Appointment reflects strong growth momentum in KKR’s Credit & Markets segment in France and growing Paris-based team

Paris, 30th August, 2022 – KKR, a leading global investment firm, today announced the appointment of David Krancenblum as Head of France for Credit & Markets, effective immediately. David Krancenblum will be based in Paris.

Mr. Krancenblum will cover all credit and capital markets transactions in France, including senior and junior private debt, structured capital and capital markets solutions for French financial sponsors and corporates.

Prior to joining KKR, Mr. Krancenblum was in the Leveraged & Acquisition Finance team at Morgan Stanley, focusing on the origination and execution of sub-investment grade financings in France across a wide range of credit profiles and situations. Mr. Krancenblum started his career at Credit Suisse where he successively worked in the Leveraged Finance Origination & Restructuring team, and the Leveraged Finance & Sponsors Group. Mr. Krancenblum holds a Master’s Degree in Management from HEC Paris.

Matthieu Boulanger, Partner and Co-Head of Private Credit, said: “David is an exceptional addition to the team. His arrival will bolster an already strong momentum, testimony to KKR’s commitment to France, one of Europe’s most dynamic credit markets.”

Jérôme Nommé, Partner and Head of KKR France, said: “We continue to grow our team in Paris across KKR’s full range of strategies, and are delighted to welcome David and the expertise he brings. David’s appointment will help us to further deepen our credit and capital markets offering in this market, reinforcing KKR’s ability to provide tailor-made solutions to French founders and entrepreneurs.”

David Krancenblum, Head of France for Credit & Markets, said: “The breadth of KKR’s credit product offering is a strong fit for the French client universe: our versatile private debt range, combined with our capital markets solutions, offers the agility they need for their strategic transactions across cycles.”

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.

Contacts

Cottonwood Technology Fund gladly like to announce a new hire: Sabine Bijker joined the team and will be responsible within Cottonwood for Corporate & Investor Relations and Finance.

With corporate investors from USA to Taiwan and personal relationships with corporates all over the world Cottonwood Technology Fund has a unique approach which brings a lot of added value to our portfolio companies. “So, investing in a role for corporate and investor relations will help contributing to our success.”, said Alain le Loux.

Sabine Bijker: “I am delighted to have been selected and happy to join Cottonwood Technology Fund. I’m impressed by the portfolio companies and the dynamics within Cottonwood during the first working days. I hope to be able to contribute to the success of Cottonwood’s impact investments in deeptech”.

Sabine will join Cottonwood’s Startup Festival on the 15th of September in Groningen and support hosting the Cottonwood LP-days on 7th and 8th of October.

Jesper Lien has been appointed as the new CEO of Plantasjen Group (“Plantasjen”) and will assume the role on 22 August 2022. Jesper most recently served as Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) of the company.  He has an extensive track record with broad experience from various senior positions at Nordic and European retail companies, including CEO of Coop Denmark and CCO of B&Q, the UK’s largest DIY chain.

“Plantasjen is in an exciting phase, and I am delighted that Jesper Lien has agreed to lead the company’s continued development. With his solid background in senior retail positions, Plantasjen is gaining an experienced CEO with a strong operational know-how,” says Anders Slettengren, Chairman of the Board of Plantasjen and President Business Area Consumer at Ratos.

“I’m very much looking forward to leading Plantasjen on its continued journey of growth. I am pleased to humbly accept this role as the company’s new CEO. Plantasjen’s vision is to be the most inspiring Nordic garden centre. This entails offering inspiration, expertise and tools to succeed in a growing life, ensuring customers choose us over the competition. We have made good progress, and I am optimistic about Plantasjen’s future. Now I look forward to shifting up a gear together with my colleagues,” says Jesper Lien, incoming CEO of Plantasjen.

Current CEO Nina Jönsson will be moving on to new challenges outside the Ratos Group.

“We would like to thank Nina Jönsson for her time as CEO of Plantasjen as well as the seven years she spent as CEO of various companies in the Ratos Group. She is a strong leader who has improved profitability while maintaining a focus on customers and employees. We wish her all the best in the future,” says Jonas Wiström, President and CEO of Ratos.

About Plantasjen
Plantasjen is the Nordic region’s leading retailer of plants and gardening accessories, with more than 128 stores in Norway, Sweden and Finland as well as online sales. The company has approximately 2,400 employees and sales of approximately SEK 4.5 billion for the rolling 12-month period ending 30 June 2022. Ratos acquired Plantasjen in 2016.

For further information, please contact
Anders Slettengren, Chairman of the Board of Plantasjen and President Business Area Consumer, Ratos, +46 72 589 89 00
Jesper Lien, incoming CEO, Plantasjen, +45 51 593 601
Josefine Uppling, VP Communication, Ratos, +46 76 114 54 21

About Ratos
Ratos is a business group consisting of 15 companies divided into three business areas: Construction & Services, Consumer and Industry. In total 2021, the companies have approximately SEK 26 billion in net sales. Our business concept is to own and develop companies that are or can become market leaders. We have a distinct corporate culture and strategy – everything we do is based on our core values: Simplicity, Speed in execution and It’s All About People. We enable independent companies to excel by being part of something larger. People, leadership, culture and values are key focus areas.

Digital Barriers, a leading provider of IoVT (Internet of Video Things) surveillance, security and business intelligence products, welcomes Tom Alexander as Chairman and Bryan Schmode as an advisor to the Board with immediate effect following the completion of 3i’s investment in the company.

Tom had a highly successful executive career spanning over 30 years in the telecoms industry. He was the founding CEO of Virgin Mobile in 1998, leading its IPO and subsequent sale to NTL following which he took on the role of CEO at Orange, overseeing the merger with T-Mobile to create EE which he then ran for a number of years. He is currently Chairman of Cafeyn, a leading European digital media streaming platform, and Asurion, a US based device insurance business, and previously spent nine years as a non-executive director of Ebiquity plc, an independent marketing and media consultancy, before stepping down in April 2022.

Bryan was one of the early and instrumental executives and investors at Avigilon, which became an industry leading provider of end-to-end camera & sensor technology, incorporating advanced analytics and AI deployed via its video management software and cloud based smart access control systems designed for public safety and enterprise solutions. Bryan was a driving force behind the company’s success before its sale to Motorola for $1bn in 2018. He now acts as an advisor to, and investor in, businesses across a wide range of industries.

Digital Barriers will benefit from Tom and Bryan’s leadership and guidance in helping to further develop its commercial proposition and go-to-market strategy with its global blue-chip partners such as AT&T, Vodafone, Fujitsu and G4S.

David Stephens, co-Head of 3i’s UK Private Equity team, commented: “We are delighted to have Tom and Bryan joining the Digital Barriers team. Their extensive experience and insight in building global champions within the telecoms and security sectors will be invaluable as we embark on this next phase for the company. Our ability to attract such high calibre individuals is testament to the quality of Digital Barriers’ technology, scale of the market opportunity, and ambition of this team.”

Tom Alexander commented: “It’s an honour to be joining this highly innovative and growing company as it embarks on its next phase of growth. The quality of its customer base and partners is hugely impressive for a company of this scale. It’s an exciting time to be joining and I look forward to working with Zak and the team to deliver on the business’ full potential.”

Bryan Schmode commented: “I am looking forward to working with Zak and the team to further develop Digital Barriers’ commercial proposition and technology roadmap. I’ve been extremely impressed by the quality of the team and technology that it has developed; it’s a ground breaking proposition and only set to advance further. It’s a privilege to be a part of that journey.”

Zak Doffman, CEO of Digital Barriers, commented: “We’re extremely privileged to have Tom and Bryan join us as we seek to realise our vision. Their impressive track records and networks in

telecoms and security, respectively, will prove hugely beneficial to our global team, not to mention to our clients and partners as we grow over the coming years.”

-Ends-

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For further information, contact:
3i Group plc

About 3i Group

3i is a leading international investment manager focused on mid-market Private Equity and Infrastructure. Its core investment markets are northern Europe and North America. For further information, please visit: www.3i.com

About Digital Barriers

Digital Barriers is a leading provider of IoVT (internet of video things) surveillance, security and business intelligence products. Headquartered in the UK with regional offices in the US, Europe and Asia-Pacific, Digital Barriers has developed a trusted global customer-base spanning industries such as defence and national security, law enforcement, border security, first responders, critical national infrastructure, transportation agencies, automotive and mobility and private security in over 60 over countries.

Regulatory information

This transaction involved a recommendation of 3i Investments plc.

Digital Barriers, a leading provider of IoVT (Internet of Video Things) surveillance, security and business intelligence products, welcomes Tom Alexander as Chairman and Bryan Schmode as an advisor to the Board with immediate effect following the completion of 3i’s investment in the company.

Tom had a highly successful executive career spanning over 30 years in the telecoms industry. He was the founding CEO of Virgin Mobile in 1998, leading its IPO and subsequent sale to NTL following which he took on the role of CEO at Orange, overseeing the merger with T-Mobile to create EE which he then ran for a number of years. He is currently Chairman of Cafeyn, a leading European digital media streaming platform, and Asurion, a US based device insurance business, and previously spent nine years as a non-executive director of Ebiquity plc, an independent marketing and media consultancy, before stepping down in April 2022.

Bryan was one of the early and instrumental executives and investors at Avigilon, which became an industry leading provider of end-to-end camera & sensor technology, incorporating advanced analytics and AI deployed via its video management software and cloud based smart access control systems designed for public safety and enterprise solutions. Bryan was a driving force behind the company’s success before its sale to Motorola for $1bn in 2018. He now acts as an advisor to, and investor in, businesses across a wide range of industries.

Digital Barriers will benefit from Tom and Bryan’s leadership and guidance in helping to further develop its commercial proposition and go-to-market strategy with its global blue-chip partners such as AT&T, Vodafone, Fujitsu and G4S.

David Stephens, co-Head of 3i’s UK Private Equity team, commented: “We are delighted to have Tom and Bryan joining the Digital Barriers team. Their extensive experience and insight in building global champions within the telecoms and security sectors will be invaluable as we embark on this next phase for the company. Our ability to attract such high calibre individuals is testament to the quality of Digital Barriers’ technology, scale of the market opportunity, and ambition of this team.”

Tom Alexander commented: “It’s an honour to be joining this highly innovative and growing company as it embarks on its next phase of growth. The quality of its customer base and partners is hugely impressive for a company of this scale. It’s an exciting time to be joining and I look forward to working with Zak and the team to deliver on the business’ full potential.”

Bryan Schmode commented: “I am looking forward to working with Zak and the team to further develop Digital Barriers’ commercial proposition and technology roadmap. I’ve been extremely impressed by the quality of the team and technology that it has developed; it’s a ground breaking proposition and only set to advance further. It’s a privilege to be a part of that journey.”

Zak Doffman, CEO of Digital Barriers, commented: “We’re extremely privileged to have Tom and Bryan join us as we seek to realise our vision. Their impressive track records and networks in

telecoms and security, respectively, will prove hugely beneficial to our global team, not to mention to our clients and partners as we grow over the coming years.”