Yale University appointed Evercore to advise on a potential secondary sale of a portion of its private equity fund interests, joining a growing number of institutional investors turning to the secondaries market to optimise portfolio management. 

While the Ivy League university has not disclosed the size or timing of the potential sale, a spokesperson confirmed the process “has been in the works for many months.” The university also reiterated its ongoing commitment to private equity as a core component of its $41.4bn endowment.

“We remain committed to private equity investments as a major part of our investment program and continue to make new commitments to funds raised by our current investment managers,” Yale said in a statement. “In addition, we continue to actively seek new relationships with private equity firms in the Endowment.”

The move comes amid increased scrutiny of elite universities, both financially and politically, including federal funding threats from President Donald Trump tied to controversial social initiatives. Yale’s peer institutions, including Harvard and Princeton, have also recently announced new debt financing plans, reflecting a broader focus on liquidity and portfolio resilience.

Yale’s potential secondary sale follows a trend among major endowments and pension funds leveraging the secondaries market to manage duration, rebalance GP exposures, or take advantage of pricing dislocations.

Evercore, one of the most active advisors in the private equity secondary space, brings deep experience across LP- and GP-led transactions and has advised on several billion-dollar processes in recent years.

Source: Bloomberg