KKR hires Blackstone MD to lead Japan capital markets team

According to a release, Yamashita’s team will support KKR, its portfolio companies and other clients with advice regarding capital markets, and will manage relationships and business development with Japanese institutional investors. It is part of the global KCM division, which arranges financing for portfolio companies and capital solutions for investments.

KKR has targeted Japan for several significant investments this year, including the March buyouts of power tools manufacturer Hitachi Koki and automotive components maker Calsonic Kansei Corporation for JPY147.1 billion ($1.28 billion) and JPY498.3 billion respectively. KCM arranged financing on both deals. KKR also made a third tender offer worth JPY257.1 billion for Hitachi Kokusai Electric in April.

Yamashita has more than 10 years’ experience in the financial services and investment banking sector. Prior to his nine-year stint at Blackstone, he worked in the investment banking division at Goldman Sachs’ office in Tokyo.

"Japan is an integral part of our Asia strategy as Japanese companies have the tremendous potential to expand and compete internationally. Providing strong Japanese companies with the capital market resources to fulfill their growth potential is an integral part of the equation," said Hiro Hirano, CEO of KKR Japan. "Go's extensive experience and relationships with Japanese institutional investors helps strengthen our capital markets solutions for Japanese companies and our institutional partners.”

KKR closed its third pan-regional fund earlier this month at $9.3 billion, breaking the record for the largest pool of private equity capital ever raised for deployment in Asia.

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