KKR hires Macquarie Korea’s exec for infrastructure business

KKR & Co. has hired a key investment manager of Macquarie Korea in a new hire of senior staff to expand Asia infrastructure business.

Keith Kim, former executive director of Macquarie Korea, has recently quit the Australian investment bank to join KKR, private equity fund sources said on Sept. 9.

The INSEAD MBA graduate is expected to work for KKR’s latest Asia infrastructure fund which reportedly raised around $1.5 billion last year.

During his 10-year stint at Macquarie, Kim had handled a diverse range of investment deals ranging from energy to infrastructure, media and security services.

Last year, he led the $2.5 billion acquisition of ADT Caps, a Korean security services firm, for which Macquarie had formed a consortium with SK Telecom Co. Ltd. The transaction marked the largest buyout deal in South Korea last year.

Since last year, KKR has been bolstering senior staff of Asian infrastructure business with new hires from Macquarie and Goldman Sachs.

David Luboff, ex-CEO of Macquarie Group’s Asia Infrastructure Fund, has been leading the Asian operations of KKR’s infrastructure business since early this year.

Kate Richdale, former chairman of Goldman Sachs’ ex-Japan investment banking for Asia, joined KKR in March to lead strategy and business development in Asia.

In South Korea, KKR and Macquarie were shortlisted last week for a 35% stake in LG CNS Co. Ltd., an IT services firm of the LG Group, worth over $800 million.

By Dong-hun Lee

leedh@hankyung.com

(Photo: LinkedIn)