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Welcome to the first edition of Opalesque Private Equity Strategies. Private Equity is one of the most active areas of investment world wide, currently fostering the growth of emergent economies like China, while propping up much of the recovery in the US and EU. Private Equity Strategies will examine the full scope of private equity investments globally, examining jurisdictions, revealing key trends and speaking with industry leaders.

In this edition we are focused on the US, which recently saw the first Private Equity candidate for President in Mitt Romney. Romney's candidacy elevated the national awareness of Private Equity as an industry, and according to some insiders has had a chilling effect on the willingness of many general partners to be transparent. Indeed, some have even retreated. We will examine the effect of Romney on popular understanding of the industry and Bain Capital's reputation. Another key issue facing general partners coming out of the election is the future of the US tax structure and the effects of the looming fiscal cliff, we will discuss what GPs can expect with a tax policy expert from Anchin, Block & Anchin.

In our sector focus, energy and infrastructure will take center stage. The cost of energy in the US is a hot topic for North American consumers, but also general partners who are funding many renewables projects and looking more closely at master limited partnerships. BlackRock's Russ Steenberg, Global Head of BlackRock Private Equity Partners (PEP) notes in an interview that energy investments have a ripple effect to a variety of other sectors. Our data snapshot shows how assets into this area have increased in recent years.

David Fann, CEO of TorreyCove, a private equity advisor to large US pension funds explains how institutional investors hunting for returns large enough to meet their mandates should become more active in private equity. He also discusses the looming consolidation in US Venture Capital as investors in those funds, all too often lose more money than they make.

Our movers and shakers section will highlight some recent entries and exits across all market caps including an in-depth interview with Monroe Capital CEO Ted Koenig about Monroe Capital Corp, which recently launched an IPO of its business development company and will be providing provide senior, unitranche, junior secured debt, unsecured subordinated financing and equity financing to middle market companies in the U.S. and Canada. He will share his views on the very active middle market and whether it's too early to call a time of death for the US IPO market in 2012.

In our M&A outlook, we'll examine newly released dealflow data showing that while 2012 activity in M&A may have been muted, there is a backlog of deals ready to move after markets get more clarity on the fiscal cliff and other macroeconomic factors at the beginning of 2013.

On quick hits we'll look at some of the recently announced transactions and people moves in the industry. Finally, our events spotlight will let you know about future conferences and capital roundtables happening in the US.

I hope you find this new publication useful. I want to hear from you as well, want to sound off? Do you have feedback? News of your own? In future issues we will be going global so if you are outside of the US I want to hear from you too. Drop me a note - mccann@opalesque.com

Best,
Bailey McCann
Editor