Are you curious about businesses, people and solving complex problems?
A private equity career at Cinven can be incredibly rewarding, and four of our Senior Principals are proof of what that looks like in practice.

Courtney Basanovic, Letizia Bellucci, Rebecca Hunter and Anastasya Molodykh joined Cinven between 2014 and 2017, from backgrounds spanning investment banking, M&A and management consulting. Between them, they have worked on some of the firm’s most significant transactions across Healthcare, TMT and Consumer. They share what drew them to Cinven, what makes the work so rewarding, and what they would tell the next generation of dealmakers.

Why Cinven?

Cinven’s appeal lies in both its strategy and its team spirit.

Anastasya Molodykh was drawn by the firm’s European roots and international ambition. “The opportunity on paper and in practice was very exciting!” she says, pointing to the firm’s London HQ and expanding global footprint, while it was the investment approach that stood out for Courtney Basanovic. Cinven’s focus on thematic investing and backing market leaders creates the opportunity to “really have skin in the game and help drive decisions,” Basanovic says.

Cinven’s partnership ethos enables a collaborative and grounded culture (“low-key, low-ego and full of people who are both very good at what they do and genuinely enjoy doing it”) that sets it apart from other private equity firms. “Our strong track record with founder-led companies reflects that approach and creates a different, often more entrepreneurial, investing experience,” adds Basanovic.

What were the early days like?

Joining Cinven means stepping into an environment where expectations are high but so is the level of support, whether in building technical and analytical skills or involvement in meaningful discussions. There’s a real emphasis on learning by doing and opportunity can come early: Letizia Bellucci defines her experience as having “significant responsibility earlier on, particularly in deal execution and portfolio work.”

Career progression at Cinven isn’t about fixed timelines or a checklist but about proving that you’re ready, with open and ongoing dialogue at each juncture to discuss performance and understand expectations. When Rebecca Hunter first joined, that expectation was clear: you needed to already be doing the role ahead of you before you were promoted into it. For Bellucci, the fundamentals remain consistent: “expectations are around consistent deal exposure, strong investment judgment, and increasing ownership.”

What makes dealmaking so rewarding?

Each stage of the investment process at Cinven offers its own challenge, impact and reward.

Two parts particularly stand out for Hunter: “The first is right at the beginning, when the learning curve on a new company is incredibly steep. I find it exciting to build a deep understanding of a business in such a short space of time. The second comes later in the process: negotiation. I really enjoy the challenge of navigating discussions, advocating for key points, and ultimately finding solutions that work for all sides.”

The sense of discovery is echoed by Bellucci who relishes the early phases of understanding the business, building relationships and forming a differentiated view to set the foundations for a successful investment. Molodykh-McFarlane also highlights the excitement of getting to know stakeholders, what drives them and why an opportunity is compelling, saying: “Finding new businesses and building out a thesis and case is really exciting and has only got better every year I have been doing it.” 

The importance of partnership at Cinven is highlighted once again with Basanovic describing working closely with management teams to bring the investment thesis to life as “a real privilege”, as it’s where she’s learned the most about leadership, influence and “how to actually get things done”.

What does the future hold?

Ask about long-term goals, and the answers go beyond achieving the title of Partner, they’re about impact, growth in Europe and the U.S., and building something lasting.

There’s a united desire to continue building a strong team, to mentor future dealmakers and to help bring more diverse talent into the industry by broadening what a career in private equity can look like.

Considering a private equity career at Cinven?

“There are many components to success in private equity and it’s important to remember that it is a long-term career. You learn a lot and evolve professionally and personally. Be open to change and embrace it,” advocates Molodykh.

“Be confident in your judgment early, ask questions and seek out teams where you’ll get real responsibility and support,” is Bellucci’s advice. Basanovic declares that variety is very much part of the appeal, saying: “You go from learning how businesses work, to spotting what makes a great investment, to originating deals, to influencing strategy at the board level—and no stage feels like the last, which keeps it constantly interesting (and keeps you on your toes!).”

Discover more about how collaboration is at the heart of how we work: see our Culture and Values.

Courtney Basanovic

Courtney is a member of the Healthcare sector team and the North America regional team. She has been involved in a number of investments, including BioAgilytix, Jaggaer, LGC, Regenity Biosciences and Visma.

Letizia Bellucci

Letizia is a member of the TMT sector team and the regional team for Italy. She has been involved in a number of transactions including group.one, One.com, Planasa and Ufinet International.

Rebecca Hunter

Rebecca is a member of the Consumer sector team. She has been involved in a number of transactions, including Fressnapf Group, JLA, Miller, NewDay, PCL, Synlab and True Potential.

Anastasya Molodykh

Anastasya is a member of the Healthcare sector team. She has been involved in a number of transactions, including Nutrisens, LGC, Medpace and Synlab.