Joseph Bae
Co-CEO of KKR
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Joseph Yong Bum Bae (born 1973) is an American billionaire businessman who is the co-chief executive officer of KKR & Co. Inc, along with Scott Nuttall.[1][2] They took over as co-chief executives in fall 2021 from KKR's founders, Henry Kravis and George Roberts.
Joseph Bae | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1973 (age 52–53) South Korea |
| Education | Harvard University (AB) |
| Title | Co-CEO, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts |
| Spouse | |
Early life and education
Bae was born in 1973 in South Korea,[3] before his family moved to the United States in the 1970s.[4] Bae attended Phillips Academy before attending Harvard College, where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in economics in 1994.[5][6][7]
Career
Bae joined KKR in 1996 after a short stint at Goldman Sachs.[1][2] He is credited with a critical role in KKR's expansion in Asia.[1] He is the first Korean-American to hold a top corporate position in his industry.[8] In 2021, he was one of the founders of The Asian American Foundation.[9]
As of 2025, Forbes estimated his net worth at US$2.4 billion.[10]
Personal life
In 1996, Bae married Janice Y. K. Lee, a fellow Harvard graduate. The couple are major donors to Harvard University, and Bae serves on the Harvard Corporation.[11][12] Bae, along with his wife Janice, was among a group of Harvard alumni who donated $45 million for Harvard's Asian American studies program in 2021.[13] The couple have four children, and live in New York.[14]
