What Defines Boutique Placement Agents
Boutique private equity placement agents are specialized, often independent firms that provide personalized fundraising services distinct from bulge bracket placement agencies. These firms typically focus on specific regions, asset classes, fund sizes, or investment strategies, offering deep expertise and tailored LP access within their areas of specialization.
Key Characteristics of Boutique Placement Agents
- Specialized Focus: Deep expertise in specific geographies (e.g., European funds, Asian LPs), asset classes (e.g., infrastructure, real estate), or fund stages (e.g., emerging managers, first-time funds)
- Personalized Service: Senior-level attention on every mandate with smaller client portfolios allowing for customized fundraising strategies
- Nimble Execution: Faster decision-making and ability to adapt strategies mid-campaign without bureaucratic constraints
- Selective LP Network: Curated relationships with 100-300 highly targeted institutional investors rather than broad databases
- Aligned Economics: Often willing to structure creative fee arrangements including success-based pricing for emerging managers
- Independent Advisory: Free from conflicts of interest associated with investment banking parents or proprietary fund interests
Why Choose Boutique Placement Agents
Fund managers, particularly emerging managers and specialized strategies, often prefer boutique placement agents for several strategic reasons. Boutique firms provide senior partner involvement from day one, avoiding the "bait and switch" where junior staff handle actual execution after senior rainmakers win the mandate.
Their focused LP networks mean higher-quality introductions to genuinely interested investors rather than mass outreach. Boutique placement agents typically maintain long-term relationships with 150-250 core LPs they know intimately, understanding investment mandates, decision timelines, and key decision-makers personally.
Boutique vs. Bulge Bracket Placement Agents
While large placement firms offer global reach and extensive LP databases, boutique placement agents provide advantages in specific scenarios:
When Boutique Makes Sense
- Emerging Managers: First-time or small funds ($50M-$500M) benefit from personalized attention that large firms may not prioritize
- Specialized Strategies: Niche sectors (e.g., impact investing, sector-focused funds) where boutique expertise exceeds generalist knowledge
- Regional Focus: Asia-Pacific or Latin American funds where boutique firms' local relationships provide superior access
- Relationship-Driven: GPs prioritizing senior-level partnership and strategic counsel over transactional execution
- Cost Sensitivity: Smaller funds seeking flexible fee structures that boutiques can more readily accommodate
Success Metrics for Boutique Placement Agents
Leading boutique placement agents demonstrate track records through:
Emerging Manager Expertise: 60-80% of mandates from first-time or small funds, with proven success closing $100M-$750M funds.
LP Conversion Rates: 15-25% conversion from introduction to commitment, significantly higher than industry averages of 5-10%, indicating quality over quantity targeting.
Multi-Fund Relationships: 70%+ of clients return for subsequent funds, demonstrating satisfaction and long-term partnership value.
Average Time to Close: 12-18 months for first-time funds, competitive with or faster than larger placement firms through focused execution.
Boutique Private Equity Placement Agents (87)
5Capital
5 Capital Funds Placement LLC is a global placement agent and capital advisory firm headquartered in Chicago, specializing in raising capital for private equity, venture capital, infrastructure, real estate, and private credit funds across primary fundraisings, secondaries, and capital markets transactions.
51 North
51 North Capital is an independent placement agent and fundraising advisor focused exclusively on institutional investors in the DACH region (Germany, Austria, and Switzerland). The firm helps global GPs raise capital across private equity, infrastructure, and private debt.
Acanthus
Acanthus Capital Limited is an independent placement agent specializing in European mid-market private equity fund raising, providing strategic advisory, documentation expertise, and deep investor access to ambitious fund managers.
Agilis
Agilis Advisors GmbH is a Germany-based international advisory group specializing in capital raising, fund placement, M&A advisory, and real estate services. Operating in 10+ markets across EMEA and Asia, the firm leverages bulge bracket investment banking expertise to connect clients with global investors.
Alvine
Alvine Capital is an independent London-based placement agency founded in 2005, specializing in alternative investments across private equity, private debt, and hedge funds. With offices in London and Stockholm, the firm advises institutional clients across Nordic, UK, Swiss, and German markets.
Amchor
AMCHOR Investment Strategies is a Madrid-based investment firm specializing in managing and representing alternative investment strategies including private equity buyouts, venture capital, private debt, and real assets across European markets through tailored investment vehicles.
Anacap
AnaCap is a market-leading private equity firm specializing in Software, Technology, and Services within the European financial ecosystem. With β¬2bn+ capital raised and 80+ investments across 10+ European jurisdictions, they partner with founders and entrepreneurial management teams to accelerate growth and build highly specialized businesses.
Apcap
Atlantic-Pacific Capital is one of the largest privately owned placement and advisory firms, having raised over $115 billion across 170+ mandates since 1995. The firm specializes in private equity, private credit, real estate, and capital solutions transactions.
Asante
Asante Capital Group is a leading independent global private markets placement firm founded in 2011. The firm specializes in private equity fundraising and advisory, with the senior management team having advised on over $100 billion in successful capital raisings across North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific.
Athos
Athos Partners is a private equity placement agent focused on assisting mid-market fund managers with capital raising. The firm has closed 54 funds with a 100% success rate, securing on average 50% of new capital for clients through relationships with institutional investors across Europe and North America.
Baltcap
BaltCap is the most experienced and largest private equity fund manager dedicated to the Baltic region, specializing in buyout, growth capital, and infrastructure investments. With more than 25 investment professionals across Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland, the firm focuses on building businesses that increase quality of life through responsible investment practices.
Baltisse
Baltisse is a Belgian investment company founded in 2007 by entrepreneur Filip Balcaen, specializing in private equity, real estate, and capital markets with a focus on entrepreneurship, operational excellence, and long-term value creation.
Berchwood
BerchWood Partners is a boutique global placement agency specializing in raising capital for private equity, venture capital, infrastructure, and alternative investment funds. With offices in New York and London, the firm partners with fund managers on long-term fundraising strategies across diverse sectors and geographies.
Berenberg
Berenberg is a leading European investment bank founded in 1590, offering wealth management, asset management, corporate banking, and investment banking services. With approximately 1,528 employees across 18 locations in Europe and the United States, the firm specializes in equity capital markets and private placements.
Calpa
Calpa Partners is a global independent placement agent providing capital raising and strategic advisory services to private equity, real assets, and private credit fund managers. With offices in London, New York, and Chicago, the firm has advised on over 90 alternative asset funds since 2012.
Campbell Lutyens
Campbell Lutyens is the largest independent private markets advisory firm globally, with 300+ professionals across 15 offices providing fund placement, secondary advisory, and GP capital advisory services to leading fund managers and institutional investors worldwide.
Capeos
CapEos is a London-based independent placement agent founded in 2013, specializing in fundraising for private equity and venture capital funds. The firm focuses on the "Double EM" nicheβEmerging Managers in Emerging Marketsβand has raised over $300 million from global investors.
Capman
CapMan is a leading private asset management company in the Nordic region with 35 years of experience. Managing β¬7.1 billion across real estate, infrastructure, natural capital, and private equity, the firm actively invests in 266 companies and assets as a responsible owner committed to sustainable value creation.
Castren
CastrΓ©n & Snellman is a full-service law firm based in Helsinki, specializing in mergers and acquisitions, dispute resolution, and business law. With over 300 employees and a history dating back to 1888, the firm serves clients across multiple industries with expertise in private equity, capital markets, banking, technology, and ESG matters.
C-funds
c*funds is an independent placement agent specializing in fundraising for emerging General Partners (1st-5th vintage) across venture capital, private equity, and alternative assets. With 10 years of experience and relationships with over 500 global Limited Partners, the firm provides comprehensive primary fundraising, co-investments, and secondaries services.
Cohenco
Cohen & Co. Financial Advisory is an international financial advisory boutique specializing in insurance sector M&A and fund placement in Israel. Founded by former first-tier investment bankers, the firm has advised over 300 clients across EMEA, offering specialized expertise in insurance transactions and third-party marketing services.
Colmar
Colmar Capital is a specialist placement agent with offices in Zurich, Paris, and London, providing fundraising advisory and investor introductions for mid-market private equity managers. The firm focuses on primary fundraising, co-investments, and GP-led secondary transactions.
Convero
Convero AG is a Swiss private equity placement agent founded in 2020, partnering with emerging and established GPs on primary fundraising, GP-led secondary transactions, and direct co-investments across European and US institutional investor networks.
Creatrust
Creatrust is a leading independent trust and corporate services firm based in Luxembourg, specializing in wealth structuring, fund platform solutions, and integrated administration services for corporates, fund managers, family offices, and high net worth individuals seeking to establish presence in Luxembourg.
Elisir
Elisir Capital is an independent placement agent based in Switzerland that raises capital for private investment strategies. The firm works in partnership with growing managers across Europe, coaching them through the fundraising process while maintaining strong relationships with institutional investors and private capital sources.
Elkstone
Elkstone Partners is Ireland's premier alternative investments firm, specializing in private equity, venture capital, real estate, private credit, and hedge funds. Since 2011, the firm has served 400+ clients including private investors, high net worth individuals, and institutions.
Elm
Elm Capital is an independent private capital advisory firm specializing in fundraising and secondary market transactions for private equity, private debt, infrastructure, and real assets markets. Founded in 2004 and based in London, the firm maintains over 1,500 investor relationships across Europe and North America.
Ely Place
Ely Place Partners is a UK-based specialist adviser in alternative assets, providing secondary advisory, placement, and GP advisory services to private equity, credit, infrastructure, and venture capital fund managers and institutional investors worldwide.
Embarcadero
Embarcadero Private Equity is a Madrid-based placement agent and fund manager specializing in bringing international private equity opportunities to Spanish investors. The firm partners with leading global managers including KKR, BC Partners, Pantheon, and Ardian, offering placement services, co-investment funds, and secondary transaction solutions.
Evercore
Evercore is a leading independent investment banking advisory firm providing strategic advisory, capital markets advisory, private capital advisory and fundraising, restructuring, and wealth management services to corporations, institutions, and high-net-worth individuals globally.
FIRSTAvenue
First Avenue Partners is a leading global advisory and capital placement firm specializing in raising capital for private funds, private companies, and secondary transactions. Founded in 2006, the firm operates across private equity, infrastructure, real estate, and credit.
FOI
Fund Placement Israel (FPI) is a dedicated independent private equity placement agent serving Israeli institutional investors. The firm combines deep local market expertise with global private equity knowledge to provide effective capital raising and advisory services.
FSN
FSN Capital Partners is a Northern European private equity firm managing over β¬4 billion across multiple funds, with offices in Oslo, Stockholm, Copenhagen, and Munich. Founded in 1999, the firm focuses on control investments in growth-oriented companies within technical services, professional services, and distribution sectors.
Goldman Sachs
The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. is a preeminent global investment banking, securities, asset and wealth management firm serving corporations, institutions, governments, and individuals. The firm provides comprehensive financial advisory, capital raising, risk management, and investment services across markets worldwide.
Greenhill
Greenhill is a premier independent investment bank providing M&A advisory, financing and restructuring, and private capital advisory services to corporations, partnerships, institutions, and governments across major global markets including North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.
Gulf Equity
Gulf Equity Partners is a UAE-based private placement advisory firm specializing in introducing institutional and professional investors across the Gulf region to select financial opportunities in private equity, private credit, venture capital, and alternative investments.
Harris Williams
Harris Williams is a global investment bank providing M&A advisory and private capital services to clients worldwide. With approximately 540 professionals across North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific, the firm helps unlock value through critical business milestones.
Houlihan Lokey
Houlihan Lokey is a premier global investment bank offering comprehensive financial advisory services including mergers and acquisitions, capital raising, financial restructuring, and placement agent services. Recognized as Placement Agent of the Year at the 2023 Private Equity Awards.
Hsf Kramer
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer is a leading international law firm with approximately 2,145 employees and $1.3 billion in annual revenue. The firm combines extensive scale in disputes and transactions with market-leading legal technology to address complex challenges facing clients globally.
Iberis
Iberis Capital is a leading private equity and venture capital manager in Portugal, founded in 2017 by four experienced partners. The firm manages over β¬600M across innovation, growth, venture capital, and yielding investments with more than 1,300 investors.
Innoswan
Innoswan Capital Partners is a German placement agent specializing in raising capital for investment managers in real estate, infrastructure, private equity, and debt. With over a decade of experience, the firm provides strategic advisory and access to institutional investors across Europe, particularly in German-speaking markets.
Invalda
Invalda INVL is a publicly-traded asset management group managing EUR 2 billion across alternative investments including private equity, real assets, and private debt, alongside traditional asset management and family office services across the Baltic States.
Iqeq
IQ-EQ is a leading global investor services group providing compliance, administration, asset, and advisory services to alternative asset managers, investment funds, institutional investors, and corporations across 25 jurisdictions worldwide.
Jasmin
Jasmin Capital is a French private markets specialist founded in 2011, advising management companies and investors on fundraising, secondary transactions, co-investments, and strategic initiatives across private equity, infrastructure, and private debt. Operating from Paris and Brussels with global reach.
Jefferies
Jefferies is a leading pure-play investment banking and capital markets firm serving institutional clients worldwide. The firm provides comprehensive advisory services including M&A, equity and debt capital markets, equities, and research across global markets.
JSE
JSE Private Placements is a fintech platform subsidiary of JSE Limited that connects private companies seeking capital with qualified investors across Africa. Operating as an authorized financial services provider, JPP facilitates over R12 billion in private investments through its digital marketplace.
Lazard
Lazard is a company in the placement_agent sector. Limited information is currently available.
Lydian
Lydian is an independent Belgian business law firm founded in 2001, operating from Brussels, Antwerp, and Hasselt. With approximately 120 employees including 85 lawyers, the firm combines transactional expertise and litigation skills to serve industry leaders across corporate, private equity, real estate, and technology sectors.
MAFR
MAR Advisors is an Iceland-based independent corporate finance boutique providing M&A advisory, corporate advisory, and debt advisory services to corporates and institutional investors worldwide, with deep specialization in the global seafood and infrastructure sectors.
Marquee
Marquee Equity is a UK-based investment banking firm founded in 2016 that specializes in fundraising for startups and funds, M&A advisory, and deal origination. The platform provides access to over 25,000 investment firms, 6,000+ angels, and has facilitated 900+ fund raises totaling over $3 billion in transaction history.
Mcam
MCAM Group is a London-based independent placement agent providing institutional-grade fundraising services and secondary transaction advisory for buyout, private debt, growth equity, and venture capital general partners globally.
MML
MML Capital Ireland is a private equity firm dedicated to partnering with ambitious founders and managers on the island of Ireland, managing β¬400 million across 25 companies with offices in Dublin, London, Paris, and New York.
Monument
Monument Group is a leading global independent placement agent and secondaries advisory firm serving general and limited partners across private equity, real estate, and alternative investments with comprehensive capital raising and liquidity solutions.
Moravia
Moravia Capital is an independent placement agent specializing in fundraising for alternative asset managers. With offices across seven countries, the firm connects general partners with institutional investors throughout Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia Pacific.
Nazca
Nazca Capital is a Madrid-based private equity firm founded in 2001, managing over β¬500 million across seven funds. The firm specializes in partnering with Spanish family businesses and management teams to execute ambitious growth projects, having completed 107 transactions with a 91% focus on family-owned companies.
Nordic
Nordic Capital is a leading international private equity investor with over 35 years of experience building market-leading businesses across Europe and beyond. With β¬33 billion in assets under management and 13 funds raised since inception, the firm specializes in healthcare, technology & payments, financial services, and industrial sectors.
Nordlink
Nordlink Capital is a specialized placement agent focused on the Nordic markets, facilitating capital introductions to over 120 institutional investors across Sweden, Finland, Denmark, and Norway. The firm serves asset managers, private equity funds, and corporates seeking M&A transactions.
Pantheon
Pantheon is a global private markets investment firm managing $82 billion across private equity, real assets, infrastructure, real estate, and private credit, serving over 1,000 clients worldwide with specialized investment strategies spanning the full investment lifecycle.
Picton
Picton is an independent investment firm founded in 2011 that serves high-net-worth individuals and institutional investors throughout Latin America. The firm specializes in placement agent services for alternative assets and mutual funds, plus multi-family office wealth management across Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Brazil, and Costa Rica.
Piexton
Piexton Capital is a London-based placement agent and strategic capital partner serving specialist long-only, alternative, and digital asset managers. The firm facilitates access to institutional investors and family offices across the UK, Europe, and Southern Africa while supporting large-scale infrastructure opportunities in Africa's energy transition sector.
PJT
PJT Partners is a premier global advisory-focused investment bank offering strategic advisory, restructuring, and placement agent services through PJT Park Hill. With nearly 1,000 professionals across the Americas, Europe, and Asia, the firm provides independent advice and bespoke capital solutions to clients worldwide.
Placement Quest
Baltisse is a Belgian investment firm combining private equity, real estate, and capital markets expertise with a distinctive entrepreneurial approach. Founded in 2007 by industrial entrepreneur Filip Balcaen, the firm emphasizes speed, trust, and owner-operator mindset across its investment activities.
Platypus
Platypus Partners is a boutique placement agent founded in 2017, specializing in capital raising for lower mid-market private equity, venture capital, and niche secondaries funds. With offices in London and Stockholm, the firm leverages deep European investor networks to connect institutional capital with fund managers across North America, Europe, and Asia.
Polaris
POLARIS is a fully regulated European placement agent with offices in Zurich and Vaduz, specializing in marketing and fundraising services for private markets managers. Since 2008, the firm has raised capital for alternative investment managers across private equity, private debt, real assets, and liquid alternatives.
Prescus
Prescus Capital is a boutique financial advisory firm specializing in private capital markets across Europe. Operating from Zurich and London, the firm provides placement agency services, corporate finance advice, and fund placement for growth equity to pre-IPO transactions.
Probitas
Probitas Partners is an independent global advisory and alternatives placement firm that partners exclusively with sponsors seeking to raise institutional capital across private equity, private credit, and real assets markets.
PW Partners
Perella Weinberg Partners is a leading independent global advisory firm specializing in M&A, capital markets, restructuring, and strategic advice to corporations, financial sponsors, governments, and sovereign wealth funds across multiple continents.
Quest
Quest Fund Placement is a UK-based placement agent specializing in raising funds for European mid-market private equity and private debt managers. The firm emphasizes long-term partnerships, offering ongoing advice, support, and investment to transform their partners' businesses.
Reach
Reach Capital is an independent fundraising and strategic advisory firm specialized in private markets, offering primary fundraising, liquidity solutions, private wealth solutions, and strategic advisory services to ambitious GPs and LPs globally.
Red
Rede Partners is a leading private markets specialist partnering with top-tier GPs across primary fundraising, capital solutions, and strategic advisory. With over 150 professionals in six global locations, the firm has raised over β¬130 billion and closed more than 100 funds over fourteen years.
Renatus
Renatus Capital Partners is a Dublin-based boutique private equity firm founded in 2014 that invests β¬3-15 million in Irish and UK companies. The firm takes minority or majority stakes in high-growth SMEs, providing capital, strategic guidance, and operational support with 3-7 year holding periods.
Rewire
Rewire Partners is a UK-based multidisciplinary strategic advisory firm specializing in capital raising, investor relations, and strategic advisory services for alternative asset managers. The firm has advised 130+ funds from 27 countries across multiple strategies.
Roux
Roux Capital is an independent, execution-driven advisory firm based in Paris focused exclusively on private equity primary fundraising and secondary transactions across Europe. The firm combines deep M&A and private equity expertise to serve institutional investors globally.
Selinus
Selinus Capital is the leading placement agent for real estate funds in Germany, connecting international fund managers with German-speaking institutional investors. Founded in 2007 and based in Frankfurt, the firm specializes in raising capital for real estate and private debt funds.
Sierra
Sierra Capital is a specialized placement agent founded in 2018, focusing on alternative and private market investment solutions for the German institutional investor market. Based in Frankfurt, the firm provides strategic fundraising services and acts as a trusted local representative for international asset managers.
Sogne
Sogne Strategies is a Nordic placement agent based in Oslo, Norway, specializing in connecting alternative investment managers with institutional investors across the Nordic region through tailored capital-raising strategies and long-term relationship building.
Stifel
Stifel Institutional operates Eaton Partners, one of the world's largest capital placement agents and fund advisory firms, having raised over $130 billion for alternative asset managers across private equity, real estate, infrastructure, and credit strategies.
Stone Mountain
Stone Mountain Capital is a London-based alternative investment placement agent and advisory boutique serving institutional investors globally with capital raising, structuring, and research across hedge funds, private equity, venture capital, private debt, real estate, and fintech. The firm manages $62.9 billion in Assets under Advisory.
Summit
Summit Crest Capital Management Group is a UK-based investment firm specializing in risk hedging, private wealth management, and equity research. The firm provides tailored financial strategies designed to preserve and grow capital while minimizing market volatility exposure for individuals and institutional clients.
Topcap
TopCap Partners is an alternative asset advisory firm providing capital introduction and fund placement services to private equity and hedge fund managers globally, with a primary focus on European institutional investors and top-tier fund managers.
Trinity
Trinity Group is a London-based placement agent specializing in alternative asset origination and distribution in the Middle East. Since 1996, the firm has raised over $12 billion for institutional fund managers across private equity, venture capital, infrastructure, and real estate.
Triton
TritonLake is a technology-driven platform that intelligently connects alternative investment sponsors with institutional investors worldwide. Founded in 2015, the firm leverages proprietary machine learning and behavioral science to streamline capital raising and investment origination across private equity, venture capital, and real estate.
UBS
UBS is a global financial services firm offering comprehensive wealth management, investment banking, and asset management solutions. Through its Private Funds Group, established in 1998, UBS serves as one of the largest placement agents globally, specializing in private equity, infrastructure, and secondary market advisory.
Valery
Amsterdam-based institutional placement agent and advisory firm specializing in primary fundraising, secondary transactions, and strategic advisory for private equity and private debt funds. Positioning itself as the #1 Benelux Private Equity Placement Agent since 2009.
Victoria
VICTORIAPARTNERS is a specialized real estate investment banking boutique founded in 2013, serving the DACH region and broader European markets. The firm has completed over 70 transactions totaling more than β¬50 billion and raised over β¬3 billion in institutional capital for private real estate investment vehicles.
WHR
WHR Capital is a specialized placement agent focused on helping emerging fund managers raise capital across private equity, venture capital, private credit, real estate, and other alternative asset classes. Founded by Will Riedlinger, the firm leverages extensive institutional investor relationships across the United States and Canada.
Worthwhile
Worthwhile Capital Partners is a Stockholm-based placement agent specializing in thematic sustainable investments for private sector assets. Founded in 2019, the firm connects Nordic and European institutional investors with large-scale investment funds focused on environmental and social impact.