KKR Appoints Ludo Bammens as Director of European Corporate Affairs

  
    
  
  
    
      Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. (“KKR”) today announced the appointment of 
      Ludo Bammens as Director of European Corporate Affairs. Mr. Bammens, who 
      will be based in KKR’s London office, joins KKR from Coca-Cola Company 
      Europe Group. Mr. Bammens will be responsible for public affairs and 
      communications in Europe, including outreach to investors, portfolio 
      companies, governments and other third parties. He will report to 
      Kenneth B. Mehlman, Managing Director and Head of Global Public Affairs.
    
    
      “Best-in-class communication and engagement with investors and public 
      stakeholders is a critical component of KKR’s ability to create value. 
      Ludo will be a tremendous asset to the stakeholder relations practice we 
      are building at KKR. We especially want to enhance this capability in 
      Europe, where we are and will continue to be a major investor,” said Ken 
      Mehlman.
    
    
      Working for both the brand owner and the largest bottling operations 
      within Coca-Cola, Mr. Bammens has successfully operated in both a 
      brand-driven and an industrial environment. He led the efforts in Europe 
      on reputation management and has been widely recognised for being an 
      outstanding ambassador and for building an integrated corporate social 
      responsibility strategy into Coca-Cola’s business operations in Europe.
    
    
      Commenting on the announcement, Johannes Huth, Head of European 
      Operations for KKR, said: “Ludo’s background makes him the ideal 
      candidate to take up this newly created role, leading KKR’s European 
      Corporate Affairs and enhancing transparency of KKR’s communications 
      with all of its external European stakeholders. We very much look 
      forward to welcoming him to KKR in January.”
    
    
      KKR, a leading alternative asset manager in the European asset 
      management space, is focused on creating long-term value for the 
      companies in which it invests. In 2007 KKR successfully completed the 
      acquisition of Alliance Boots in a deal valued at £12.4 billion and 
      invested in Northgate Information Solutions, the provider of specialist 
      software, outsourcing and information technology services, with an 
      enterprise value of £593 million. In addition, in 2006, KKR acquired 
      PagesJaunes Groupe, the French publisher of printed directories for €5.6 
      billion.
    
    
      About Ludo Bammens
    
    
      Ludo Bammens, 47, a Belgian citizen, joins KKR from Coca-Cola Company 
      Europe Group where he was Director of European Public Affairs. Prior to 
      taking this role he was Vice President, Public Affairs and 
      Communications for the Europe Group of Coca-Cola Enterprises, the 
      largest bottler in the Coca-Cola system. He joined Coca-Cola from 
      Janssen Pharmaceutica (the pharmaceutical branch of Johnson & Johnson) 
      where he was Director of European Public Affairs. From 1986-1991, Mr. 
      Bammens was Deputy Chef de Cabinet of King Baudouin of Belgium.
    
    
      About KKR
    
    
      Established in 1976, KKR is a leading global alternative asset manager. 
      The core of the Firm’s franchise is sponsoring and managing funds that 
      make private equity investments in North America, Europe, and Asia. 
      Throughout its history, KKR has brought a long-term investment approach 
      to portfolio companies, focusing on working in partnership with 
      management teams and investing for future competitiveness and growth. 
      Additional funds that KKR sponsors include KKR Private Equity Investors, 
      L.P. (NYSE Euronext Amsterdam: KPE), a permanent capital fund that 
      invests in KKR-identified investments; and two credit strategy funds, 
      KKR Financial (NYSE: KFN) and the KKR Strategic Capital Funds, which 
      make investments in debt transactions. KKR has offices in New York, 
      Menlo Park, San Francisco, Houston, London, Paris, Hong Kong, Beijing, 
      Tokyo and Sydney. More information about KKR is available at: www.kkr.com