Madison Dearborn Partners

Madison Dearborn Partners (MDP) was established as an independent firm in 1992 by a group of professionals who had previously led private equity investments at First Chicago Bank. Based in Chicago, Illinois, the firm has grown into one of the most prominent private equity outfits in the United States, raising billions in capital since its inception.

The firm specializes in leveraged buyouts and invests across a diverse range of sectors, including business and government software and services, financial and transaction services, and healthcare. MDP is known for pursuing large-scale transactions, including several multi-billion dollar buyouts of publicly traded companies during the mid-2000s.

Notable historical activity includes the firm's involvement in the proposed C$51.7 billion acquisition of Bell Canada Enterprises, which would have been one of the largest leveraged buyouts in history before the deal collapsed in 2008. The firm has also been active in acquiring major stakes in companies like TransUnion and Nuveen Investments, the latter of which was eventually sold to TIAA-CREF.