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KKR was founded in 1976 by Jerome Kohlberg Jr., and cousins Henry Kravis and George R. Roberts, all of whom had previously worked together at Bear Stearns, where they completed some of the earliest leveraged buyout transactions.
The three of us -- Jerry Kohlberg, George Roberts and I -- left Bear Stearns without a job or a business, but we had what we believed to be a good idea. George and I each scraped together $10,000, and Jerry, who was 19 years older and on much better financial footing, put down $100,000 to start the firm we named after ourselves.
George Rosenberg Roberts (born 1943) is an American financier. He is one of the three original partners of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR), which he co-founded alongside Jerome Kohlberg and first cousin Henry Kravis in 1976.
George R. Roberts (Menlo Park) co-founded KKR in 1976 and serves as its Co-Executive Chairman. Prior to his current position, he was Co-Chief Executive Officer until 2021.
- Early Life and Education
- Bear Stearns
- KKR
- The Bottom Line
Henry Kravis was born on Jan. 6, 1944, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. His father, Raymond Kravis, was a successful oil and gas consultant who served as an advisor to Joseph P. Kennedy Sr., the father of President John F. Kennedy. Kravis earned a bachelor's degree from Claremont McKenna College in 1967, and an MBA from Columbia University in 1969.
Henry Kravis began his career at the Wall Street investment firm, Bear Stearnsalongside his cousin George Roberts. Both men worked under Jerome Kohlberg, Jr., the corporate finance manager, where they learned “bootstrap” acquisition, a strategy now known today as a leveraged buyout. Kohlberg sought out undervalued small companies and helped the bus...
The objective of KKR in 1976 was to create and manage private equity funds that borrowed money to acquire underperforming businesses. These businesses would be improved and sold at a profit. Over the years, KKR has acquired and invested in a multitude of businesses including its acquisition of RJR Nabisco for $25 billion. The company holds investme...
Henry Kravis is an American investor and billionaire whose success was built through leveraged buyouts. He co-founded KKR in 1976 and serves as its Co-Executive Chairman.
Oct 1, 2024 · Henry Kravis, Co-Founder and Co-Executive Chairman of KKR, pioneered the private equity industry, transforming how private companies are managed and how corporate value can be unlocked....
Oct 11, 2021 · Cousins Kravis and Roberts, who founded KKR (formerly Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts & Co) with Jerome Kohlberg in 1976, are considered to be among the founding fathers of the asset class.
