An introduction and outlook from Sam Kemp, Connection Capital’s new CEO
First and foremost, I’d like to say how delighted I am to be joining the team here at Connection Capital. I’m very much looking forward to helping champion access to private markets investments for private investors and family offices. It’s vital we enable access to asset classes such as private equity, private credit and secondaries so that our professional clients can diversify their sources of risk and return – especially in uncertain times.
During my career in banking and fund management, I’ve seen plenty of booms and downturns, but with today’s 24-hour news cycle, the current geopolitical turbulence can feel relentless. It’s difficult to ignore the noise while staying informed and objective about developments shaping the economic outlook.
Periods of dislocation are often when disciplined investors distinguish themselves. Those with experience tend not to get rattled; instead, they focus on long-term outcomes. Thoughtful allocation to private markets can, in certain circumstances, provide a degree of insulation from short-term public market volatility, reflecting their less correlated nature and longer investment horizons.
What’s needed when others are losing their heads is a measured approach. The most successful investors tend to plan their asset allocation in advance and, while they may adjust course as conditions evolve, they avoid knee-jerk reactions.
In private markets, that discipline extends to manager selection and active ownership supporting value creation over time. Alongside this, investors should think pragmatically about where dislocations are creating potentially attractive entry points. That is central to how we approach investing at Connection Capital.
Areas of opportunity in 2026
As we look ahead, the most compelling opportunities are likely to emerge in a number of areas – many of them shaped by current market dislocations and the need for liquidity.
In private credit, the 2026 vintage has the potential to be among the strongest in recent years. With many investors facing cash calls, those able to commit capital over a longer horizon can access potentially attractive opportunities on favourable terms.
In private equity and venture capital, holding periods have extended as managers wait for optimal exit conditions. While this delays realisations, it has also driven the continued use of continuation vehicles – providing liquidity solutions while maintaining exposure to high-quality assets. This remains a well-established feature of the market, offering access to secondary opportunities with strong underlying fundamentals.
Across our co-investment and direct investment pipeline, we continue to see potentially attractive investment opportunities. By sourcing and diligencing these opportunities on a deal-by-deal basis, we can be selective and present our clients with transactions where we see clear alignment, some robust downside protection and a credible path to value creation – positioning these investments to have the potential to deliver consistent targeted returns through the cycle.
My advice to investors is to remain composed and disciplined – while keeping a close eye on the themes and opportunities that periods of dislocation can create.