One of the most remarkable phenomena of the last ten years has been the growth of private equity. A decade ago, private equity was known as venture capital and was the Cinderella of the M&A world. The global financial crisis has heralded in a new era and set of challenges for the private equity world with a severe tightening of lending conditions. This practical second edition introduces the world of private equity, explains its rise and recent challenges and explores the key ingredients of private equity transactions and the technical issues associated with them. Featuring fully updated chapters by private equity practitioners, the book includes high-level analysis of private equity fund structures, equity and debt finance, acquisition documentation, due diligence, tax structuring and management, pensions and public to privates. New to the second edition are key chapters on Governance and Private Equity Restructuring and a new international section with chapters from France, Germany and the United States. This new second edition is essential reading for anybody interested in or working within the field of private equity.