Amid worries that squeezing value out of investments is becoming harder in the private equity industry, buyout firm Duke Street says it plans to modify its partnership structure to ensure it has more operational management experience among its senior staff. It also plans to involve its operational consultants in sourcing new deals rather than just managing its exisiting portfolio.

The firm, which today added two operating partners to its existing stable of 10, has embarked on a push that involves advisers more heavily in originating deals, rather than just post-investment management, according to Iain Kennedy, a partner at Duke Street.