“How will the private equity sector develop in the years to come?”
That was the first question that Dr. Thorsten Groth, a representative from the consultancy firm Roland Berger, posed as he opened this year’s Campus for Finance – WHU Private Equity Conference on March 23, 2023. And it was not rhetorical, as Dr. Groth then asked the students in the audience to put themselves in the shoes of the experts and give their assessment of the situation. He followed by giving the participants an exclusive forecast for Roland Berger in 2023, one which sees sustainability and the boom in the pharmaceutical and technology sectors as central topics. In the end, interestingly, the students’ evaluations, for the most part, were mirrored in those of the experts, which can often be somewhat opaque. In a subsequent panel discussion, those “in the know” spoke of the challenges that inflation has posed and how their companies are addressing them internally.
Students in attendance walked away from day one having gained many insights into the professional world from today’s financial experts. Additionally, the event gave them a chance to partake in exclusive workshops and conversations with the companies present, allowing for all parties to get to know one another. Also on site was a private career fair, where guests gained further information about and made first contact with these companies at individual booths. The first day of the conference concluded with a wine tasting and later a casino night, where participants tried their hand at the tables to win fun prizes, such as a skydiving lesson.
