[robertlagrant]

Private equity by definition isn't invested in public firms.

[paulryanrogers]

Public firms can be partially owned by PE, hence the phrase "big chunk"

[robertlagrant]

They can be owned by firms called "PE firms", but that's not private equity. Their shares will be treated as public shares, obeying the same rules as anything else. The article is concerned about investments that can't be measured in the public markets or regulated as public investments.