While hedge funds have established themselves as serious LBO debt providers, in the last year or so they’ve been active as equity investors as well. Some market pros have welcomed their arrival, in part because it gives sellers more options. But others bemoan the presence of yet another player—often with different investment objectives than private equity firms—at the already competitive bidding table.

But regardless of your view on hedge funds doing private equity deals, it’s imperative to have a strategy to survive and thrive as this trend continues. This panel will discuss deals where hedge funds and private equity firms worked together, talk about competitive situations and address the hedge fund community’s staying power