Kennedy Lewis Adds Rakesh Wilson as Partner, Will Co-lead ESG & Impact Strategy
Credit management firm Kennedy Lewis Investment Management announced today that it has hired Rakesh Wilson as a Partner and appointing him Head of Natural Resources, Infrastructure and Special Situations. The firm also announced that Mr. Wilson will be Co-Head of ESG, along with Dik Blewitt, Partner and Head of Tactical Opportunities.
Founded in 2017, Kennedy Lewis is an opportunistic credit manager focusing on event-driven situations in which a catalyst may unlock investment value. The firm focuses on middle-market companies that are facing disruption, whether it be cyclical, secular or regulatory related, deploying capital opportunistically across public, private, performing and distressed investment opportunities across North America and Europe.
Prior to joining Kennedy Lewis, Wilson was a Senior Partner at private equity investor Apollo Global Management, focusing on equity and debt investments in the natural resources and infrastructure sectors. Wilson has also served as Vice President at Morgan Stanley’s Commodities Division in the principal investing group, and began his financial services career at Goldman Sachs equity research and investment banking divisions.
David Chene and Darren Richman, Co-Founders of Kennedy Lewis, commented:
“We are thrilled to welcome Rakesh to the Kennedy Lewis team. We have known Rakesh for many years over which time we’ve greatly admired his talent and judgment. He is an exceptional investor and wonderful person who possesses a deep understanding of the credit markets and has built an impressive track record across cycles. Our team and our investors will greatly benefit from his extensive knowledge, deep experience and vast network as we continue to grow our platform.”
As Co-Heads of ESG, Wilson and Blewitt will be responsible for leading Kennedy Lewis’ ESG initiatives and impact investment strategy. According to Kennedy Lewis, the roles will involve enhancing the firm’s existing ESG investment focus and corporate ESG policies and efforts.
Mr. Chene added:
“The themes of sustainability, responsible investing and impact while generating attractive returns for our investors will only grow in importance at Kennedy Lewis. ESG continues to be a strategic priority for Kennedy Lewis, and we look forward to sharing additional updates on our ESG efforts.”