Executive Summary
Sustained growth rarely comes from chasing the next opportunity. At Ardian, one of the world’s leading private investment firms, growth is built by continuously strengthening core capabilities while selectively expanding into adjacent markets. In this conversation, Jan-Philipp Schmitz explains why successful investment firms think in platforms rather than individual transactions—and why the same principle applies to companies pursuing long-term transformation.
The Insight
Many organisations view growth as a series of isolated opportunities. Ardian takes a different approach. Rather than constantly reinventing its strategy, the firm focuses on building strong core investment platforms and then expanding into carefully selected adjacent businesses.
This philosophy has enabled Ardian to scale from a specialist private equity investor into one of the world’s leading alternative investment firms. Instead of pursuing growth for its own sake, the company repeatedly asks a simple question: What capabilities do we already have that can be leveraged in adjacent markets?
The same logic applies well beyond private equity. Companies often seek transformation by launching entirely new initiatives while underutilising the strengths they have already developed. Ardian’s experience suggests that sustainable growth is more often achieved by deepening existing capabilities before expanding into related opportunities.
For leaders navigating transformation, the lesson is clear: successful organisations balance focus with ambition. They continue investing in what they do exceptionally well while remaining disciplined about where—and how—they expand.
Key Takeaways
- Build strong core capabilities before pursuing new growth areas.
- Expansion into adjacent markets often creates more sustainable growth than unrelated diversification.
- Long-term value creation depends on disciplined execution, not opportunistic expansion.
Continue the Conversation
This article highlights one of the themes discussed with Jan-Philipp Schmitz, Executive Vice President and CEO Germany at Ardian. The full conversation also explores private equity, secondaries, infrastructure investing, AI in investment management, global capital markets, leadership, and Ardian’s international growth strategy.