KKR’s Ken Mehlman Elected New Chairman of the Private Equity Growth Capital Council
Judge: “Ken is a unique talent with two decades of experience at the highest levels of government, politics and business. The PEGCC and our members will benefit tremendously from his leadership, advice and counsel.”
The Private Equity Growth Capital Council announced today that Ken Mehlman has been elected Chairman of the Council’s Board of Directors. Mr. Mehlman serves as a Member and Global Head of Public Affairs at Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P., a founding member of the PEGCC. Mr. Mehlman brings more than two decades of public policy, political, communications and business experience to the PEGCC, having served previously in high-level positions on Capitol Hill, at the White House, and as Chairman of the Republican National Committee.
Mr. Mehlman succeeds Mark Tresnowski, Managing Director and General Counsel at Madison Dearborn Partners.
“As a member of the PEGCC’s Board of Directors, Ken has long been a driving force behind our major initiatives,” said Steve Judge, PEGCC President and CEO. “We’re very pleased to have him as our new chairman. Ken is a unique talent with two decades of experience at the highest levels of government, politics and business. The PEGCC and our members will benefit tremendously from his leadership, advice and counsel.”
As chairman, one of Mr. Mehlman’s primary responsibilities will be to help expand the PEGCC’s outreach efforts to educate and engage a broad set of stakeholders about the value of a vibrant and dynamic private equity industry. At KKR, Mr. Mehlman has worked to formalize outreach and created a robust environmental, social and governance (ESG) program for the firm and its portfolio companies.
“I’m privileged to succeed Mark as Chairman of the PEGCC,” said Mr. Mehlman. “I have enormous respect for the PEGCC’s important work engaging with public policy makers to encourage more economic growth and retirement security for millions of Americans. I also share the PEGCC’s goal of building a community of investors who seek superior returns while also emphasizing active, responsible governance, long term investment and measuring success in years not quarters.”
“I would personally like to thank Mark for his invaluable contributions and leadership for PEGCC and the industry as a whole throughout his tenure as Chairman,” said Steve Judge, PEGCC President and CEO. “From our many legislative battles over carried interest and the Dodd-Frank Act to the 2012 presidential election that brought our industry into the national spotlight, Mark provided the PEGCC with exceptional leadership,” Judge concluded.
About Ken Mehlman
Mr. Mehlman has worked at KKR since 2008. Today he is a Member of the firm and he serves as Global head of Public Affairs, overseeing all external affairs, assessing policy risks and opportunities and geopolitical analysis. He also leads KKR’s Environmental Social Governance (ESG) programs for the firm and its portfolio companies. KKR’s ESG highlights include developing a partnership with the Environmental Defense Fund in 2008, which led to KKR’s Green Portfolio Program that has achieved $917 million in financial impact while avoiding 1.8 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions; the launch of KKR Wellness Works in 2012, a research collaboration with the American Heart Association, seven KKR private equity portfolio companies and their 190,000 employees; and the publishing of the first-ever Environmental, Social, and Governance reports for a private equity firm.
Prior to joining KKR, Mr. Mehlman was a partner at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld with a bi-partisan practice in legislative and regulatory counseling. He has also previously served in high-level positions on Capitol Hill and at the White House, including serving as Chairman of the Republican National Committee and Campaign Manager of President Bush’s successful re-election campaign.
Mr. Mehlman, who currently lives in New York City, graduated with a B.A. from Franklin & Marshall College and holds a J.D. from Harvard Law School. Mr. Mehlman is a trustee of Mt. Sinai Hospital of New York and the Ideal School of Manhattan, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the American Enterprise Institute’s National Council, the Robin Hood Foundation Veterans Advisory Board, the Markle Initiative for America’s Economic Future in a Networked World and the IDEAL School of Manhattan.
About the Private Equity Growth Capital Council
The Private Equity Growth Capital Council (PEGCC) is an advocacy, communications and research organization and resource center established to develop, analyze and distribute information about the private equity and growth capital investment industry and its contributions to the national and global economy. Established in 2007 and formerly known as the Private Equity Council, the PEGCC is based in Washington, D.C. The members of the PEGCC consist of the world’s leading private equity and growth capital firms united by their commitment to growing and strengthening the businesses in which they invest. More information about the PEGCC can be found at www.pegcc.org.
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