Guy Hands, founder of UK buyout firm Terra Firma, today provided a glimmer of hope for the buyout industry, saying investment opportunities this year and next are likely to produce stellar returns that should help push aside the uncertainty which is now causing him to "get out of bed on both sides".

Speaking at the Super Return conference for the buyout industry in Berlin, he said he was optimistic for for the remaining commitments in the firm's €5.4bn ($6.9bn) third fund and predicts it will make three to five times returns for investors due to present depressed prices for assets.