New York-headquartered KKR said on Tuesday it had named Kazuyuki Kido as a managing director based in Tokyo, effective immediately.
Kido brings nearly 30 years of investment and management experience to KKR, including about 20 years at Nikko Securities – now known as SMBC Nikko Securities – and Nikko Principal Investments.
He managed about $4 billion while at Nikko Principal Investments, which was one of the largest private equity investors backed by balance sheet at the time. While at Nikko Principal Investments, Kido served as a board member of Tower Records Japan, Seibu Railway, Prince Hotels, StylingLife Holdings, and BELLSYSTEM24 Holdings.
His most recent role was as Simplex Holdings, where he was the head of the firm’s operations group, engaging management, leveraged and secondary buyout opportunities.
Kido holds a bachelor of law degree from Meiji University, a JD from the University of the Ryukyus School of Law and completed judicial training at the Legal Training and Research Institute.
KKR has been investing in Japan since 2010, putting about $2 billion of equity in the market to date in companies including Intelligence, Panasonic Healthcare, Pioneer DJ, Hitachi Koki, Calsonic Kansei and Hitachi Kokusai.
In March, KKR issued ¥40.3 billion ($363 billion) of senior notes to be used for general corporate purposes, including to fund potential acquisitions and investments in Japan.
