PE-linked directors can bring specialized knowledge — and sometimes frustration — to the boardroom

The number of public company board directors with private-equity experience has notably increased over the past decade, ultimately changing the culture and approach of public boards.

Some 37% of Russell 3000 companies had at least one director with PE experience in 2015, according to public company intelligence provider MyLogIQ. That rose to 47% in 2020 and has remained steady through this year. Furthermore, non-independent directors accounted for 5% of PE-experienced directors in 2015 and more than doubled to 12% in 2020 and 13% as of 2024.