James Kim has joined Ares Management Corp. as head of European Special Opportunities in the Ares Private Equity Group. He comes from Apollo Global Management, where he served most recently as a partner and the European co-head of Hybrid Value, focused on debt and equity solutions to European corporates.
Based in London, Kim will lead Ares’ Special Opportunities activities in Europe, adding to Ares’ growing private equity presence in the region while leveraging Ares’ leading European private credit and real estate platforms, officials announced.
“James is a seasoned and accomplished investment professional with whom I’ve had the opportunity to develop a strong working relationship over the last decade,” said Scott Graves, partner, co-head of the Ares Private Equity Group and Head of Special Opportunities, in a statement. “His extensive experience leading investment strategies and partnering with European businesses to deliver bespoke debt and non-control equity capital solutions will be an invaluable asset to our team. Given the significant opportunities we see in Europe, we believe our sourcing and execution capabilities will meaningfully benefit from an enhanced local presence.”
The Ares private equity team manages over $33 billion globally.
Having spent more than a decade at Apollo, Kim served on the firm’s European Operating, Strategic and Risk committees. Before Apollo, he was a senior associate in Citi’s European Leveraged Finance team and focused on structuring and syndicating European leveraged loans and high yield bonds. Prior to that Kim served on the private equity team at the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan.
“I am thrilled to join Ares and look forward to collaborating closely with both the Corporate Private Equity and Direct Lending teams in Europe,” Kim said in a statement. “There is a growing need for partnership capital to provide bespoke financing solutions in Europe. We believe Ares is strategically placed to continue being a strong partner given its extensive and deep relationships, leading market reputation and flexibility to provide creative debt and equity capital solutions to corporates and sponsors in the region.”
