KKR: ‘We take a targeted-rifle approach’ to new strategies

In this episode, Infrastructure Investor senior editor Bruno Alves sits down with KKR global head of infrastructure Raj Agrawal. KKR’s infrastructure unit has been on a remarkable growth trajectory, from being the 17th largest infrastructure manager in the world in 2014 to becoming the third largest in our recently released Infrastructure Investor 100 ranking. During that time, it added to its global core-plus strategy by launching strategies dedicated to core infrastructure, the Asia-Pacific region and, more recently, its infrastructure-adjacent global climate strategy. Strategy building is thus at the heart of the discussion with Agrawal, as he details the four preconditions that have to be fulfilled before KKR launches a new strategy. He also discusses how the firm navigated high-profile departures, how it ensures team retention, why it eschews sector considerations and takes a risk-based approach to investing in the asset class, and he touches on the opportunity in industrial infrastructure.