Global investment and private equity firm KKR has expanded its Asia Pacific leadership team with appointments in China, Korea, and Singapore. The firms flagship $6 billion Asian Fund II is the largest private equity vehicle raised in Asia.
American firm KKR has announced several additions to its private equity investment team in Asia, specifically a change in leadership in China and the addition of new senior investment talent in China, Singapore and Korea.
Ming Lu, a Member of KKR and Co-Head of Asia Private Equity, has been named sole Head of Asia Private Equity. KKR Members David Liu, Co-Head of Asia Private Equity and Head of China, and Julian Wolhardt, are leaving KKR at the end of this year to form a new China-focused investment firm. They will transition to KKR Advisors beginning in 2017. Ming Lu will serve as Interim Head of China until the Firm appoints a successor.
Significant Appointments
Ming Lu will continue to report to Joseph Bae, who also will continue in his role as Managing Partner of KKR Asia with offices in both New York and Hong Kong.
KKR's other significant appointments include Ashish Shastry, Head of Southeast Asia and Member of KKR, Singapore. Zhen Ji, Managing Director of KKR, who joins KKR from CITIC Capital where he served as a Managing Director since 2009 and Hyoung Seok Lim, Managing Director of KKR, Korea. Lim has over 23 years of management consulting and operational experience, including 15 years at McKinsey and Company where he was a Partner in its Seoul office.
Investing Aggressively
«Given the rapidly changing market conditions across the region, it is imperative that KKR continues to deepen the investment and operational capabilities in each of our core markets to maintain our leadership position in Asia,» said Joseph Bae, Managing Partner of KKR Asia.
KKR has seven offices in Asia with over 120 professionals and the support of 15 operational executives at KKR Capstone.
