• EQT is pleased to announce the appointment of Francesco Starace as Partner within the EQT Infrastructure Advisory Team
• Francesco joins from the position as CEO and General Manager of Enel, one of the world’s largest energy utility companies and a leader in the sustainable energy transition
• He will act as a dedicated advisor within the global EQT Infrastructure platform, working alongside more than 120 professionals

In his role, Francesco will provide senior insight to support investment activity, portfolio companies and strategic initiatives.

With a career in the energy sector spanning four decades, Francesco brings a wealth of industry experience from senior leadership positions, advisory boards, NGOs and public policy. As CEO of Enel, he was instrumental in driving the company’s efforts to phase out fossil-fueled energy production and invest in digital technologies, transforming it into one of the world’s largest renewable energy producers and the largest system of digitized electricity distribution grids.

Prior to becoming CEO of Enel, he headed Enel Green Power, the group’s renewable power generation company and a leading player in the global renewables industry from 2008 to 2014. In November 2010, he oversaw the initial public offering of the company and its listing on the Milan and Madrid Stock Exchanges with a market capitalization of €8 billion. Francesco is Chairman of the Board of the United Nations’ Sustainable Energy for All, a member of the Rockefeller Commission to End Energy Poverty and, in 2015, former Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appointed him as a member of the Board of Directors of the United Nations’ Global Compact.

Lennart Blecher, Partner and Head of the Real Assets Advisory Team, said, “We are honored to welcome Francesco to join EQT Infrastructure as Partner. Francesco is a world-recognized thought leader in the area of energy transition and has led Enel to become a front runner in sustainable energy production. EQT sees significant potential in accelerating the momentum towards net-zero by driving decarbonization of the power and utilities or transportation and logistics sectors. Having Francesco join us on this journey, with his decades-long experience within the energy sector, is invaluable to both EQT and our portfolio companies.”

Francesco Starace, incoming Partner within the EQT Infrastructure Advisory Team, said, “The industrial transition pathway to net-zero is a gradual process that takes time and requires significant investment. This transition, if well managed, opens very large opportunities for value creation to those that understand its dynamics. Having observed EQT Infrastructure closely for years, I am deeply impressed by its level of innovation and commitment to support companies that help accelerate this transformational shift. I’m delighted to join EQT and I hope that my experience and network will contribute to the portfolio and unlock new investment opportunities.”

Contact
EQT Press Office, press@eqtpartners.com, +46 8 506 55 334

About EQT
EQT is a purpose-driven global investment organization with EUR 119 billion in assets under management within two business segments – Private Capital and Real Assets. EQT owns portfolio companies and assets in Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Americas and supports them in achieving sustainable growth, operational excellence and market leadership.

More info: www.eqtgroup.com
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Appointment of veteran KKR real estate investor bolsters KREST’s senior leadership team to capitalize on the opportunity in private real estate

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)– KKR, a leading global investment firm, today announced that the Board of Directors of KKR Real Estate Select Trust Inc. (“KREST” or the “Fund”) has appointed Julia Butler to the newly created role of Chief Investment Officer (“CIO”) of KREST. A veteran real estate investor and Managing Director at KKR, Ms. Butler is now on KREST’s dedicated senior leadership team. She will oversee investment management for the Fund as it continues to scale its high-quality 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.

“We have built KREST to provide individual investors access to the full breadth of KKR’s global real estate platform with a dynamic investment strategy designed to deliver attractive yield and long-term performance across different macroeconomic environments,” said Ralph Rosenberg, Chairman of KREST and Global Head of KKR Real Estate. “We are committed to building a best-in-class management platform as KREST continues to scale. Julia is a senior leader of our real estate business with two decades of experience investing across the real estate capital structure as both an equity and credit investor. She has played an integral role in scaling KKR’s real estate business to over $65 billion in assets under management and she will be a key contributor to the continued commercial success of KREST.”

KREST is designed to provide individual investors with access to income-oriented private real estate equity and debt investments managed by KKR. The Fund seeks to deliver on its objective of providing investors with stable, tax-efficient income and long-term appreciation in the private real estate asset class by focusing on three complementary strategy pillars: stabilized real estate, prime single tenant and real estate credit. As market conditions have evolved, KREST has utilized its flexible strategy to seek to optimize its portfolio across high-quality, income-oriented real estate equity and credit exposures.

Billy Butcher, Chief Executive Officer of KREST and Chief Operating Officer of KKR Global Real Estate, said: “We believe we are entering a once-a-decade real estate investing environment with the debt capital markets pullback creating potential attractive new investment opportunities for KREST. The addition of Julia to the team positions KREST ideally to take advantage of these opportunities to continue to deliver exceptional performance for our investors.”

“I am thrilled to join the KREST leadership team and look forward to working with Ralph, Billy and my colleagues across KKR to position the Fund for continued success,” said Ms. Butler. “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. I look forward to continuing to build on our thematic investing, rigorous portfolio management and investment discipline that leverages KKR’s global platform to deliver on further downside-protected growth.”

Ms. Butler joined KKR in 2017 and is a Managing Director on the Real Estate team. Prior to joining KKR, Ms. Butler 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 US and Europe. Earlier in her career, Ms. Butler worked in the Treasury Department of The Walt Disney Company in Los Angeles, CA.Ms. Butler graduated cum laude from Harvard College with a B.A. in Government. She currently sits on the Board of Directors of Women in Need (WIN), NYC’s largest homeless organization for women and children, and is involved with several real estate organizations, such as the Urban Land Institute (ULI) where she serves as a council leader, the Commercial Real Estate Finance Council (CREFC), WX and others.

About KREST

KKR Real Estate Select Trust Inc. (“KREST”) is a continuously offered, 1940 Act-registered closed-end fund with REIT taxation that thematically invests in high quality, stabilized, income-oriented commercial real estate equity and debt. The fund is open to all investors with daily subscriptions and its primary investment objective is to provide attractive current income, with a secondary objective of long-term capital appreciation. KREST is managed by KKR Registered Advisor LLC, an affiliate of KKR & Co. Inc., and utilizes the experience and reach of KKR’s global real estate team and the resources available through the KKR platform. For additional information about KREST, please visit its website at www.krest.reit.

About KKR

KKR is a leading global investment firm that offers alternative asset management as well as capital markets and insurance solutions. KKR aims to generate attractive investment returns by following a patient and disciplined investment approach, employing world-class people and supporting growth in its portfolio companies and communities. KKR sponsors investment funds that invest in private equity, credit and real assets and has strategic partners that manage hedge funds. KKR’s insurance subsidiaries offer retirement, life and reinsurance products under the management of Global Atlantic Financial Group. References to KKR’s investments may include the activities of its sponsored funds and insurance subsidiaries. For additional information about KKR & Co. Inc. (NYSE: KKR), please visit KKR’s website at www.kkr.com and on Twitter @KKR_Co.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230524005477/en/

Media Contacts
Miles Radcliffe-Trenner and Julia Kosygina
+1 212-750-8300
media@kkr.com

Source: KKR

Activa Capital, the Paris-based independent private equity firm, is pursuing its development strategy
and announces the arrival of Valentine Loyer as Associate.

Valentine will reinforce the investment team in analyzing new opportunities.
Prior to joining Activa Capital, Valentine worked for 3 years at ISAI, within their Tech Growth/ LBO
team after a first experience in Mergers and Acquisitions at BNP Paribas. As a Tech investor,
Valentine was deeply involved in the investment and monitoring of the ISAI Expansion II vehicle, and
has participated in Invoke, Labelium and Hubvisory transactions.
Valentine, 27 y.o., holds a civil engineering degree from the University of Bath (UK) and graduated
from the ESSEC Business School.
Christophe Parier et Alexandre Masson, Managing Partners at Activa Capital, declared: “We are very
pleased to welcome Valentine in our investment team. Her industry and sectoral experiences are an
asset for Activa, as we are actively expanding our last investment vehicle.

About Activa Capital
Activa Capital is a French independent private equity firm, owned by its partners, characterized by a
proactive build-up strategy. It currently manages more than €300 million on behalf of institutional investors
by investing in French SMEs and ETIs with high growth potential and an enterprise value of between €20
and €100 million. Activa Capital assists them to accelerate their development and international presence.
To find out more about Activa Capital, visit activacapital.com

Press contacts
Alexandre Masson Christophe Parier Joséphine Barjot
Managing Partner Managing Partner Office Manager
+33 1 43 12 50 12 +33 1 43 12 50 12 +33 1 43 12 50 12
alexandre.masson@activacapital.com christophe.parier@activacapital.com josephine.barjot@activacapital.com

Dr. Boris Gorella joins Master Builders Solutions with more than 20 years’ experience in senior leadership roles, including significant experience in the chemical and basic material industry and a proven track-record as CEO. Over the last decade, Boris has developed businesses by accelerating growth, both organically and through acquisitions, and driving profitability across the whole value chain. He was previously CEO of Pfleiderer Group, a leading European manufacturer of engineered wood panels, where he was successful in expanding the business with a focus on product premiumisation and price-management. Prior to Pfleiderer Group, Boris was CEO of Beckers Group, a coatings provider for industrial applications with operations in 19 countries. During his time in this position, he helped develop the company into the global leader in coil coatings.

Boris is familiar with Master Builders Solutions, having operated as head of BASF’s Construction Chemicals Business Unit in Asia Pacific, as well as President of Evonik’s Construction Chemicals Business Unit in Asia. Boris received an MBA from INSEAD and a PhD in Chemistry from TU Berlin.

Eric Bergé has more than 20 years’ experience in the industry, having been President of the US operations at Parex, a constructions systems manufacturer, before becoming Managing Director of Chryso, a leading admixtures manufacturer, and then returning to Parex as CEO.

Dr. Boris Gorella commented:

“I am very excited to join Master Builders Solutions, a company with world-class technologies, proven innovation capabilities, strong brands and very committed employees, at such a pivotal time for the business. As an independent company with construction chemicals at its core and under new ownership, I am looking forward to working with Master Builders Solutions’ management and the Cinven team to help the business realise its full potential through new opportunities and a long-term growth strategy.”

Pontus Pettersson, Partner at Cinven, added:

“We are very pleased that Boris and Eric will be joining Master Builders Solutions. They both have longstanding experience in the industrials sector, building businesses and empowering teams, and are both former executives of leading groups in the industry. We are convinced they will add great value to Master Builders Solutions  in its next phase of growth. Cinven is excited to build an independent, focused company, providing the support to achieve an ambitious growth strategy and we look forward to working closely with Boris and Eric to accomplish this.”

Cinven’s acquisition of Master Builders Solutions builds on its significant expertise in the admixtures market through its successful investment in Chryso. Under the Cinven Funds’ ownership, Chryso grew to become a leading player in the admixtures market.

The transaction underscores Cinven’s reputation as one of the leading investors in industrial carve-outs in Europe. Since 2020, Cinven has completed the carve-outs of TK Elevator from thyssenkrupp AG (2020), Arxada (formerly Lonza Specialty Ingredients) from Lonza Group AG (2021) and Envu (formerly Bayer Environmental Science) from Bayer AG (2022). Cinven is one of the leading investors in Germany and the wider DACH region. In addition to the aforementioned carve-outs, recent Cinven Funds’ investments headquartered in Germany include think-cell (2021) and dogado group (2023, combination with group.ONE), as well as Viridium Group (2019), STADA (2017) and Synlab (2015).

At today’s Annual General Meeting of Nordstjernan, the following Board members were re-elected: Viveca Ax:son Johnson (Chairman), Johan Blomquist, Peter Leimdörfer, Tomas Nicolin and Christoph Vitzthum. Axel Mörner was elected new Board member and Vice Chairman. Caroline Berg has declined re-election after serving as Board member and Vice Chairman for seven years.

Axel Mörner has a background as Investment Director of Axel Johnson Inc. (US) and has held a number of management roles at Axfood, but also has many years of experience from Board work in both entrepreneurial and investment companies. Today, Axel Mörner is Chairman of Axel Johnson Inc. and a Board member of AxSol, Swedish-American Chamber of Commerce New York, the investment council for Altocumulus Asset Management, the Axel and Margaret Ax:son Johnson Foundation for Public Benefit and so forth.

“We are very pleased that Axel, with his experience and international perspective, has decided to join the Board and contribute to Nordstjernan’s new investment strategy. He belongs to the fifth generation of our family to now become involved in the company, which ensures a high level of continuity that we and other owners appreciate,” says Viveca Ax:son Johnson, Chairman of the Axel and Margaret Ax:son Johnson Foundation for Public Benefit and Caroline Berg, Chairman of the Axel and Margaret Ax:son Johnson Foundation.

“It is both a great honor and a pleasure to be elected to Nordstjernan’s Board. I am very much looking forward to working together with Viveca and the rest of the Board and thereby contributing to Nordstjernan in the future,” says Axel Mörner.

Questions will be answered by:

Stefan Stern, Head of Communications, Nordstjernan

Mobile: +46 70 636 74 17

E-mail: stefan.stern@nordstjernan.se

Nordstjernan is predominantly owned by the Axel and Margaret Ax:son Johnson Foundations. Since its establishment in 1890, Nordstjernan has owned and developed hundreds of companies in a range of industries. Today, Nordstjernan has investments in more than 20 companies in five focused sectors. Together, these companies have sales of SEK 130 billion and employ more than 50,000 people. Read more on www.nordstjernan.se.

Pittsburgh, PA, April 24, 2023 – Confluence Technologies, Inc. (“Confluence”), a global software provider helping the investment management industry solve complex investment data challenges, today announced that Joan Binstock has joined its board of directors. Confluence is backed by Clearlake Capital Group, L.P. (together with its affiliates, “Clearlake”) and TA Associates (“TA”).

Ms. Binstock brings more than 30 years of experience in the asset management industry. She currently serves as Independent Director and Audit Chair at KKR Real Estate Select Trust Inc., as well as a Board Member at both Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund, and Brown Brothers Harriman US Mutual Funds.

“We are thrilled to have Joan join our board,” said Mark Evans, CEO of Confluence. “Her extensive experience in the asset management industry, across a broad set of asset classes and working with multiple technology providers, is invaluable as we continue to expand our solutions to better serve the investment management industry.”

Ms. Binstock previously held several executive leadership positions, including as Partner, Chief Financial and Operations Officer at Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC. She also serves as a Board Member for various non-profit organizations and educational institutions, including Year Up, Bronx High School of Science, and the Duke University School of Medicine. Ms. Binstock holds a bachelor’s degree from Binghamton University and an MBA from the NYU Stern School of Business.

“I am excited to join the board of Confluence,” said Ms. Binstock. “Confluence has a strong reputation in the industry for providing innovative and proven solutions that help customers in the asset management industry navigate regulatory compliance and make better investment decisions. I look forward to working with the team to continue to drive growth and success for the company.”

About Confluence

Confluence is a leading global technology solutions provider committed to helping the investment management industry solve complex data challenges across the front, middle and back offices. From data-driven portfolio analytics to compliance and regulatory solutions, including investment insights and research, Confluence invests in the latest technology to meet the evolving needs of asset managers, asset owners, asset services, and asset allocators to provide best-of-breed solutions that deliver maximum scalability, speed, and flexibility, while reducing risk and increasing efficiency. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, with 15 offices across the United Kingdom, Europe, North America, South Africa, and Australia, Confluence services over 1000 clients in more than 40 countries. For more information, visit  www.confluence.com.

About Clearlake

Clearlake Capital Group, L.P. is an investment firm founded in 2006 operating integrated businesses across private equity, credit, and other related strategies. With a sector-focused approach, the firm seeks to partner with management teams by providing patient, long-term capital to businesses that can benefit from Clearlake’s operational improvement approach, O.P.S.®. The firm’s core target sectors are technology, industrials, and consumer. Clearlake currently has over $70 billion of assets under management, and its senior investment principals have led or co-led over 400 investments. The firm is headquartered in Santa Monica, CA with affiliates in Dallas, TX, London, UK and Dublin, Ireland. More information is available at www.clearlake.com and on Twitter @Clearlake.

About TA Associates

TA Associates (“TA”) is a leading global private equity firm focused on scaling growth in profitable companies. Since 1968, TA has invested in more than 560 companies across its five target industries – technology, healthcare, financial services, consumer and businesses services. Leveraging its deep industry expertise and strategic resources, TA collaborates with management teams worldwide to help high-quality companies deliver lasting value. The firm has raised $48.6 billion in capital to date and has more than 150 investment professionals across offices in Boston, Menlo Park, Austin, London, Mumbai and Hong Kong. For more information, visit www.ta.com.

Media Contacts:

For Confluence:

Vanja Lakic

Vanja.lakic@cognitomedia.com  

For Clearlake:

Jennifer Hurson

jhurson@lambert.com

For TA Associates:

Marcia O’Carroll

mocarroll@ta.com