Partners Group Names Pete Zippelius Health PE Co-Head

Partners Group, a prominent global private markets investment firm with approximately $152 billion in assets under management, is bolstering its private equity capabilities in the health and life sciences sector. The firm has appointed Pete Zippelius to serve as Co-Head of its Private Equity Health & Life Vertical, a strategic move designed to enhance its investment execution and value creation strategies within this dynamic industry. Zippelius will commence his new responsibilities in September 2026, operating from the firm's United States base.

In this elevated role, Zippelius will collaborate with Benjamin Breier, who joined Partners Group in 2022, to steer the firm's investments across the healthcare continuum. Their mandate includes identifying and securing new investment opportunities, as well as actively driving growth and operational improvements within the existing portfolio. Partners Group has demonstrated a significant commitment to this sector, having deployed roughly $13.2 billion to date across healthcare services, life sciences, and medical technology segments.

Zippelius brings a wealth of experience, most recently serving as an Investment Partner at Leonard Green & Partners. During his tenure there, he was instrumental in leading approximately $8 billion in equity investments within the healthcare and life sciences arenas, spanning various investment strategies. His extensive background, exceeding two decades in private equity and investment banking, also includes key positions at financial giants such as J.P. Morgan, Deutsche Bank, and Morgan Stanley, where he advised on numerous high-profile global healthcare transactions.

The addition of Zippelius underscores Partners Group's strategic emphasis on thematic investing, particularly in areas benefiting from sustained demographic shifts, rapid technological innovation, and ongoing transformations in healthcare systems. This appointment follows a series of recent senior hires across the firm's private equity division, including key roles in the technology and consumer goods sectors, signaling a concerted effort to deepen specialized expertise and foster long-term value generation.

The healthcare and life sciences sector continues to attract substantial private equity capital, driven by an aging global population, advancements in biopharmaceuticals and medical devices, and increasing demand for innovative healthcare solutions. The market for healthcare services alone is projected to experience robust growth, with various sub-sectors like specialized clinics and digital health platforms showing particularly strong expansion potential. Zippelius's proven ability to build and scale high-quality businesses aligns perfectly with these market dynamics.

Wolf Scheider, Head of Private Equity at Partners Group, commented on the appointment, highlighting Zippelius's profound sector knowledge and his demonstrated success in cultivating and expanding leading healthcare and life sciences enterprises. This strategic reinforcement of the Health & Life Vertical is expected to further solidify Partners Group's position as a leading investor in this critical and evolving industry.