C-suite level co-investment is a powerful tool, with at least three significant benefits: enhanced financial alignment between C-level leaders and their sponsor, additional wealth creation leverage for the executive and a powerful career decision litmus test.
Despite these benefits, utilization of co-investment is spotty across the middle market. Some funds do not require it, and many executives hesitate to write a check. That said, we believe that co-investment should be seriously considered every time a C-suite leader joins a private equity-backed portfolio company.
Equity grants create foundational alignment between sponsor and executive by ensuring that all parties mutually profit from value creation and a successful exit. However, alignment becomes emotionally and financially real when an executive makes a personally meaningful co-investment into a deal.
By putting skin in the game, the executive becomes emotionally invested in the company as a co-owner. The concept of “going into business with a sponsor” is a powerful signal to the private equity firm that the executive is fully committed.
Co-investing is also a tax-efficient wealth creation tool. After all, what better way to beat the market than to outperform it through one’s leadership? Because most option grants result in ordinary income tax treatment, co-investing can lower the blended tax rate at the liquidity event.
In our experience, savvy private equity operators insist on maximizing their upside while diversifying their own portfolios by placing a personally meaningful financial bet on themselves. For reference, middle-market co-investment ranges for CEOs are typically between $100,000 and $500,000, while other CXOs often land in ...