Although known as the entertainment mecca, Los Angeles as the second most populous city in the country offers capital that for many feels readily accessible. Being a part of a state that by itself just eclipsed Japan in GDP to now be ranked as the fourth largest economy globally offers tremendous opportunity. Los Angeles’s warm weather and large population provides investors with a scene that is enjoyable and great for capital deployment.
At Dakota, we provide investment professionals with a centralized platform for private equity intelligence through Dakota Research. Our real-time insights, comprehensive manager coverage, and performance data empower investors to make informed decisions with confidence.
In this article, we’re spotlighting the top private equity firms in the Los Angeles metro area that are leading the charge in deal-making and market transformation. By the end, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of these firms, their investment strategies, and their impact on the private equity space.
1. Oaktree Capital Management
Overview: Oaktree Capital Management is a global alternative investment management firm headquartered in Los Angeles. Founded in 1995, the firm is recognized for its leadership in credit-oriented investing and has built a reputation for risk-controlled performance across market cycles. Oaktree manages over $180 billion in assets under management and operates in a broad range of asset classes. The firm is known for its disciplined investment philosophy, opportunistic strategy, and expertise in identifying value in complex or distressed situations. As a subsidiary of Brookfield Asset Management, Oaktree benefits from a powerful global platform while maintaining independent decision-making.
Focus: Oaktree specializes in alternative investments with a core focus on credit strategies, including high yield bonds, senior loans, distressed debt, structured credit, and private lending. The firm also manages strategies in private equity, real assets, and listed equities. Oaktree targets opportunities across the liquidity spectrum, often in market dislocations or transitional environments where its rigorous approach and long-term perspective can deliver attractive risk-adjusted returns. Its investment process is guided by a value-oriented mindset, deep fundamental research, and a cautious approach to capital deployment.
2. Pathway Capital Management
Overview: Pathway Capital Management is a global private markets investment firm headquartered in Irvine, California. Established in 1991, the firm has grown into one of the most experienced and largest independent private markets investment managers, with over $100 billion in assets committed across private equity, credit, and infrastructure strategies. Pathway serves a broad base of institutional investors, including public and corporate pension plans, endowments, and sovereign wealth funds. The firm is known for its disciplined approach, deep market insight, and strong emphasis on long-term partnership and client alignment.
Focus: Pathway Capital focuses on building customized private market portfolios through fund investments, co-investments, and secondaries. The firm emphasizes primary fund commitments across buyout, growth equity, venture capital, and credit strategies globally. It also pursues selective co-investments and opportunistic secondary market transactions to enhance portfolio efficiency and return potential. Pathway’s investment process is characterized by rigorous due diligence, prudent diversification, and a focus on high-quality managers with consistent performance. Its long-term orientation and institutional scale position it as a trusted steward of capital in the private markets ecosystem.
3. Clearlake Capital Group
Overview: Clearlake Capital Group is a leading investment firm based in Santa Monica, California, specializing in private equity and special situations. Founded in 2006, the firm has grown into one of the most active and successful middle-market investors, with over $70 billion in assets under management. Clearlake employs a sector-focused approach, primarily targeting technology, industrials, and consumer markets. The firm is known for its proprietary O.P.S.® (Operations, People, Strategy) framework, which combines operational improvement with strategic growth initiatives to enhance performance and value creation across its portfolio companies.
Focus: Clearlake focuses on control-oriented investments in companies that can benefit from its operational expertise and flexible capital solutions. It targets businesses across the middle market with strong potential for transformation, whether through organic growth, operational enhancement, or strategic add-on acquisitions. The firm is especially active in sectors where it has deep domain knowledge and value-creation playbooks, including software, tech-enabled services, industrial technologies, and consumer products. Clearlake leverages its in-house operations team and collaborative partnerships with management to drive sustainable growth and long-term outcomes.
4. Leonard Green & Partners
Overview: Leonard Green & Partners (LGP) is a Los Angeles-based private equity investment firm founded in 1989. The firm is one of the leading private equity firms in the U.S., with over $70 billion of assets under management. LGP specializes in investing in established companies with strong market positions and growth potential. Known for its collaborative and flexible investment approach, LGP supports both management-led buyouts and growth equity investments. The firm values long-term partnerships and brings a strong network and operational insight to help companies scale.
Focus: LGP focuses on companies primarily in the consumer, business services, healthcare, and retail sectors. The firm typically invests in market-leading companies with proven business models and strong cash flow profiles. It targets both control and significant minority stakes, allowing for tailored structures that align with management and shareholder objectives. LGP is particularly known for backing founder- or entrepreneur-led businesses and works closely with teams to drive strategic growth, operational improvement, and value creation while maintaining the company’s culture and leadership continuity.
5. Platinum Equity
Overview: Platinum Equity is a global investment firm founded in 1995 by Tom Gores and headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. The firm specializes in mergers, acquisitions, and operations of companies that can benefit from Platinum’s hands-on approach to operational transformation. With more than $47 billion of assets under management and a portfolio of companies spanning diverse industries, Platinum has established itself as a leader in complex carve-outs, corporate divestitures, and other transition-intensive investments. The firm combines deep transactional expertise with an in-house operations team to support strategic growth and long-term value creation.
Focus: Platinum Equity focuses on acquiring and operating businesses in a broad range of sectors, including manufacturing, distribution, transportation and logistics, equipment rental, and technology. The firm targets companies undergoing transformation or in need of operational improvement, particularly those involved in carve-outs from larger corporate parents. Platinum employs a highly active ownership model, leveraging its operational resources to implement efficiency improvements, strategic repositioning, and performance optimization. Its flexible investment mandate allows it to pursue opportunities across the capital structure and business lifecycle, with an emphasis on control-oriented investments.
6. Cliffwater LLC
Overview: Cliffwater LLC is a leading investment advisory and asset management firm specializing in alternative investments. Headquartered in Marina del Rey, California, and founded in 2004, Cliffwater has grown to manage and advise on over $80 billion in assets across private credit, private equity, hedge funds, and real assets. The firm serves a wide range of institutional clients, including pension plans, endowments, foundations, and sovereign wealth funds. Cliffwater is known for its research-driven approach, fiduciary mindset, and deep expertise in evaluating and constructing customized portfolios of alternative investments.
Focus: Cliffwater focuses on delivering alternative investment solutions through both advisory and asset management platforms. Its core capabilities include due diligence and portfolio construction for institutional clients, as well as managing proprietary investment vehicles such as the Cliffwater Corporate Lending Fund (CCLFX), one of the largest interval funds in private credit. The firm emphasizes access to high-quality managers, disciplined underwriting, and thoughtful diversification. In private credit, Cliffwater targets direct lending, asset-based lending, and opportunistic credit, aiming to deliver consistent income with downside protection.
7. Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors
Overview: Kayne Anderson is a leading alternative investment management firm founded in 1984 and headquartered in Los Angeles, California. The firm manages over $33 billion in assets and is known for its thematic, research-driven investment approach across niche markets. Kayne Anderson combines deep sector expertise with long-term relationships to identify unique opportunities and generate value for institutional and high-net-worth clients. The firm emphasizes alignment with investors and portfolio companies, aiming to deliver strong risk-adjusted returns through disciplined, opportunistic investing.
Focus: Kayne Anderson focuses on alternative strategies across energy infrastructure, real estate, credit, and growth equity. The firm is particularly recognized for its leadership in energy-related investments, including midstream infrastructure and upstream assets, as well as senior housing and medical office real estate. In private credit, it targets direct lending and asset-based financing to underserved middle-market companies. Kayne Anderson also supports growth-stage businesses in sectors like healthcare, technology, and sustainability. Its strategy is centered on deep fundamental analysis, long-term capital deployment, and proactive portfolio management.
8. K1 Investment Management
Overview: K1 Investment Management is a Los Angeles-based private equity firm specializing in high-growth enterprise software companies. Founded in 2011, K1 has emerged as a leader in the software investment space, managing over $13 billion in assets. The firm is known for its collaborative approach and commitment to helping software founders and management teams build category-defining businesses. K1 combines strategic capital with operational support, deploying a proven playbook to accelerate growth, scale infrastructure, and drive long-term value creation.
Focus: K1 exclusively invests in enterprise software businesses, targeting companies with strong recurring revenue, scalable business models, and opportunities for operational enhancement. The firm focuses on both majority and minority investments, supporting a range of growth stages from early expansion to mature platforms. K1 leverages deep software expertise to assist with go-to-market strategy, talent development, product scaling, and M&A execution. Its investment model centers on alignment, data-driven execution, and helping entrepreneurs turn vision into market leadership.
9. Marlin Equity Partners
Overview: Marlin Equity Partners is a global investment firm headquartered in Los Angeles, with an additional office in London. Founded in 2005, the firm manages over $9 billion in capital and specializes in partnering with businesses to unlock value and accelerate growth. Marlin is recognized for its operational expertise, speed of execution, and ability to navigate complex transaction environments. The firm has completed over 200 acquisitions across a broad range of industries, offering flexible capital solutions and strategic support tailored to each portfolio company’s needs.
Focus: Marlin Equity focuses on investing in businesses that can benefit from operational improvements, strategic repositioning, or accelerated growth. The firm targets corporate divestitures, founder-led businesses, underperforming assets, and other special situations. It invests across sectors including software, technology, healthcare, business services, and manufacturing. Marlin’s approach emphasizes control transactions, but the firm is also open to structured minority investments. Leveraging its in-house operations group, Marlin partners closely with management teams to drive transformation and long-term value creation.
10. Shamrock Capital Advisors
Overview: Shamrock Capital is a Los Angeles-based investment firm with deep roots in media, entertainment, and communications. Founded in 1978 as the family investment company of the late Roy E. Disney, Shamrock has evolved into an institutional investor with a strong heritage and domain expertise. The firm manages over $4.4 billion in assets across a family of funds and has built a reputation for being a trusted partner to founders, management teams, and content creators. Shamrock’s approach emphasizes strategic collaboration, sector specialization, and long-term value creation.
Focus: Shamrock Capital focuses exclusively on investments in media, entertainment, communications, and related sectors. The firm makes both control and minority investments in companies involved in content production, intellectual property rights, media platforms, marketing services, and technology infrastructure that supports these industries. Through its private equity and content strategy funds, Shamrock invests in scalable businesses with differentiated assets or capabilities. The firm’s deep industry network, thematic investment approach, and active portfolio management style help drive strategic growth and operational improvement.
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