This book presents new, advanced, evidence-based guidance on investing in private equity funds: first by assessing the investor's environment and motivations, then by looking into the risks, returns and overall performance of funds and finally, by offering practical solutions to the illiquidity conundrum.

1. Introduction 2. Sub-Optimal Risk-Return Profiles in Private Equity 3. Fee Levels, Performance and Alignment of Interests in Private Equity 4. The Predictive Power of the J-Curve 5. Conclusion

Cyril Demaria specializes in private equity and combines practical and entrepreneurial experience, academic knowledge, and lecturing experience. Prior to founding and managing Pilot Fish, a series of private equity funds, he was Chief Investment Officer of Tiaré Investment Management AG (Zurich). He previously created a multi-strategy fund of funds focused on environment (Pionat Viable Investments). Prior to that, he was an Investment Associate in a Swiss private equity fund of funds; a Portfolio Manager responsible for private equity funds investments for a French insurance group; and Head of Corporate Development of a French IT firm in charge of acquisitions and financing. He started his career in an American hybrid venture capital and fund of funds firm.
A French citizen, Cyril holds a BA in Political Sciences from the Institut d'Etudes Politiques (Lyon), a Masters in Geopolitics applied to Money and Finance (Paris); a Masters in European Business Law (Paris); and is a graduate from HEC (Paris, specialized in Entrepreneurship). He is a doctoral candidate at University Sankt-Gallen and an Associate Professor at EDHEC (Nice, Lille, London), ESCP-Europe (London), ESCE (Paris), EADA (Barcelona), Fipecafi (Sao Paulo), USP (Sao Paulo) and IFP Business School (Paris). He lectures on "Private Equity", "LBO", "Money and Finance", and "International Finance". He notably holds executive training sessions at the Association Françaisedes Investisseurs en Capital (Paris) and the Société Française des Analystes Financiers (Paris). Cyril collaborates regularly as an expert with the SECA, AFIC, and EVCA.