David Petraeus, ex-CIA head, tapped to lead KKR's push into Mideast markets
The newly-formed team will identify investment and partnership opportunities in the region, with a focus on the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, the private equity firm said.
US private equity giant KKR announced Monday that it will set up a Middle East investment business with former CIA chief David Petraeus as chairman.
The New York-headquartered buyout firm said in a statement that the Middle East investment team would be led by Julian Barratt-Due, a managing director at KKR. The team will focus on identifying investment and partnership opportunities in the region, the company said, with a focus on Gulf Cooperation Council countries.
"We view the Middle East as an increasingly important destination for investment, with structural reforms, pro-investment policies, and favorable demographic trends accelerating economic growth," KKR's co-CEOs Joe Bae and Scott Nuttall said in the statement.
Petraeus added, “The Middle East is emerging as a leading investment powerhouse with a clear vision, impressive innovation, strong fiscal position, and increasingly partnership-orientated private sector and governments.”
