IntroductionInvestors in private equity and venturecapital limited partnership investmentvehicles have developed variousapproaches for the risk measurementof their portfolio of holdings. As withpreviously developed ProfessionalStandards, <strong>EVCA</strong> believes that differentstakeholders in the asset class willbenefit from guidance based on currentbest practices among investors in thefield of private equity and venture capitalrisk measurement. This guidance will helpinvestors to increase their exposure tothe asset class by developing sound riskmeasurement practices and will alsoinform discussions on risk measurementwith regulators, boards of trustees andother stakeholders.4 I <strong>EVCA</strong> <strong>Risk</strong> <strong>Measurement</strong> <strong>Guidelines</strong> 2013
These <strong>Guidelines</strong> set out recommendations intended torepresent current best practices to measure the value at riskof investing in private equity and venture capital funds.The term “private equity” is used in these <strong>Guidelines</strong> in abroad sense to include investments in limited partnershipswhich in turn invest in early-stage ventures, managementbuyouts, management buy-ins and similar transactionsand in growth and development capital.These <strong>Guidelines</strong> are intended for investors (banks, insurancecompanies, pension funds, fund of funds etc.), which act aslimited partners in private equity funds. The focus of these<strong>Guidelines</strong> is the measurement of risks for investmentsthrough closed-ended funds with a finite life structuredas limited partnerships, which is the dominant and mostrelevant vehicle for institutional investing in private equity.To the extent other structures recreate the major featuresof limited partnerships these <strong>Guidelines</strong> are relevant as well.Private equity funds structured as limited partnershipsare difficult to model and to integrate into the frameworkof traditional risk measures and of existing regulation.As a consequence, regulated institutional investors haveso far been predominantly applying “standard” or “simple”approaches when determining the regulatory capital forsuch assets. These coarse approaches could potentially misssignificant risks, and in many other situations they overstaterisks, leading to a suboptimal under-allocation to privateequity.New regulation recognises that IT plays an important role inmodelling risks and enabling risk management. The resultinghigher standards of operational risk management and increasedcomplexity of modelling may challenge a reliance on spreadsheets. Therefore, implementing the approaches describedin the <strong>Guidelines</strong> may require significant IT development 1 .The <strong>Guidelines</strong> recognise that each portfolio of holdings ofprivate equity funds has specific characteristics. Therefore theydo not aim to calibrate their models by using one-size-fits-allparameters. The <strong>Guidelines</strong> aim to help users identify theirown exposure to the different risks that need to be taken intoconsideration and how these risks should be measured.<strong>Risk</strong> management by definition deals with volatile environmentsand consequently there cannot be a “standard model” for allinvestors. The <strong>Guidelines</strong> are therefore principle-based, i.e. theyaim to provide a conceptual basis instead of a list of detailedrules or parameters to calibrate internal models. Internal modelsare developed by investors, often with the aim of determiningthe Value at <strong>Risk</strong> (VaR), which is one of the most importantmeasures for financial risks, with concepts similar to VaRbeing used in many parts of financial regulation.All sections should be read as follows: Recommendations areset out in bold in a blue box. Further explanations, illustrations,background material, context and commentary to assist inthe interpretation of the recommendations, are set out innormal type. An Appendix provides guidance on the application.Adoption of the <strong>Guidelines</strong> is voluntary. The <strong>Guidelines</strong>were drafted by a working group of private equity riskmeasurement practitioners in dialogue with its academicboard, and document the views and methods that havefound broad acceptance.1 Recent discussions around Solvency II reflect an increase in IT requirements to comply with forthcoming regulation. For example, the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) captures in its final report on PublicConsultations No. 11/009 and 11/011 on the Proposal for the Reporting and Disclosure Requirements such issues. (see: https://eiopa.europa.eu/consultations/consultation-papers/2011-closed-consultations/november-2011/draft-proposal-onquantitative-reporting-templates-and-draft-proposal-for-guidelines-on-narrative-public-disclosure-supervisory-reporting-predefined-events-and-processes-for-reporting-disclosure/index.html)<strong>EVCA</strong> <strong>Risk</strong> <strong>Measurement</strong> <strong>Guidelines</strong> 2013 I 5
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