HIG Capital Enters Secondaries Market Through Strategic Morgan Stanley Hires
HIG Capital Enters Secondaries Market Through Strategic Morgan Stanley Hires
HIG Capital has established a dedicated secondaries investment platform by recruiting four experienced professionals from Morgan Stanley’s private equity secondaries unit, marking the firm’s entry into the rapidly expanding GP-led transaction market.
Dan Wieder leads the new GP Solutions Platform as Managing Director, collaborating with Managing Director Yash Gupta and Principals Austin Gerber and Joe Holleran. The team brings nearly five decades of collective secondaries investing experience, enabling HIG Capital to pursue continuation vehicles and other alternative liquidity structures.
The timing reflects broader industry momentum in GP-led transactions, which have gained prominence as sponsors adapt to constrained IPO and M&A exit environments. Jefferies data shows GP-led exits increased 19% during the first half of 2025, demonstrating growing reliance on these alternative mechanisms.
“Their collective expertise, proven investment acumen, and entrepreneurial mindset are highly complementary to our platform,” said Rick Rosen, Co-President of HIG Capital, regarding the strategic team additions.
The platform expansion aligns HIG Capital with industry peers including Warburg Pincus and Leonard Green & Partners that have developed specialized secondaries capabilities. These firms recognize growing institutional demand for shorter-duration investment options and partial liquidity events within private equity portfolios.
HIG Capital’s secondaries initiative will target opportunities across North America and Europe, leveraging the firm’s established origination network and underwriting expertise. The strategy focuses on acquiring stakes in seasoned portfolio companies with proven operational track records and growth potential.
The GP Solutions Platform complements HIG Capital’s active transaction pipeline across technology and media sectors. Recent deals include the acquisition of Kantar Media and the $4 billion revenue merger creating Pellera Technologies from Converge and Mainline Information Systems.
Operating from 19 international offices, HIG Capital manages $70 billion across comprehensive investment strategies spanning private equity, growth equity, real estate, direct lending, infrastructure, special situations debt, and growth-stage healthcare investments. The firm’s expansion into new markets demonstrates its commitment to providing diverse liquidity solutions for middle market companies.
