Mark Versey, CEO of Aviva Investors, is calling on the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to implement a "kitemark" system for private markets funds. This proposed label would signify minimum holding periods, aiming to prevent funds from being misrepresented as liquid when they are not.
The call for a 'kitemark' addresses concerns about transparency and liquidity in the rapidly growing private markets sector, potentially impacting investor confidence and fund structures.
Mark Versey, the chief executive of Aviva Investors, has urged the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to establish a "kitemark" system for private markets funds. Versey suggested that this label would signify recommended minimum holding periods, aiming to prevent the "proliferation of people claiming things are liquid when they are not."
Aviva Investors highlights its extensive experience in private markets, with over fifty years of history and managing more than $61 billion in private market assets. The firm offers a broad range of capabilities including active equity, private debt, multi-asset strategies, and venture and natural capital. Their 2025 Private Markets study indicated planned allocation increases of 50 to 60 percent across regions from 2022 to 2024, reflecting growing investor confidence in the long-term return potential of illiquidity premia within private markets.