In this article, Adam MERALLI BALLOU (ESSEC Business School, Global Bachelor in Business Administration (GBBA), 2021-2026) shares his professional experience as Investor Relations at Eurazeo.
About the company
Eurazeo is one of the leading European investment groups specialized in private markets. Listed on Euronext Paris, the group has a market capitalization of approximately €3.62 billion. As of 2024–2025, Eurazeo manages around €37 billion in assets under management, investing on behalf of institutional investors, sovereign wealth funds, pension funds, insurers, family offices and high-net-worth individuals. Eurazeo supports a portfolio of more than 600 companies and relies on a team of over 400 investment professionals across Europe, North America and Asia.
The group operates a highly diversified private markets platform, covering a broad range of non-listed strategies. These include buyout funds, growth equity, venture capital, secondary funds, as well as private debt, infrastructure debt and real estate. Through these strategies, Eurazeo supports a wide range of companies, for example Aroma-Zone, Ozone and Eres in buyout; Vestiaire Collective and Doctolib in growth equity; and Deezer, Swile and JobTeaser in venture capital. This diversification allows Eurazeo to address different investor objectives, risk-return profiles and investment horizons across the private markets universe.
Logo of Eurazeo
Source: Eurazeo
My internship
I worked within the Investor Relations / Product Specialist team. This team plays a central role between the sales teams, whose responsibility is to maintain relationships with Limited Partners (LPs) and lead fundraising discussions, and the investment teams, which focus on sourcing, executing and managing investments.
The Product Specialist team acts as a bridge between these two functions. Its role is to translate investment strategies, portfolio construction, performance and market insights into clear, accurate and investor-ready materials. This positioning requires constant coordination with multiple internal teams to ensure consistency between what is communicated to investors and what is implemented by investment teams.
My missions
My missions were primarily centered on fundraising support and investor due diligence processes. I collaborated closely with all internal teams to respond as quickly and efficiently as possible to LPs’ Requests for Proposals (RFPs) and due diligence questionnaires. This involved collecting information from investment teams, coordinating with legal and compliance teams, and consolidating responses to meet institutional investors’ requirements. I was also responsible for managing and updating several fundraising data rooms using Intralinks. This included organizing documentation, ensuring version control, maintaining up-to-date information and supporting transparency throughout the fundraising process, which is essential for investor confidence.
In parallel, I contributed to the production of high-quality marketing materials such as fund presentations, teasers and fundraising documents. Producing these materials required a deep understanding of each fund’s investment thesis, portfolio composition, value creation strategy and track record, as well as the ability to present complex information in a clear and compelling way for institutional investors.
Finally, I conducted a competitive analysis of the European Private Equity, Private Debt and Real Assets markets. This analysis focused on peer fund strategies, fundraising trends, market positioning and competitive dynamics, and was used to support the sales and product teams in positioning Eurazeo’s funds relative to other major European players.
Required skills and knowledge
This internship required a strong combination of technical, analytical and interpersonal skills. From a technical perspective, a solid understanding of financial markets was essential, particularly across equities and fixed income. Beyond theoretical knowledge, closely following financial markets on a day-to-day basis was a key part of the role, in order to understand market movements, macroeconomic developments and their impact on asset prices.
I needed to be comfortable with portfolio management principles such as asset allocation, diversification, benchmarking and active management in order to contribute effectively to investment proposals and portfolio monitoring.
Proficiency in financial tools was also critical. I regularly used Bloomberg and FactSet to access market data, analyze securities, monitor portfolios and support performance and benchmark analysis. These platforms were essential for understanding market dynamics, tracking asset allocation and assessing portfolio positioning across different asset classes. Advanced Excel skills were used to consolidate data, build allocation summaries, perform basic performance calculations and prepare clear and accurate reports for internal use and client-facing deliverables, ensuring consistency and reliability across analyses.
Beyond technical skills, soft skills played a central role in my day-to-day work. Given the level of autonomy involved in preparing investment proposals for new clients, rigor, attention to detail and strong organizational skills were essential. Clear communication was also key, as I interacted frequently with private bankers, portfolio managers, middle office and management teams. This required the ability to translate complex financial analysis into clear and actionable insights adapted to different stakeholders. This internship required a solid understanding of private markets and institutional fundraising mechanisms. Knowledge of private equity, private debt, infrastructure and real assets was essential to accurately understand investment strategies and respond to investor inquiries.
Strong analytical skills were necessary to conduct competitive market analyses and synthesize complex information into concise and relevant messaging. Writing and presentation skills were also critical, given the importance of producing investor-facing materials that meet high professional standards.
In addition, the role required strong organizational skills, attention to detail and the ability to work under time pressure, particularly during active fundraising phases. Soft skills such as communication, responsiveness and adaptability were essential, as the role involved constant interaction with sales, investment, legal and management teams.
What I learned
This experience provided me with a deep understanding of how private market fundraising operates within a large European investment platform. I learned how institutional investors evaluate funds, what they expect during due diligence processes and how investment strategies are assessed beyond pure financial performance.
Working at the interface between sales and investment teams highlighted the importance of internal coordination and message consistency in fundraising success. I gained insight into how investment strategies and track records are translated into investor-ready narratives, and how responsiveness and data quality play a critical role in building long-term LP relationships.
Overall, this internship strengthened my interest in private markets, investor relations and investment products, and complemented my previous experience in portfolio management by providing a broader perspective on the asset management value chain.
Financial and business concepts related to my internship
I present below three financial and business concepts related to my internship: private market fundraising and LP relations, product positioning and information asymmetry in private markets, and competitive dynamics in European private markets.
Private market fundraising and LP relations
Fundraising in private markets relies on long-term relationships between General Partners (GPs) and Limited Partners (LPs). Institutional investors conduct extensive due diligence before committing capital, assessing governance, risk management, team stability, operational infrastructure and alignment of interests.
My involvement in RFPs and due diligence processes illustrated how transparency, consistency and responsiveness are essential to maintaining investor trust. The Investor Relations and Product Specialist function plays a key role in reducing information gaps and ensuring that investors receive accurate and timely information throughout the fundraising process.
Product positioning and information asymmetry in private markets
Private market funds are characterized by a high degree of information asymmetry, as investment strategies, portfolio composition and value creation processes are not publicly observable. Effective product positioning is therefore crucial to help investors understand how a fund fits within their broader portfolio.
Through the preparation of fund presentations and marketing materials, I learned how complex investment strategies are translated into structured narratives supported by data and track records. Clear positioning helps differentiate funds in a competitive environment and facilitates investor decision-making.
Competitive dynamics in European private markets
European private markets have become increasingly competitive, with a growing number of fund managers competing for institutional capital. Differences in fund size, sector focus, geographic exposure and investment style play a major role in investor allocation decisions. The competitive analyses I conducted highlighted how Eurazeo positions its strategies relative to peers across private equity, private debt and real assets. Understanding these dynamics is essential for adapting fundraising strategies and maintaining competitiveness in evolving market conditions.
Why should I be interested in this post?
This experience offers valuable insight into the fundraising and investor relations side of private markets, which is often less visible than the investment process itself. For students interested in private equity, private debt or alternative investments, this role provides a unique perspective on how funds are raised, how investors evaluate strategies and how investment products are positioned in competitive institutional markets.
Related posts on the SimTrade blog
▶ All posts about Professional experiences
▶ Dante MARRAMIERO My Experience as an Investment Intern at Eurazeo
▶ Margaux DEVERGNE Top 5 Private Equity firms in Germany
▶ Lilian BALLOIS Discovering Private Equity: Behind the Scenes of Fund Strategies
Useful resources
Eurazeo (2025) White Paper on why Investing in Europe
About the author
The article was written in December 2025 by Adam MERALLI BALLOU (ESSEC Business School, Global Bachelor in Business Administration (GBBA), 2021-2026).
▶ Read all articles by Adam MERALLI BALLOU.
