6 Private Equity And M&A Podcasts You Should Tune Into by Adley Bowden, PitchBook
We at PitchBook are big fans of podcasts; they’re a fun way to make the miles melt away on a commute/business trip and a great resource for learning through interesting interviews and discussions.
Not finding an existing list of private equity or M&A podcasts, we decided to put one together ourselves and highlighted a few of our favorite episodes. It’s a big podcast world out there, so be sure leave us a comment below if you have any others for the list.
Private Equity
Private Equity FunCast – Subscribe in iTunes
Sadly, there are only two PE-focused podcasts. However, the good news is that Devin Mathews and Jim Milbery from ParkerGale Capital are pulling back the curtain on what goes on at a PE firm and managing to make these deep dives an entertaining listen. ParkerGale has a middle-market tech focus, so there are a number of episodes focused on topics related to technology, an issue increasingly relevant to everybody involved in business.
Recommended episodes
“Working as an Operating Partner in a Private Equity Group,” “The Deal Flow Episode,” “After the Letter of Intent: What Every Founder Needs to Know,” “Life and Times of a Private Equity Associate,” “Heuristics in Private Equity.”
ValuCast: The Carlyle Group – Subscribe in iTunes
The Carlyle Group is one of the savvier large PE firms when it comes to marketing. That is good for us podcast fans, because the folks there have put together several compelling episodes where a practice leader or someone else in Carlyle’s network provides commentary and insights regarding an operating or investing topic. We just wish they podcasted a bit more frequently, as their most recent episode was released on February 10.
Recommended episodes
“Corporate Carve Outs – Finding the Diamond in the Rough,” “Seeking Value in a Strong Dollar World,” “Small is Beautiful – How Carlyle Does Growth Capital,” “Everything You Always Wanted to Know About CLOs.”
Masters in Business – Subscribe in iTunes
While not exactly a private equity podcast, this excellent interview-based podcast by Bloomberg View columnist Barry Ritholtz has a great mix of in-depth and captivating interviews with dealmakers, CEOs, CIOs, bankers and economists. This blend of macro, strategy and insights gives it a decidedly private equity feel.
Recommended episodes
Blackstone’s Byron R. Wien, Oaktree’s Howard Marks, Warburg Pincus’s Bill Janeway, Alan Krueger (former Obama cabinet member), Nobel Prize winner Paul Krugman and University of Chicago Booth School professor Richard Thaler.
Mergers & Acquisitions
Deal of the Week – Subscribe in iTunes
This new and excellent weekly podcast is hosted by Alex Sherman and published by Bloomberg. Each podcast features a fairly quick but detailed look at one of the big deals each week and then features interviews with smart and fascinating professionals in the M&A world. It provides a great mix of both news and insights from dealmakers.
Recommended episodes
“Inside The Lives of M&A Reporters,” “Controlling the M&A Story,” “Ego Drives Dealmaking,” “Are Private Equity Deals in Trouble?”
APM: Marketplace – Subscribe in iTunes
The American Public Media’s Marketplace podcast is a daily (weekday) roundup of key business and finance news. In addition to some of the more offbeat but stimulating coverage, Marketplace also ends up talking about M&A quite a bit.
Since this is a daily podcast, just sign up and catch the episodes as they go forward.
The Tech M&A Podcast – Subscribe in iTunes
If you are familiar with the Corum Group, then you are likely familiar with its webcast series. This podcast is made up of bite-sized chunks of those webcasts. The content is interesting but it’s overly chopped up and would be much better if the episodes ran longer.
Given that the episodes are three to four minute segments, we are going to hold back from recommending any and just say check them out!
