KKR names ex-Blackstone MD as head of capital markets Japan

Private equity heavyweight KKR has hired Go Yamashita, a former managing director of Blackstone, as head of its KKR Capital Markets (KCM) team in Japan, the firm said in a statement.
 
Yamashita's appointment comes only weeks after the firm held a final close on Asian Fund III, Asia's largest private equity fund, on $9.3 billion. Japan is a key market for the firm; it is targeting corporate carve-outs and cross-border opportunities in the country.
 
Hiro Hirano, member & chief executive of KKR Japan, said in a statement, the country is an integral part of its Asia strategy as Japanese companies have the tremendous potential to expand and compete internationally.
 
In his role, Yamashita will head a team of professionals who support its portfolio companies and other clients by providing tailored capital markets advice. KCM is also tasked with managing relationships and business development with institutional investors in Japan.
 
In Japan, KCM arranged financing for key transactions including KKR's acquisitions of Panasonic Healthcare, Pioneer DJ, Calsonic Kansei and Hitachi Koki, as well as Panasonic Healthcare's acquisition of Ascensia Diabetes Care.
 
Yamashita joins KKR with nearly 20 years of professional experience. Prior to joining KKR, he served as managing director at Blackstone for nine years. Earlier in his career he worked in the investment banking division at Goldman Sachs' Tokyo office.