Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) has appointed retired four-star General and former director of the CIA David Petraeus as chairman of the newly created KKR Global Institute.
Henry Kravis, co-founder and co-chief executive of KKR, says: “I have long known and respected General Petraeus and, on behalf of everyone at KKR, I welcome him to the firm. As the world changes and we expand how and where we invest, we are always looking to sharpen the ‘KKR edge.’ With the addition of General Petraeus, we are building on the work we have done to understand the investment implications of public policy, macro-economic, regulatory and technology trends globally. We are pleased to bring all of this expertise together under one umbrella, the KKR Global Institute, to deliver the best of KKR’s insights for our investors.”
Over the past several years, macro-economic and geopolitical considerations, including the heightened role of central banks following the financial crisis, new regulation and major changes in public policy, have led to KKR’s increased engagement on these areas and on environmental, social and governance issues. At the same time, KKR is a global firm investing in new and emerging markets that have new risks and opportunities. The KKR Global Institute will be the nexus of KKR’s focus on the investment implications of these issues. It will also further build on the firm’s efforts to help KKR’s portfolio companies expand globally, and it will periodically serve as an outlet for publishing the firm’s thought leadership products, including views from portfolio managers and industry experts.
As chairman of the KKR Global Institute, Petraeus (pictured) will work with a team at KKR and in tandem with Ken Mehlman, global head of public affairs, and Henry McVey, global head of macro & asset allocation. In addition to his role as chairman of the KKR Global Institute, Petraeus will also support KKR’s investment teams in the diligence process, especially when the firm is considering investments in new geographies.
“KKR is one of the best investment firms in the world,” says Petraeus. “I am very pleased to join such a great team. I have watched KKR evolve as it adapted to the post-financial crisis world and became a go-to partner for companies worldwide. I look forward to supporting the investment teams in their pursuit of the best opportunities for clients and also being a part of a new initiative to provide additional insights to KKR’s clients and companies.”
In recent months, Petraeus has focused his efforts on supporting returning veterans as they transition to the workforce. Among such endeavours, he currently serves on the advisory council of American Corporate Partners, an organisation that connects veterans to business leaders. In addition, he will lead a seminar as a visiting professor at the City University of New York’s Macaulay Honors College and he is a member of the University of Southern California faculty. As a Judge Widney Professor at the University of Southern California, he will lecture part time and also mentor members of the school’s Reserve Officers Training Corps programme and young veterans.
General Petraeus holds a PhD in international relations from Princeton University and has taught economics and international relations at the United States Military Academy at West Point. He also completed a fellowship at Georgetown University’s Institute for the Study of Diplomacy.
