‘Complexity is Our Friend’: James Brocklebank on Advent's Private Equity Strategy

Private equity thrives in complex, non-benign market conditions, where deep sector expertise and operational value creation drive alpha. James Brocklebank, co-chair of Advent, highlights how the firm leverages a local, "boots on the ground" approach to navigate Europe’s fragmented regulatory and labor landscape. By prioritizing "exitability" at the point of acquisition and avoiding single-threaded exit paths, the firm maintains performance despite a broader industry slowdown in realizations. Advent integrates artificial intelligence both internally—using an "IC robot" trained on 13 years of committee data to challenge assumptions—and across portfolio companies to drive digital transformation. With a strategic pivot toward the Asia-Pacific region, including significant investments in India and Japan, the firm continues to focus on transformational buyouts while maintaining a disciplined, pure-play private equity strategy.