Raffaele Legnani, who heads H.I.G. Italy and brings three decades of private equity expertise, has seen the industry evolve through various economic shifts. Here, he discusses the challenges and prospects for Italy’s mid-market firms, the changing mindset of family-owned companies toward private equity partnerships, and the strategies H.I.G. employs—ranging from consolidation to global expansion and digital innovation—to generate long-term growth.

Marek Rodak, Partner at MidEuropa, shares how the firm identifies and scales technology companies across Central and Eastern Europe by backing “digital champions”—tech-driven businesses with regional roots and global ambitions. In this exclusive interview, he explains why CEE is primed for digital innovation, how MidEuropa leverages consolidation strategies to create market leaders, and what emerging trends are shaping the future of tech investing in the region.

As global capital looks for resilient growth and undervalued opportunity, Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) is increasingly standing out. Edgar Kolesnik, Partner at Abris Capital Partners, shares why the region offers far more than macro tailwinds. From underpenetrated markets and exceptional management talent to Abris’ hands-on value creation and ESG integration strategy, Kolesnik outlines how disciplined investors can unlock returns—and resilience—across Emerging Europe’s fragmented but fast-growing mid-market landscape.