The objective of this study was to investigate the career trajectories of men and women working in the private equity industry, and to assess gender differences at various levels of seniority across different functional areas in the talent pipeline.
A large number of investment and non-investment professionals completed a comprehensive survey which focused on a range of different topics, including educational background, experience prior to entering the private equity sector, career path within the industry and personal circumstances. They also undertook a psychological attributes test, designed to show where they were positioned on a scale of common personality traits that were deemed relevant to the private equity industry.
The main findings from the study are insightful and will lead, we believe, to further research as we look to identify the challenges, barriers and opportunities in addressing gender imbalance in private equity.