionals a comprehensive guide making high return targets more realistic and sustainable. This book is a must have for all parties involved in this market, as well as academic and students.

Download or read book Private Equity in Action written by Claudia Zeisberger and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2017-06-09 with total page 411 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Global Best Practice in Private Equity Investing Private Equity in Action takes you on a tour of the private equity investment world through a series of case studies written by INSEAD faculty and taught at the world's leading business schools. The book is an ideal complement to Mastering Private Equity and allows readers to apply core concepts to investment targets and portfolio companies in real-life settings. The 19 cases illustrate the managerial challenges and risk-reward dynamics common to private equity investment. The case studies in this book cover the full spectrum of private equity strategies, including: Carve-outs in the US semiconductor industry (LBO) Venture investing in the Indian wine industry (VC) Investing in SMEs in the Middle East Turnaround situations in both emerging and developed markets Written with leading private equity firms and their advisors and rigorously tested in INSEAD's MBA, EMBA and executive education programmes, each case makes for a compelling read. As one of the world's leading graduate business schools, INSEAD offers a global educational experience. The cases in this volume leverage its international reach, network and connections, particularly in emerging markets. Private Equity in Action is the companion to Mastering Private Equity: Transformation via Venture Capital, Minority Investments & Buyouts, a reference for students, investors, finance professionals and business owners looking to engage with private equity firms. From deal sourcing to exit, LBOs to responsible investing, operational value creation to risk management, Mastering Private Equity systematically covers all facets of the private equity life cycle.

Download or read book Private Equity Investments in Emerging Markets written by Benjamin Heckmann and published by GRIN Verlag. This book was released on 2009-08-31 with total page 40 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Seminar paper from the year 2007 in the subject Business economics - Business Management, Corporate Governance, grade: 2,0, University of Münster (International Management), course: Seminar International Finance, language: English, abstract: The paper deals with Private Equity Investments in Emerging Markets. This asset class is associated with attractive opportunities and appropriate risk-adjusted returns. The Private Equity industry in Emerging Markets showed strong growth over the last few years – after a period of disappointment and unmet expectations. Private Equity is a primary source of equity for small and medium sized companies. It is associated with higher default risk but offers the opportunity to receive higher returns. One special characteristic is the provision of ‘smart money’, the integration of investment banking and management consultancy. The environment of Emerging Markets is challenging. The term refers to capital markets in developing countries with outstanding growth opportunities. 35 countries from Latin America, Central and Eastern Europe, Asia, Middle East and Africa belong to the group of Emerging Markets. These markets are characterised by weak legal institutions, political and economic risk, dysfunctional capital markets and a low standard of corpo-rate governance. The combination of the high risk asset class Private Equity with the high risk environment of Emerging Markets results in high risk investments. But the superior return op-portunities attract more and more investors. After a period of disappointment and setbacks – due to an inappropriate approach – at the beginning of the 21st century this asset class took off. Fundraising figures from 2003 to 2006 are increasing strongly and the investors expect the growth to continue. The macroeconomic environment, the legal framework and the quality of capital markets are the main determinants for Emerging Markets Private Equity. The introduction of good corporate governance is essential for the provision of a hospitable investment climate. If the legal framework is weak, efficient governance structures can serve as a substitute. Intensive due diligence, monitoring, involvement, networks, diversification and exiting are the key success factors for Private Equity firms engaging in Emerging Markets. With an appropriate adjustment of the strategy, risk can be mitigated and the investment is likely to be successful. Emerging Markets Private Equity can be beneficial for both the investors and the entrepreneurs. Especially small and medium sized enterprises and family-owned companies in Emerging Markets benefit from this source of equity while investors receive potential extraordinary returns and diversify their portfolio.

Download or read book The Masters of Private Equity and Venture Capital written by Robert Finkel and published by McGraw Hill Professional. This book was released on 2009-12-21 with total page 321 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ten Leading private investors share their secrets to maximum profitability In The Masters of Private Equity and Venture Capital, the pioneers of the industry share the investing and management wisdom they have gained by investing in and transforming their portfolio companies. Based on original interviews conducted by the authors, this book is filled with colorful stories on the subjects that most matter to the high-level investor, such as selecting and working with management, pioneering new markets, adding value through operational improvements, applying private equity principles to non-profits, and much more.

Download or read book Restructuring the Hold written by Thomas C. Anderson and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2020-12-10 with total page 368 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Establishing an effective partnership and achieving improved outcomes for investors and management teams during the hold cycle Private equity represents a productive and fast-growing asset class—building businesses, creating jobs, and providing unlimited opportunity for investors and management teams alike, particularly if they know how to work together in candid and effective partnerships. Restructuring the Hold demonstrates how investors and managers can best work together to optimize company performance and the associated rewards and opportunities for everyone, not just the investors. Through brief references to the parable of the Gramm Company, a middle market portfolio company, readers will follow the disappointments and triumphs of a management team experiencing their first hold period under private equity ownership, from the day they get purchased through the day they get sold. Restructuring the Hold provides the reader both general knowledge and more detailed better practices and frameworks relating to specific time periods during the hold. Within this book readers will find: An examination of a typical middle-market private equity hold period Guidance for newly acquired management teams on what to expect during the hold period Descriptions of better practice operating cadence between investors and management teams Examples of effective partnerships between investors and management teams Discussions of topics relevant to typical hold periods, including organizational structures, operations improvement, selling pipelines and acquisition integrations With guidance from Restructuring the Hold, private equity principals and portfolio company executives can take steps toward greater collaboration and better outcomes. Through updated practices and strong relationships, they can partner effectively to improve portfolio company performance, which will lead to better outcomes for both investors and management teams.

Download or read book The Myth of Private Equity written by Jeffrey C. Hooke and published by Columbia University Press. This book was released on 2021-10-05 with total page 282 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Once an obscure niche of the investment world, private equity has grown into a juggernaut, with consequences for a wide range of industries as well as the financial markets. Private equity funds control companies that represent trillions of dollars in assets, millions of employees, and the well-being of thousands of institutional investors and their beneficiaries. Even as the ruthlessness of some funds has made private equity a poster child for the harms of unfettered capitalism, many aspects of the industry remain opaque, hidden from the normal bounds of accountability. The Myth of Private Equity is a hard-hitting and meticulous exposé from an insider’s viewpoint. Jeffrey C. Hooke—a former private equity executive and investment banker with deep knowledge of the industry—examines the negative effects of private equity and the ways in which it has avoided scrutiny. He unravels the exaggerations that the industry has spun to its customers and the business media, scrutinizing its claims of lucrative investment returns and financial wizardry and showing the stark realities that are concealed by the funds’ self-mythologizing and penchant for secrecy. Hooke details the flaws in private equity’s investment strategies, critically examines its day-to-day operations, and reveals the broad spectrum of its enablers. A bracing and essential read for both the financial profession and the broader public, this book pulls back the curtain on one of the most controversial areas of finance.