Distressed investments refer to the purchase of debt or equity securities of companies that are in weak financial condition, distressed, or bankrupt. Private equity firms and other investors may specialize in distressed investing, aiming to turn around troubled companies and sell them for a profit. Two common distressed investment strategies are purchasing the debt of distressed companies at discounted prices and converting debt holdings into equity stakes, or providing rescue financing in exchange for equity. The goal is to implement major restructurings to restore the business to viability then exit at an optimal time. However, turnarounds often fail. Distressed investing requires expertise in bankruptcy proceedings, debt restructuring, and operational reorganizations to profitably execute deals. When successful, distressed investments can produce extremely high returns due to the low prices of purchasing shares in troubled companies.
he third edition of 0100 International — organized by Zero One Hundred Conferences in partnership with the Milan City Council’s Department of Economic Development and Milano&Partners — brought together the global private markets community for a high-signal, execution-focused gathering held from October 27–29.
François Candelon, Partner for Value Creation & Portfolio Monitoring at Seven2, shares how the firm aligns every investment around a clear “exit animal”—a vision of the company at exit—and uses disciplined execution, AI-driven transformation, and sustainability as levers for resilience and premium valuations. From reengineering core processes with AI to embedding decarbonization into business strategy, Candelon explains how Seven2 builds companies that are not just exit-ready, but future-proof.
Private markets are entering a new era where trust, compliance, and technology converge. While public markets enjoy automation and transparency, private assets still depend on paper-based, fragmented systems. Antonio Chiarello, CEO of Weltix, argues that the next leap forward is not just digitization, but the creation of digital infrastructures that redefine ownership. In this conversation, he discusses why friction is structural rather than technological, how regulation enables innovation, and how programmable liquidity and transparency can channel more private capital into real economic growth.
