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Private equity fund investments

We offer our clients private equity fund investments that have generated attractive returns and enduring relationships with highly regarded and sought-after global sponsors. Our capital solutions can help our partners and borrowers to create value and achieve their strategic goals.

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Why private equity funds?

 

Investors providing capital commitments to private equity funds have the opportunity to gain exposure to private companies with strong free cash flow generation, room for further operational improvements, and multiple ways to create value. Private equity funds investors seek to benefit from:

Capital appreciation opportunities that exceed expected returns in other asset classes

Alignment of incentives with private equity sponsors and executive management teams at underlying portfolio companies

Diversification achieved by building balanced private equity exposure—one investment at a time

Sustainable private equity and the new drivers of value creation

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Pursuing alpha: private equity opportunities in the decade ahead

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What sets us apart

We invest mainly in middle market buyout funds of private equity sponsors with strong track records and demonstrated skill in driving operational improvements at portfolio companies. We also invest selectively in emerging managers. When possible, we leverage these relationships and identify opportunities to support the portfolio companies controlled by these sponsors by providing additional capital in the form of senior loans, subordinated loans, equity co-investments, and general partner (GP)-led secondaries.

Leveraging our sponsor network

As multidecade investors in private equity and credit, we put our GP-centric network of relationships to work each day. We work with operationally focused private equity sponsors with specialized expertise and consistently strong track records spanning multiple economic cycles.

Opportunities for direct equity co-investment exposure

A co-investment represents a direct noncontrolling ownership stake in a company rather than an indirect one pursuant to a private equity funds commitment. Co-investments can be an efficient way for investors to gain exposure to selective buyout deals at a compelling economic advantage.

Extended reach by region and size

Beyond our decades of experience in North America’s core middle market, we continue to broaden the scope of our program to cover Asia-Pacific and European opportunities while also accelerating our efforts in the lower middle market.

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Our fund investing strategy and approach

Our broader private equity and credit team invests in middle market companies across the capital structure. We seek to leverage our long tenures, robust deal flow, and commitment to the industry to provide investors with meaningful exposure to sponsor-led opportunities in senior and junior credit, equity co-investments, secondaries, and private equity fund investing. When considering private equity fund investments, we seek sponsors that offer investors an attractive combination of traits, including:

Focus on operational improvements

Clear and consistent approach to value creation

Disciplined record of investment selection

Reputation for good stewardship

Sponsor community

$15.8B

in capital committed since 20051

150+ 

private equity firms

360+

private equity fund investments

Data as of March 31, 2024.

1 Represents private equity fund investments made by the PE&C team on behalf of the Manulife Investors and managed third-party accounts since inception of the Primary Funds Strategy in 2005. The Primary Funds and Equity Co-Investment Strategies include deals executed by the Asia team.

Our portfolio

We believe that a diversified portfolio of private equity fund investments can provide attractive risk-adjusted returns throughout different macro environments and market cycles. We focus on North American fund investments with both broad and sector-specific mandates. Underlying investments include those in:

Software and technology

Tech-enabled business services, hardware, and semiconductors 

Healthcare

Biopharmaceuticals, devices, supplies, and services

Financial services

Insurance, brokerages, and registered investment advisers

Business services

Compliance and risk management, transport and logistics, distribution, commercial and professional services 

Private equity capital solutions

We provide capital commitments to private equity sponsors with established track records and sustainable investment strategies. Targeting North American and European middle market buyout funds, we partner with sponsors who seek an enduring relationship. As a limited partner with a patient approach to building value, we aim to deliver a full suite of financing solutions and access to a stable source of capital.

Fund investment solutions

We target operationally focused private equity sponsors with whom we can build mutually productive long-term relationships. We primarily support private equity sponsors managing funds between $400 million and $5 billion, and we selectively commit to larger and smaller funds. 

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Our team

Based in Boston and Toronto, our primary funds team includes investment professionals covering senior and junior credit, equity co-investments, secondaries, and private equity fund investing.

Richard Tarr, CFA

Managing Director, Private Equity Funds

Richard is responsible for sourcing, evaluating, negotiating, and monitoring private equity fund investments. He was previously responsible for transaction execution and portfolio monitoring of direct equity and mezzanine investments. Prior to joining Manulife Capital—now operating as Manulife Investment Management—he gained four years of experience in senior lending with GE Capital and six years of experience in private equity and mezzanine investments with McKenna Gale Capital. He began his career in investment banking with Scotia Capital. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.

  • Education: B.B.A, Wilfrid Laurier University
  • Joined company: 2015
  • Began career: 2002
Richard Tarr, CFA

Jeff Barricelli, CFA

Managing Director, Private Equity Funds

Jeff is responsible for sourcing, evaluating, negotiating, and monitoring private equity fund investments. Prior to joining Hancock Capital Management—now operating as Manulife Investment Management—he spent 12 years as a research analyst at Congress Asset Management, where he was a member of the private equity investment policy committee. His responsibilities included sourcing, evaluating, negotiating, and monitoring primary private equity fund investments, in addition to overseeing the day-to-day operations of the private equity fund investment program. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.

  • Education: B.A., Economics, Bates College; M.B.A., Boston College
  • Joined company: 2017
  • Began career: 1997
Jeff Barricelli, CFA

Related viewpoints

December 18, 2023

Primary investments: build new relationships in the lower middle market

Richard Tarr, CFA

Richard Tarr, CFA,  Managing Director, Private Equity Funds Manulife Investment Management

LPs making primary investments can build new relationships in the lower middle market, where we believe many of the most promising opportunities reside today.
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May 31, 2023

Private equity secondaries are meeting the moment

Jeff Hammer

Jeff Hammer,  Senior Managing Director, Global Co-Head of Secondaries Manulife Investment Management

Paul Sanabria

Paul Sanabria,  Senior Managing Director, Global Co-Head of Secondaries Manulife Investment Management

Calling all liquidity providers: carpe diem. Private equity secondaries now represent a buying opportunity that hasn’t been seen in nearly a generation.
Read more

October 7, 2022

Private equity co-investing demands micro rigor and macro perspective

Scott Garfield

Scott Garfield,  Senior Managing Director, Head of North America Private Equity Manulife Investment Management

While the macro matters, see why what we look for in co-investments—starting with an excellent sponsor-company fit—doesn’t change, even in moments of extreme uncertainty.
Read more
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Contact us

John (Jay) D. Jarrett Jr.

Managing Director, Business Development and Investor Relations, Private Equity and Credit

617-572-4594 | jdjarrett@jhancock.com

Leigha Schuessler

Managing Director, Business Development and Investor Relations, Private Equity and Credit

857-205-9422 | lhaynes@jhancock.com

Elizabeth Mingle

Managing Director, Business Development and Investor Relations, Private Equity and Credit

617-459-2937 | emingle@jhancock.com

Sean C. Gannon

Managing Director, Business Development, Private Equity and Credit

310-801-3433 | sgannon@manulife.com

Richard Shusman, CFA, CAIA

Managing Director, Business Development, Private Equity and Credit

617-816-2491 | rshusman@manulife.com

Andrew Blackman

Managing Director, Business Development, Private Equity & Credit

207-090-1448 | Andrew_Blackman@manulifeam.com

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