SEI and Carlyle have announced an enhanced strategic partnership designed to expand access to institutional-quality private market capabilities across wealth and retirement channels. The partnership builds on a multi-year relationship between the two firms — which previously focused on fund administration and technology enablement — and enters a new phase aimed at developing collaborative solutions for individual investors and their advisors. The companies say the initiative comes as demand for private market exposure continues to grow among wealth and retirement investors who are increasingly seeking more streamlined and efficient access to a broader range of private market strategies.
The enhanced partnership will combine Carlyle’s global private markets expertise, deep investment experience, and client-focused approach with SEI’s capabilities across manager research, implementation, and client delivery. Together, the firms aim to support the development of private market solutions including the design of model portfolios for wealth and retirement investors. The partnership will also include collaboration specifically on private market strategies for the defined contribution market, reflecting SEI’s leading position in the retirement services space and the growing recognition that DC plans represent a significant opportunity for private market exposure.
SEI manages, advises, or administers approximately $1.9 trillion in assets as of March 31, 2026, while Carlyle manages $477 billion in assets under management as of December 31, 2025. The scale and reach of both organizations is central to the partnership’s ambition, as both firms believe the most common client question — how to allocate to private markets — requires not just access but a framework for making those decisions in a manageable way. The relationship is intended to simplify that decision by providing a more structured path to a broader range of strategies within existing wealth and retirement portfolios.
The announcement reflects a broader industry trend toward enabling individual investors to access asset classes that were historically reserved for large institutions. Both firms acknowledge that private markets continue to evolve rapidly, and say the partnership is designed to meet clients where they are today while adapting as the landscape shifts. SEI and Carlyle have indicated they will share additional details about specific collaborative solutions as they are developed and made available to the market.
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“Our objective with Carlyle is to help simplify that decision by providing more streamlined access to a broader range of strategies. SEI’s heritage in manager research and private market allocation, combined with Carlyle’s strength as a leading originator and investor, can help support clients as private markets continue to evolve.”
Michael Lane, Head of Asset Management, SEI
“This partnership reflects the increasing role of private markets across the wealth and retirement landscape. For nearly four decades, Carlyle has focused on creating long-term value for our clients, and we’re committed to bringing that approach to these channels in a way that reflects how these markets operate today.”
Jeff Nedelman, Co-President and Global Head of Client Business, Carlyle
