A recent private equity info article indicated that PE hold times are up to almost six years an all time high. I think what we’re seeing isn’t a statistical blip. I believe it’s structural deals made in the pre COVID boom are still on hold. I believe on certain markets. Tighter financing and weakened exit channels are dragging timelines out.
As CFO, your job shifts from the mental. You’re no longer executing for an imminent exit. You’re building a sustained value corridor that lasts years. That means rigorous working capital discipline, deeper operational improvement, and an investor narrative that doesn’t rely on multiples.
You become the architect of resilience. You steer performance, not just the exit, and that’s where value creation lives in slow markets.