KKR has appointed Masahiro Shuto, a former president of Morgan Stanley Investment Management’s Japan arm, as a managing director and head of its Japan capital markets business, according to a report by Bloomberg citing an internal company memo.
Shuto, who joined the New York-based investment giant earlier this month, will oversee institutional fundraising and support the expansion of KKR’s Japan insurance operations while also working with strategic clients in the country, the document stated.
The hire comes as KKR continues to broaden its capital sources, with increasing emphasis on channels such as high-net-worth individuals and insurance-related assets. In a related move, Tokyo-based managing director Go Yamashita will assume a new role focused on managing relationships with family offices, the firm said.
KKR’s capital markets business provides financing solutions and deal execution support for its internal investment teams, portfolio companies, and third-party clients.
Shuto will report jointly to Kate Richdale, who leads global client solutions for institutional sales and family capital across Asia Pacific, and Hiro Hirano, head of KKR Japan, according to the memo. A KKR representative confirmed the details.
Prior to his tenure at Morgan Stanley, Shuto served as Japan head at AXA Investment Managers and also held positions at Deutsche Bank and JPMorgan Chase.
