KKR & Co. Inc.

KKR & Co. Inc.

KKR & Co. Inc. is a leading global investment firm that manages multiple alternative asset classes, including private equity, energy, infrastructure, real estate, credit, and hedge funds. The firm was founded in 1976 by Henry Kravis, George Roberts, and Jerome Kohlberg Jr. and has since become one of the most respected and successful private equity firms in the world.

Kravis, Roberts and private equity's record

Kravis and Roberts, the co-founders of KKR, are widely regarded as pioneers of the private equity industry. They were instrumental in developing the leveraged buyout (LBO) as a financing technique, which allowed private equity firms to acquire companies using a combination of debt and equity. KKR has completed numerous high-profile LBOs over the years, including the buyout of RJR Nabisco in 1988, which was famously chronicled in the book "Barbarians at the Gate."

Despite criticism from some quarters about the role of private equity in society, KKR has shown that the industry can operate successfully without relying on protective tax breaks. The firm has a strong track record of creating value for its investors and has generated impressive returns over the years. KKR's success has helped to establish private equity as a legitimate and important part of the global financial system.