KKR
21.6.2021 09:02:11 CEST | 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.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210621005048/en/
About Business Wire
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
Alushibe Holding Group to Bring 12 Global F&B Brands to Libya by 202829.10.2026 09:00:00 CET | Press release
Ahmed Gadalla signs exclusive master franchise agreement with Türkiye's MADO: US$7 million, 7 cafés and 350 jobs in the first phase; 1,000 sq m Benghazi flagship opens Q1 2027 Alushibe Holding Group today announced plans to bring 12 international food-and-beverage brands to Libya by 2028 through its Retail & Destinations division, beginning with an exclusive master franchise agreement with MADO, the Turkish ice-cream and patisserie house founded in 1850. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261029822317/en/ Ahmed Gadalla signs exclusive master franchise agreement with Türkiye's MADO: US$7 million, 7 cafés and 350 jobs in the first phase; 1,000 sq m Benghazi flagship opens Q1 2027 – (Photo: AETOSWire) Signed in Kahramanmaraş on 13 October 2026 by Ahmed Gadalla, Founder and Chairman of Alushibe Holding Group, and Mehmet Sait Kanbur, Chairman of MADO, the agreement grants Alushibe exclusive rights to develop and opera
U.S. Bancorp Announces New U.S. Bancorp Global Funds Brand29.10.2026 09:00:00 CET | Press release
The platform also introduces its first offshore liquidity fund, domiciled in Ireland U.S. Bancorp today announced its new fund platform, U.S. Bancorp Global Funds, and its first offering, an offshore liquidity fund domiciled in Ireland, the U.S. Bancorp Liquidity – USD Treasury CNAV Fund. U.S. Bancorp Global Funds was created to support U.S. Bancorp’s growing international presence. It establishes a framework for future investment offerings and reflects U.S. Bancorp’s expanding presence in global markets. Investment products offered under the brand are established through U.S. Bancorp Global Funds ICAV, an Ireland-domiciled UCITS umbrella fund structure. The U.S. Bancorp Liquidity – USD Treasury CNAV Fund is the first offering introduced under the new brand. The U.S. Bancorp Liquidity – USD Treasury CNAV Fund is designed for investors outside the United States seeking to preserve capital while accessing a U.S. Treasury-focused liquidity solution within a regulated offshore structure. D
Element Biosciences Launches AVITI Dx™, Bringing CE-Marked IVD Sequencing to Ten EU Countries29.10.2026 09:00:00 CET | Press release
Integrated sequencing, reagents, and software bring IVDR-compliant sequencing capabilities to European clinical laboratories, with additional global markets planned to follow Element Biosciences, Inc. today announced the commercial launch of AVITI Dx, the company's first CE-marked in vitro diagnostic (IVD) sequencing platform under the European Union's In Vitro Diagnostic Regulation (EU IVDR). AVITI Dx integrates Element’s AVITI™ sequencing system, dedicated reagents, and software designed to meet applicable IVDR requirements and support regulated clinical laboratory workflows. The system is launching commercially in ten EU countries: the Netherlands, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Austria, the Czech Republic, Latvia, Romania, and Poland, with additional markets planned through a phased approach. Developed and manufactured under Element's ISO 13485-certified quality management system, AVITI Dx is a Class A IVD sequencing system supported by IVDR-compliant reagents and software. Built o
Positively Languages Launches, Expands With Malta School and Opens New London Premises29.10.2026 09:00:00 CET | Press release
Positively Languages, a leading language learning business, is unveiling its new brand today. Formerly known as Kaplan Languages Group, (which Inspirit Capital acquired in May 2026), the business is also expanding its portfolio with the opening of a new school in Malta and a new premises in London. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261028449595/en/ Positively Languages, formerly known as Kaplan Languages Group, has taught English, French and German to more than one million students from 140 countries over the past 20 years. The new brand name ‘Positively Languages’ is built around the principle that ‘experience moves you forward’ which forms the backbone of the future growth of the business; new products based on experiences, new schools in the heart of key cultural cities. Positively Languages is also excited to announce the opening of a new school on the Mediterranean island of Malta, known as Positively Langu
IQM Demonstrates Entanglement Across a Complete 54-Qubit Processor, Bringing Full-Chip Performance to Cloud Users29.10.2026 08:00:00 CET | Press release
An automated state-preparation routine and enhanced calibration protocol keep fidelity above the entanglement threshold at full scale, and cloud users now have access to the same system performance. IQM Quantum Computers (Nasdaq: IQMX), a global leader in superconducting quantum computers, today announced that its cloud-accessible IQM Emerald system has fully entangled all 54 qubits on the chip simultaneously, a result that shows the system’s computational quality holds up when every qubit is put to work at once. IQM’s cloud customers now have access to that same full-chip performance, so their computations can draw on the entire processor rather than a fraction of it. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261029191153/en/ IQM measured a fidelity of 0.515 at 40 qubits without readout error mitigation (REM) and 0.516 at the full 54 qubits with REM applied, both above the classical threshold of 0.500 that separates ge
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