23
Jun
Preparing to exit: A comprehensive analysis
Exit pressure continues to build, driven by prolonged holding periods and a backlog of assets awaiting divestment. Today’s environment often requires dealmakers to run multiple exit tracks simultaneously while managing valuation gap expectations. With European private equity facing one of the largest exit backlogs in decades, this panel will focus on how to position assets for successful exits in 2026.
- What issues are vendors contending with when preparing assets for sale in an environment of longer holds, valuation pressure, and heightened buyer scrutiny?
- How are firms managing the timing and execution of exits?
- Are sponsors using multiple realisation options in tandem as clean exits remain difficult to secure?
- Which deal terms or structures are proving most effective in bridging valuation gaps and addressing other buyer and lender concerns?
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SpeakersRachel Lewis Co-Head of News, EMEA Mergermarket
Matthew Sabben-Clare Senior Advisor Cinven
Nassim Cherchali Managing Partner AnaCap
Serge Toppjian Managing Director and Head of Industrials Europe Brookfield Asset Management
Sinan Erhan Partner & Head of UK OMMAX
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Rachel is Mergermarket’s co-Head of News, overseeing the publication's private markets coverage in Europe.
Matthew is a senior advisor at Cinven, a senior advisor at Marlborough Partners and a board member, and formerly Chair, of UK Private Capital. Previously, he spent 18 years in senior leadership roles at Cinven, including as Head of Capital Markets and latterly COO. Before Cinven he was in leveraged finance at Merrill Lynch, following a period in investment banking at Schroders.
Nassim Cherchali is the Managing Partner at AnaCap, where he developed the firm’s next-generation platform focused on asset-light services, technology, and software within the financial ecosystem.
Under Nassim’s leadership, AnaCap has successfully executed 100+ acquisitions (platforms and add-ons) and raised over €1bn in capital in the past 5 years.
Before joining AnaCap, Nassim was part of the Financial Institutions Group at Lehman Brothers in London, where he advised clients across insurance, banking, and consumer finance sectors. He graduated from ESCP Europe.
Serge Toppjian is a Managing Director in Brookfield’s Private Equity Group. In this role, he is responsible for leading industrials coverage, deal sourcing and execution in Europe. Mr. Toppjian joined Brookfield in 2013, having worked in Toronto, Sao Paulo and London and on multiple investments in the Americas and Europe. He currently serves on the boards of IPL Schoeller and Unidas.
Previously, Mr. Toppjian worked as an investment professional at a global infrastructure asset manager and began his career as an analyst at a Brazilian investment advisory firm.
Mr. Toppjian holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management, having also attended the London School of Economics. He is a CFA charterholder.
Sinan is a Partner in the Strategy and Transaction Advisory team and Head of the UK at OMMAX in London. His focus is on advising PE funds and their portfolio companies on their transaction, digital growth strategy, and respective execution.
Prior to OMMAX, Sinan gained 15+ years healthcare, consulting and tech experience working for St. Jude Medical, Boston Consulting Group, o9 Solutions, and Bain & Company, primarily focusing on commercial excellence and top-line growth.
Sinan’s focus is on developing innovative and efficient digitization strategies and concepts to create sustainable, repeatable value. Within BCG, he was Head of BCG’s investment software “Catalyst”, and within o9 Solutions, he was the Global Vice President heading the Revenue Growth Management division, looking after digital growth strategies for o9 and its enterprise clients.
Sinan holds a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Biomedical Engineering from Washington University in St. Louis and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from INSEAD.