Overview
Campbell Lutyens is one of the longest-standing independent placement agents in the alternatives industry, founded in 1988 in London. Over more than three decades, the firm has built a reputation as a trusted advisor to GPs raising capital across private equity, infrastructure, real assets, and private credit.
The firm has advised on well over $100 billion in aggregate fundraising since inception, working with a broad range of managers from established global platforms to high-quality first-time funds. Campbell Lutyens operates from offices in London, New York, Singapore, and Hong Kong, giving it a genuinely global footprint.
The team comprises approximately 50 to 60 professionals, many of whom are senior partners with decades of LP relationships. The firm’s culture is deliberately partnership-oriented, with a focus on long-term relationships rather than transactional mandates. Many of Campbell Lutyens’ GP clients have worked with the firm across multiple fundraising cycles.
Campbell Lutyens also operates a well-regarded secondary advisory business, advising LPs on portfolio sales and GPs on continuation fund transactions. This dual capability gives the firm a comprehensive view of both the primary and secondary markets.
Strategy Focus
Campbell Lutyens has particular strength in infrastructure, real assets, and European private equity, though the firm’s capabilities extend well beyond these areas. The firm regularly places buyout funds (mid-market through large-cap), growth equity vehicles, venture capital funds, private credit strategies, and real estate funds.
In infrastructure, Campbell Lutyens is widely regarded as one of the top placement agents globally. The firm has advised on fundraises for some of the most prominent infrastructure managers in Europe, North America, and Asia-Pacific. Their infrastructure expertise spans core, core-plus, value-add, and greenfield strategies across energy, transportation, digital infrastructure, and social infrastructure.
The firm tends to work with GPs raising $300 million and above, with a sweet spot in the $500 million to $5 billion range. They are comfortable with both established managers and institutional-quality teams raising a debut fund, particularly those spinning out from well-known platforms.
Campbell Lutyens’ secondary advisory practice focuses on LP portfolio sales (typically $100 million and above) and GP-led continuation vehicles. The firm has been active in the growth of the secondaries market and brings deep buyer relationships to these processes.
LP Network
Campbell Lutyens’ LP network is one of its defining strengths, particularly in Europe and the Middle East. The firm maintains long-standing relationships with the major European pension funds (including Nordic, Dutch, Swiss, and UK pension systems), sovereign wealth funds in the Gulf and Asia, and leading family offices across the continent.
In North America, Campbell Lutyens has built meaningful relationships with public pension plans, endowments, foundations, and insurance companies. The New York office serves as the hub for North American LP coverage. In Asia-Pacific, the Singapore and Hong Kong offices provide coverage of sovereign wealth funds, government-linked investment organizations, and large family offices.
The firm’s European LP relationships are particularly deep and differentiated. Many European institutional investors have worked with Campbell Lutyens for decades, and the firm’s understanding of European LP preferences, regulatory considerations, and investment committee processes is hard to match. For non-European GPs looking to access the European institutional capital base, Campbell Lutyens is often one of the first calls.
Working With Campbell Lutyens
Campbell Lutyens takes a consultative approach to GP engagements. Before going to market, the firm typically spends significant time with the GP on strategy positioning, fund terms, and marketing materials. They provide candid market feedback and are known for telling GPs what they need to hear, not just what they want to hear.
Placement agent fees typically range from 1.5-2.5% success fee plus retainer. Contact Campbell Lutyens directly for current terms. The firm generally works on an exclusive or co-exclusive basis within defined geographies.
One distinguishing feature of Campbell Lutyens is their willingness to provide sub-advisory or regional mandates. A GP might engage them for European distribution while using a different agent (or raising directly) in North America. This flexibility makes them a practical choice for GPs who want specialized regional coverage rather than a single global agent.
GPs considering Campbell Lutyens should expect a thorough evaluation process. The firm’s partners will want to understand the track record in detail, meet the full investment team, and assess whether the strategy can resonate with their LP base. This diligence cuts both ways and is part of why LPs trust Campbell Lutyens’ recommendations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does Campbell Lutyens operate?
Campbell Lutyens is headquartered in London with offices in New York, Singapore, and Hong Kong. The firm has a genuinely global practice, though its roots and strongest relationships are in the European institutional investor community. Their geographic reach extends across North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific.
What types of funds does Campbell Lutyens place?
Campbell Lutyens places capital across private equity (buyout, growth, venture), infrastructure, real assets, private credit, and real estate strategies. They also have a well-established secondary advisory practice that handles LP portfolio sales and GP-led transactions. The firm works with fund sizes ranging from mid-market vehicles of $300 million to large-cap funds of several billion dollars.
Does Campbell Lutyens work with first-time funds?
Campbell Lutyens has worked with first-time funds, particularly when the GP team has a strong institutional pedigree and demonstrable track record from a prior platform. They tend to be selective and look for teams that can credibly raise $300 million or more. Truly early-stage or seed-level funds are generally not in their wheelhouse.
