KKR Real Estate Select Trust Inc. has appointed Julia Butler to the newly-created role of chief investment officer of KREST.

Butler will oversee investment management for the fund as it continues to scale its global portfolio of private real estate equity and credit investments and seeks to capitalize on opportunities in the current environment to create long-term value for investors. Butler joined KKR in 2017 and is a managing director on the real estate team. Prior to joining KKR, she was an executive vice president at iStar, a publicly-traded REIT, where she was responsible for sourcing, managing and executing on new investment opportunities in the U.S. and Europe. Earlier in her career, Butler worked in the treasury department of the Walt Disney Co. in Los Angeles.

“We see significant opportunities on the horizon for private real estate investors with a long-term outlook, and expect 2023 to be a strong vintage for private real estate,” comments Butler.