Private Equity’s ‘Proof of Concept’

Private equity “has panned out” for the emerging markets, according to the man who leads an organization that more than any other has been a champion for the developmental benefits of the asset class.

In an exclusive interview with Privcap, David Wilton, Chief Investment Officer for Global Private Equity at the International Finance Corporation (IFC), discusses the origins of the IFC’s private equity mandate and its track record to date. This division of the World Bank was an early backer of general partners in markets like China and Brazil that only in recent years have begun to be embraced by mainstream institutional investors.

Wilton also discusses the IFC’s expanding geographic focus (hello, Cambodia), its high standards for selecting fund managers, and its mandate for eventually putting itself out of business, so to speak.