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
Xceedance Named a Leader and Star Performer in Everest Group’s Insurance Intermediaries Operations PEAK Matrix ® Assessment 202620.10.2026 17:00:00 EEST | Press release
Xceedance today announced it has been named a Leader and Star Performer in the Everest Group Insurance Intermediaries Operations PEAK Matrix® Assessment 2026. The assessment evaluated 18 providers based on market impact and their vision and capability to deliver insurance intermediary operations services. Everest Group identified Xceedance’s support for MGAs and MGUs across entity setup and licensing, underwriting, policy administration, finance, analytics, and claims as a key strength. The report also highlighted enabling rapid program launches and scaling through a licensed MGA shell, configurable workflows, and integrated operations. “Xceedance brings deep insurance expertise and a growing breadth of capabilities to support MGAs, brokers, and Lloyd’s market participants,” said Dinesh Udawat, Practice Director, Everest Group. “Its strategic acquisitions have expanded its agent and broker capabilities, while continued investments in AI and insurance-specific technology are enabling mo
92% of Compliance Leaders Want External Certification on AI Agents. None Exists for On-Chain Risk. Elliptic Just Built It, for Free.20.10.2026 17:00:00 EEST | Press release
Elliptic, the leader in on-chain risk management, today launched the first certification in governing AI agents for on-chain risk and financial crime compliance from the Elliptic Institute. The Certified Agentic On-Chain Risk Practitioner (CAORP) Foundation Level is free and open to anyone in the industry. The certification follows new Elliptic research in which 92% of senior risk, compliance and financial crime professionals said they would consider sending staff for external certification in agentic AI risk governance. The global research1 found a wide gap between that appetite and teams' current capability. Only 16% of respondents said they were very confident their team has the skills to govern an AI agent today, while 38% said they were not confident at all or had no capability yet. Nearly a third (31%) expect to send staff for certification within the next 12 months. The demand for training has arrived well ahead of anywhere to get it. The timing isn't optional. The EU AI Act now
Andersen Consulting Adds Collaborating Firm in Uzbekistan20.10.2026 16:30:00 EEST | Press release
Andersen Consulting expands its cybersecurity and business transformation capabilities through a Collaboration Agreement with Algoruni, a consulting firm based in Uzbekistan. Algoruni advises organizations on building cyber resilience, while addressing broader management, regulatory, and sustainability priorities. Operating out of Tashkent, the firm’s services span cybersecurity strategy and data protection, corporate governance and operational improvement, and ESG strategy and reporting, with an emphasis on practical solutions tailored to each client’s circumstances. “Every organization faces a different combination of risks and opportunities, which is why we believe effective solutions must start with the realities of the business,” said Alisher Zaynutdinov, managing director of Algoruni. “Becoming a collaborating firm of Andersen Consulting allows us to pair this approach with broader international resources and perspectives, giving us new ways to help clients turn complex challenge
International AI Strategist and Author Katie King to Keynote IAMPHENOM Europe 202620.10.2026 16:30:00 EEST | Press release
Phenom, the leader in applied AI built to redesign work operations for hiring faster, developing better and retaining longer, announced Katie King, an internationally recognised AI strategist, author and adviser on the future of work, as a keynote speaker at IAMPHENOM Europe 2026, taking place 4-5 November in Paris, France. Phenom also unveiled the conference agenda, which centres on the decisions European HR leaders face right now: turning AI, agents and automation into business outcomes, deploying tech with a compliant-first approach, and redesigning roles and skills for the future workforce. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261020028392/en/ Phenom announced Katie King, an internationally recognised AI strategist, author and adviser on the future of work, as a keynote speaker at IAMPHENOM Europe 2026, taking place 4-5 November in Paris, France. Phenom also unveiled the conference agenda, which centres on the
Inaugural Future Health Impact Challenge Documentary Released as Expressions of Interest Open for Second Challenge20.10.2026 16:26:00 EEST | Press release
Future Health – A Global Initiative by Abu Dhabi today premiered a documentary film about the inaugural Future Health Impact Challenge during the first day of the Abu Dhabi Future Health Summit. The film’s global launch, alongside the announcement of the second Challenge connects the Challenge’s initial results with its next phase with Expressions of Interest now open for the second edition. Delivered in collaboration with MIT Solve, the inaugural Impact Challenge demonstrates the transformative power of innovative solutions that accelerate the shift from reactive to anticipatory healthcare systems. With scenes filmed in Kigali, Medellín, São Paulo, Boston, and Abu Dhabi, the film shares personal commentary from the founders, local perspectives of the solutions in action, and insight from Future Health and MIT Solve. It follows the winner and two distinguished finalists as they turn signals from frontline consultations, mosquito surveillance, and routine blood tests into information th
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