Resource Search

Operational improvements are a key lever for achieving value creation after a deal closes. There are three critical ways private equity firms can both protect and grow value through operations.

Industry 4.0—synonymous with smart technologies—is driving efficiencies and increasing productivity. Data, and the physical-digital integration of humans, processes, systems, and machines, are key components of this transformation. The global ramifications of Industry 4.0 are still under debate, but one thing is certain: Change is coming.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is advancing quickly, and it’s impossible for anyone to give a precise vision of how the next ten—much less five—years will unfold. Our aim here is different: to make specific predictions about AI trends for the next 12 months and draw out key implications for business, government, and society as a whole.

The future. It’s the topic on the mind of most business leaders—what’s going to happen in the future? And importantly, how do you ensure you’re prepared for it? Today, as technological advances impact the scale, scope, and utility of data and information, a new ecosystem of information and trust is taking shape around us. Businesses are responding by using and reporting information that goes beyond financial information.

Under prior law, the Internal Revenue Code provided that employers would be allowed deductions for operating privately owned aircraft attributable to business flights. Under the new law, though, expenses attributable to entertainment activities will now be 100 percent non-deductible, whereas in the past they were 50 percent deductible. Other changes were made and employers must alter how they categorize flights for the new rules.

Now that The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the Act) has been signed into law, you may be wondering what this means for you and your family. The Act is broad in scope and will change the tax rules for individuals and businesses in 2018 and beyond. When thinking about the impact of the Act on you, your family, and your business, it’s important to remember that every individual has their own set of circumstances, and is uniquely affected by tax reform.

As a special type of equity-based compensation used by limited liability companies profits interests can bring a range of benefits to shareholders. Profits interests can help attract, retain, and reward key employees, and offer an opportunity to share in future earnings, increases in equity value, or proceeds from a sale of the company. When used strategically, profits interests can support business growth and value creation objectives, potentially offering more income and wealth to employees, investors, and shareholders.

The destruction caused by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria and the wildfires in California have led to an outpouring of charitable gifts and donations. For businesses whose employees were affected by disasters, there is a way to provide relief through an employer-sponsored public charity or private foundation.

Cyber risk has moved from the IT department to a full-fledged enterprise risk. Unfortunately, a cyberattack can hit a company at any time. There are, however, practical, actionable steps to ensure that when a cyberattack hits, your company and board will be both ready to address the threat and resilient enough to recover from it. Leveraging a flexible and uncluttered framework of readiness, resilience, resources, reporting and results—what we call “The 5 Rs”—is key.

Having an entrepreneurial culture can help nurture a family legacy by providing pathways for family members to invest in new enterprises and regularly recharge the wealth for future generations. Although it may be challenging to re-energize a family, a dynamic culture of growth can flourish within a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem. A family interested in being a family of legacy should examine their current culture to determine if they have what it takes to be an entrepreneurial family.