Kohlberg Kravis Roberts may be the main owner of UK retailer Boots, but for many of the shopping chain’s staff the ultimate owner remains a mystery. A straw poll of staff in a central London branch of Boots last week showed none of them had heard of the firm. One shop assistant responded: “I can take you to the section it is in if you want.”

This illustrates how private equity remains a largely unknown industry to many, including people who work for it. For KKR, owner of Alliance Boots, its brand has yet to resonate with workers in its portfolio companies. Then again, industry sceptics claim, private equity firms are happy to avoid attention.