NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--KKR and Harlem Capital Partners (HCP) have launched a partnership to provide a pathway for talented women and minorities who are early-career professionals, undergraduates or MBA candidates, to increase their presence in the investment management industry.
HCP launched its internship program in January 2018 to help provide access to venture capital opportunities for women and minorities. Since then, HCP has received over 940 applications and hired 28 interns. HCP interns typically conduct market research, due diligence, and financial analysis. Under the new partnership, HCP will refer candidates and former interns to KKR for consideration in its internship and full-time hiring programs. KKR is eager to partner with HCP to identify candidates who are interested in careers in investment management.
“HCP believes that the limited funding for underrepresented founders -- less than 3% of all VC dollars -- is due to the lack of diverse investors. We are changing the face of entrepreneurship by investing primarily in disruptive startups founded by women and diverse entrepreneurs,” said Henri Pierre-Jacques, Managing Partner at Harlem Capital.
“HCP is excited to provide opportunities to diverse candidates trying to break into venture capital and later stage investing. We continue to be impressed by our applicant pool and are certain that investment firms will benefit from this talent,” said Jarrid Tingle, Managing Partner at Harlem Capital. “We are fortunate to launch this initiative with KKR, an industry-leading global investment firm that we admire.”
As part of its diversity and inclusion efforts, KKR has focused on recruiting a broader pool of diverse talent and has put together a number of initiatives to increase awareness of and access to the firm, including an MBA Summer Internship Program and a full-time analyst program.
“Having a more diverse workplace is a business imperative. In order to accomplish this, we know we have to adjust how and from where we are sourcing talent,” said Bola Osakwe, Global Head of Inclusion and Diversity at KKR. “We applaud HCP’s mission and are eager to begin working together to accomplish our shared goals of enhancing our industry by enhancing our access to all of the best and brightest talent.”
About Harlem Capital
Harlem Capital Partners (HCP) is a New York-based early-stage venture capital firm on a mission to change the face of entrepreneurship by investing in 1,000 diverse founders over the next 20 years. More information about HCP is available at www.harlem.capital.
About KKR
KKR is a leading global investment firm that manages multiple alternative asset classes, including private equity, energy, infrastructure, real estate and credit, with strategic partners that manage hedge funds. KKR aims to generate attractive investment returns for its fund investors by following a patient and disciplined investment approach, employing world-class people, and driving growth and value creation with KKR portfolio companies. KKR invests its own capital alongside the capital it manages for fund investors and provides financing solutions and investment opportunities through its capital markets business. References to KKR’s investments may include the activities of its sponsored funds. For additional information about KKR & Co. Inc (NYSE:KKR), please visit KKR’s website at www.kkr.com and on Twitter @KKR_Co.
