Executive Education

What You Can Expect

Today's global recession, turbulent equity markets, and a credit crisis felt around the world challenge even recently successful investment strategies. To maintain sound judgment and discipline that will sustain your portfolio, you must be able to adapt and apply innovative investment approaches in a rapidly changing market.

Private Equity and Venture Capital helps you become a more successful investor by raising your level of investment expertise. Addressing the full range of industry models—from venture capital to growth equity to buyouts—the program explores critical issues related to industry infrastructure, portfolio strategies, and decision-making processes. This HBS Executive Education program is designed to help you:

• Evaluate the impact of market cycles so you can persevere through the current downturn and take advantage of opportunities with the most potential
• Apply best practices for making investments—within your borders and in other countries
• Assess opportunities in distressed and/or emerging industries
• Make better investment decisions by examining how current earnings, risk and organizational change influence deal source, valuation, and portfolio mix
• Move quickly to select the best deals and negotiate the best terms with confidence
• Monitor the progress of portfolio companies and choose appropriate exit strategies
• Successfully scale your firm by managing deals and integrating operations across multiple locations
• Expand your network by building strong relationships with other experienced industry leaders

The program's structure fosters close interaction among participants, providing opportunities to build valuable personal relationships that may have enduring value throughout their careers.

How Will My Organization Benefit?

Executive Education programs at Harvard Business School are a significant investment for both you and your organization. Going far beyond the basic transmission of skills and theories, each leadership development program provides applicable lessons in the classroom that can be implemented successfully within your organization. You will acquire a fresh perspective on global business from our groundbreaking curriculum, world-renowned faculty, and an accomplished group of elite peers from around the world.

"This was a great opportunity to explore every aspect of private equity. Again and again, the HBS faculty used their phenomenal knowledge to take the discussion to a deeper level and quickly bring us up a steep learning curve. The program boosted my confidence, expanded my influence, and introduced me to people who have been helpful to multiple projects in my business—I now feel connected to business leaders around the world."
Lubna Pathan [Senior Principal], Abu Dhabi Investment House, United Arab Emirates