Ajay Kavan Joins KKR as a Senior Advisor in Europe
21.6.2021 10:00:00 EEST | Business Wire | Press release
KKR, a leading global investment firm, today announces the appointment of Ajay Kavan as a Senior Advisor in Europe, effective immediately. Based in London, Mr. Kavan will support KKR’s pan-European investment activities in technology and digitally-enabled businesses and will advise KKR’s portfolio companies. In particular, he will focus on the consumer internet sector in eCommerce and direct-to-consumer offers, as well as companies undergoing major digital transformation programmes.
Ajay most recently served as CEO of Matches Fashion, where he supported the business through the impact of the pandemic, strengthened the leadership team and improved customer experience, technology and operational performance. Prior to joining Matches he spent nine years in senior roles at Amazon including VP International Special Projects, VP Amazon Fresh International and VP UK Consumables. He was responsible for launching Amazon Fresh across Europe and Asia, developing strategic partnerships with retailers (including Morrisons in the UK), developing its international physical stores, led Amazon’s subscription businesses across the EU and scaled Amazon businesses across multiple categories. Ajay has over 20 years of online experience and prior to Amazon, he led the launch of the online channels and multi-channel capabilities for three different retail businesses. Previous roles included Marketing and Strategy and Multi-channel Director roles within Home Retail Group plc and Kingfisher plc. Ajay is also the Vice Chair of In Kind Direct, a UK charity that distributes consumer goods to charitable organisations globally.
KKR’s Senior Advisors bring leadership skills, knowledge-sharing and deep industry expertise. They help drive value creation by providing advice and best practice to KKR’s investment teams and the executives, entrepreneurs and management teams of its portfolio companies. Mr. Kavan’s appointment follows that of TMT Senior Advisors Diego Piacentini in 2019, and Adam Warby in 2020.
Tim Franks, Partner and Head of EMEA Consumer & Retail at KKR, Jean-Pierre Saad, Partner and Head of EMEA Technology at KKR, and Philipp Schaelli, Principal in EMEA Private Equity at KKR, said: “Ajay will be a fantastic resource for our executives and our portfolio company management teams, bringing decades of experience in digital transformation, e-commerce and direct-to-consumer product development. He joins at an exciting time for KKR’s technology investment platform in Europe, with digitalisation a critical part of every business’ strategy and operational agenda.”
Ajay Kavan said: “KKR builds strong relationships with founders and management teams and has a track record of supporting them to deliver exceptional value creation. KKR is deeply committed to continuing to build its technology platform and I’m really excited to work with the KKR team and with leaders in their portfolio companies.”
KKR has invested over $25bn in tech companies in the past ten years across over 140 investments. Since the start of 2020, KKR has made over 20 tech investments globally, investing over $5bn in equity. Major recent EMEA technology investments include Cegid, Exact, Devoteam and Zwift.
--ends--
About KKR
KKR is a leading global investment firm that offers alternative asset management and capital markets and insurance solutions. KKR aims to generate attractive investment returns by following a patient and disciplined investment approach, employing world-class people and supporting growth in its portfolio companies and communities. KKR sponsors investment funds that invest in private equity, credit and real assets and has strategic partners that manage hedge funds. KKR’s insurance subsidiaries offer retirement, life and reinsurance products under the management of The Global Atlantic Financial Group. References to KKR’s investments may include the activities of its sponsored funds and insurance subsidiaries. For additional information about KKR & Co. Inc. (NYSE: KKR), please visit KKR’s website at www.kkr.com and on Twitter @KKR_Co.
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210621005048/en/
Contact information
Media Contact: International
Alastair Elwen / Sophia Johnston
Finsbury Glover Hering
Telephone: +44 20 7251 3801
Email: kkr@fgh.com
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Manna Air Delivery Raises $50Million Series B as It Announces Plans to Expand in the United States1.4.2026 19:00:00 EEST | Press release
Manna Air Delivery, a global leader in consumer drone delivery, has announced a $50 million funding round to scale its proven operations further in the United States and Europe. The round brings Manna’s total funding to $110million. Manna now operates one of the most active consumer drone delivery networks in the world, with more than 250,000 regulated commercial UAV flights completed. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260310714366/en/ Manna Air Delivery raises $50m Series B Investors in the round include ARK Invest, known for backing companies such as OpenAI, Anthropic, Tesla and SpaceX, the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF) and Schooner Capital, alongside existing investors Coca-Cola HBC and Molten Ventures. As an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) delivery pioneer, Manna has operated in six locations across its native Ireland, as well as in Finland and Texas over the past seven years, delivering items inclu
Bureau Veritas Launches an Independent AI Assessment Offering for European Enterprises, Developed in Partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS)1.4.2026 18:45:00 EEST | Press release
Bureau Veritas, a global leader in Testing, Inspection, and Certification services (TIC), announces the launch of an AI systems audit to help European enterprises assess and demonstrate their compliance with the European Union's "AI Act" regulatory requirements. This offering combines on-site audits, document analysis, and direct testing to deliver an independent maturity report. Since the EU's AI regulation came into force in 2024, companies have faced major implementation challenges. According to a recent report*, 68% of them struggle to interpret the provisions of the text, while 60% have yet to put in place the governance needed to comply. Non-compliance can cost them up to 7% of annual revenue. Bureau Veritas has developed this new audit offering to help companies identify their compliance gaps and remedy them. Bureau Veritas's new audit offering comprises a pre-audit, document review, on-site audit, and direct testing, resulting in an independent report on the client's AI maturit
Greenland Resources Signs Eight Year Off-take Agreement With SSAB to Supply High Quality Molybdenum1.4.2026 17:29:00 EEST | Press release
Greenland Resources Inc. (TSX:MOLY, FSE:M0LY) (“Greenland Resources” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce the Company has signed a binding off-take agreement with SSAB, a Nordic and US-based steel producer headquartered in Sweden. The company is a leading producer on the global market for advanced high-strength steels providing solutions to the defence, automotive, infrastructure and energy industries. A stock exchange press release from SSAB can be found on their website at www.ssab.com This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260401270749/en/ The off-take agreement provides an established price floor and price ceiling and will allow SSAB to secure high quality low carbon emission ferromolybdenum extracted in Greenland and refined in Belgium. SSAB will be able to ensure a stable and responsibly sourced long term secured primary molybdenum supply with high sustainability standards and low scope 1&2 emissions from a
VDYNE Receives FDA Approval to Initiate the TRIVITA 1 IDE Pivotal Trial of Transcatheter Tricuspid Valve Replacement System1.4.2026 16:30:00 EEST | Press release
VDYNE, Inc. (“VDYNE” or “the Company”), a privately held medical device company developing next generation transcatheter valve replacement technologies, today announced that the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has approved an investigational device exemption (IDE) for the company’s pivotal clinical trial evaluating its Transcatheter Tricuspid Valve Replacement (TTVR) system. The IDE approval enables initiation of a U.S. pivotal study at leading clinical centers to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the VDYNE system in patients with severe tricuspid regurgitation (TR). “This is a defining milestone for VDYNE and an important step toward bringing a much-needed therapy to patients with severe tricuspid regurgitation,” said Mike Buck, Chief Executive Officer. “Our focus now is on disciplined clinical execution and partnering with leading investigators to generate high-quality data that advances the field and improves patient care.” Significant unmet clinical needs exist in the
NetJets Introduces State-of-the-Art, Exclusive-Use Terminal in Augusta, Georgia1.4.2026 16:05:00 EEST | Press release
NetJets, the global leader in private aviation, is well underway on its development of a new exclusive-use terminal at Augusta Regional Airport (AGS). This state-of-the-art facility represents a significant investment in the region and reinforces NetJets’ commitment to delivering unparalleled experiences for its customers. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260330125414/en/ NetJets to open a new, exclusive-use terminal at Augusta Regional Airport (AGS). Guests arriving this April for golf’s most iconic championship will witness the construction in progress, including the finished ramp and foundational walls of what will soon become a full-service terminal. The private ramp, offering 432,000 square feet of space for aircraft parking, will be completed in time for the 2026 golf tournament. “Augusta is a key destination for NetJets Owners,” said Patrick Gallagher, President, NetJets Aviation. “This new facility refl
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom