Transformative financial services investment, with Corsair Capital's Raja Hadji-Touma

Episode notes

Raja Hadji-Touma, Partner at Corsair Capital and Head of European Buyouts, discusses Corsair's focus on asset-light businesses in financial services, technology, and business services. He explains Corsair's thematic approach to identifying trends and opportunities, emphasizing hands-on value creation, digitization, and scaling businesses through operational and strategic improvements. Insights Specialization and Evolution Corsair Capital, originally part of JP Morgan, began as a solution to recapitalize troubled financial institutions after the U.S. Savings and Loan crisis. Over time, the firm shifted focus from capital-intensive businesses to asset-light services and technology within the financial services ecosystem. This evolution allows Corsair to focus on operational efficiency and scalable growth, targeting sectors like insurance distribution, fund administration, and B2B payments. Value Creation and Hands-On Approach Corsair prioritizes active value creation by establishing clear 100-day and long-term strategic plans with management teams. Their approach involves operational improvements, talent development, and technology enhancements.

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