KKR, a global investment firm, has hired two managing directors in the firm’s global private credit team who will focus on sourcing investment opportunities in the specialty lending and private asset-based finance markets. Jim Lees and Vaibhav Piplapure join the firm as managing directors based in New York and London, respectively.

“We are energized by the growth and evolution of non-corporate private lending,” said Dan Pietrzak, partner and co-head of Private Credit at KKR based in New York. “The addition of Jim and VP to our growing ABF team further bolsters our leadership in this space and we will continue to add senior resources to the team as we pursue the large opportunity set that we believe exists across a range of sectors and geographies.” 

Matthieu Boulanger, partner and co-head of private credit at KKR based in London, added, “Jim and VP’s deep expertise and relationships in the private ABF markets will help us identify and access an even greater number of under-served and mispriced lending opportunities that offer our investors attractive and uncorrelated income.”