With Private Equity Funds carrying out several of the mega and largest Italian deals completed in 2024, PE is expected to continue playing a pivotal role in Italy’s M&A Market in 2025. Furthermore, a change to Italy’s M&A rules, removing a level of uncertainty and strengthening investors’ confidence, could provide further impetus to what is already a strong backdrop for dealmaking. Recent trends are showing a shift towards mid-market deals instead of the high-end market, and a focus on value creation strategies, with less reliance on financial leverage or multiple arbitrages. The panel will review how Private Equity is expected to continue playing a key role in Italian dealmaking, especially in sectors such as industrial, technology, defence and healthcare, with a rekindled interest in high-potential SMEs.  

• Which new strategies are private equity firms raising and deploying to be proactive in capturing current dealmaking opportunities? How to optimise fundraising success in the current market?
• What is the current valuation landscape in Italy? Which are the best exit strategies in 2025 (and beyond)? And is the wave of banking consolidation impacting the market?
• How are the secondary market and capability investing shaping exit strategies? Is the appeal of continuation funds continuing to grow? How can sponsors shore up their portfolio companies to ensure growth in volatile markets? 
• What's the status of IPOs and carve-out activity in Italy?