The other issue was how long to invest for. The bankers wanted their money back quickly, but if the consortium were perceived as transitory, other traders would start shooting at it. To be credible, the consortium needed staying power. The bankers agreed on a three-part agenda: reduce the fund’s risk level, return capital to the new investors, and—last—try to realize a profit. To a man, the bankers would be happy just to get out whole.
