# Vista Equity Partners

Vista Equity Partners Management, LLC is an American private equity firm that invests in software, data, and technology-enabled businesses. It is one of the largest private equity firms in the world, managing over $100 billion in assets. Vista Equity Partners has invested in hundreds of technology companies, including Citrix, SentinelOne, and Marketo. The company has offices in several cities, including Austin, Chicago, New York, and San Francisco.

## History
### 2000–2009

Vista Equity Partners was founded in 2000 by American businessman Robert F. Smith, who is chairman and CEO. Vista opened its first office in San Francisco in 2000. In November 2008, the company closed a funding round for its first institutional fund with a total of $1.3 billion raised.

### 2010–2019

In 2010, Brian N. Sheth was promoted to president and awarded the title of co-founder of the firm. He remained in this role until his departure in 2020.
In 2011, the company opened an office in Austin, Texas. Over the years, Vista has added several private equity funds and credit funds to its portfolio, including its first fund, the Vista Credit Opportunities Fund, which raised $196 million. During that time, Vista opened several funds that specifically targeted middle-market companies and emerging technology companies. The company also has a permanent capital investment fund, Vista Equity Partners Perennial, which focuses on growing vertical market software companies.
In September 2019, Vista Equity Partners raised $16 billion for their flagship fund, which was the largest technology-focused fund raised by an independent private equity firm at the time. In June 2024, Vista Equity Partners was ranked 14th in Private Equity International 's PEI 300 ranking of the largest private equity firms in the world.

### 2020–present

As of May 2020, Vista had more than $57 billion in capital commitments. In 2020, Vista joined Diligent Corporation's modern leadership initiative and pledged to create five new board roles among its portfolio companies for racially diverse candidates.
As of June 2021, Vista had more than $81 billion in assets under management. In August 2021, its chief operating officer David Breach was announced as president of Vista, the previous incumbent, Brian N. Sheth, a Vista co-founder, resigning in 2020 following the criminal tax investigation of CEO Smith.
In January 2022, it was announced that Citrix Systems had been acquired in a $16.5 billion deal by affiliates of Vista and Evergreen Coast Capital. The all-cash acquisition will see Citrix merge with TIBCO, a Vista portfolio company.
In August 2022, Vista agreed to acquire tax automation software platform maker Avalara, Inc. for $8.4 billion including debt.
As of August 2023, Vista Equity Partners had over $100 billion in assets under management.
In October 2023, Vista, along with Blackstone acquired Energy Exemplar, an Australian energy software company for approximately $1.6 billion. Also in 2023, Vista was named Global Technology Private Equity Firm of the Year by Private Equity International. In June 2024, Vista Equity Partners was ranked 14th in Private Equity International's PEI 300 ranking of the largest private equity firms in the world.

## Executive tax evasion

In October 2020, Vista's CEO Robert F. Smith and investor Robert T. Brockman were named in a tax evasion case. That month, Smith signed a non-prosecution agreement with the IRS, agreeing to pay $139 million and testify against Brockman.