George Roberts

KKR (with Kravis): LBO operator playbook

George Roberts co-founded KKR in 1976 alongside Henry Kravis and Jerome Kohlberg, helping establish the firm as the architect of modern private equity. He oversaw landmark transactions including the 1989 RJR Nabisco buyout, then the largest LBO in history. His operational approach—using debt discipline and management incentives to extract value—became the template for LBO strategy globally.