Kohlberg Kravis Roberts said today that it has hired the chairman of Qantas, Leigh Clifford, as a senior advisor to help bolster the private equity firm’s Australian operations, according to a statement.
Clifford previously worked as CEO of Tio Tinto as part of a 37-year career at the giant mining company. He will be based in Melbourne.
“K.K.R. has a proven track record of building long-term, sustainable value in the enterprises in which it invests while also delivering solid returns for investors,” Mr. Clifford said in a statement. “Given the demand for both capital and operational expertise right now, I am proud to join a team equipped to deliver both, and I look forward to helping identify opportunities for investors while partnering with managers to strengthen businesses in Australia.”
Clifford joins KKR’s expanding global network of senior advisors, including: Sanhjiv Ahuja, Sir John Bond, John E. Bryson, Liu Chuanzhi, David Cote, Bruce W. Duncan, George M.C. Fisher, Joe W. Forehand, Yoshiharu Fukuhara, Paul M. Hazen, R. Clint Johnstone, Paul Norris, Gianemilio Osculati, Lee R. Raymond, and Edward Tian Suning.