The Private Assets Academy is an initiative of Natixis Investment Managers to address the needs of investors to better understand private markets.

Private assets, ie assets that are not traded or listed on a public exchange, have distinct features. Some examples of that include:

• their long-term horizon (usually around 10 years but up to 30 years)
• their illiquid profile (it is not easy to buy and sell these assets since they are not available at a disclosed price on a public exchange)
• their price (valuations are less frequent, not as standardised as in listed assets and the price of such assets is traditionally too high for retail investors).

All these features have traditionally reserved these assets to institutional investors or high-net worth individuals able to bear the risk of investing into them.

However, things are changing. 

In the last decade, individual investors have gained limited exposure to private assets under certain conditions. It is expected that new regulations and labels such as ELTIF 2.0 will remove further barriers to access, and drive the democratisation of this asset class.

With increasing acceptance and strategic importance of private assets, the need for in-depth expertise is increasing. The aim of the Private Assets Academy is therefore to offer professional investors a platform that bundles knowledge and promotes dialogue.

In addition to an industry-wide network of experts, the Academy leverages the expertise of 8 independent investment boutiques under the umbrella of Natixis Investment Managers, to provide deep insights and transparent information about illiquid assets such as real estate, private equity, private debt and infrastructure.