Blackstone appoints head of SEA private equity, aims to double Singapore headcount

Aravind Krishnan, a managing director at Blackstone Private Equity, will relocate from Mumbai to lead the expanding Southeast Asia team.

January 16, 2024

Blackstone is looking to double the size of its Singapore private equity team with an aim to push more into Southeast Asia (SEA) in the next two years, by growing to around six to seven professionals, a spokesperson has confirmed to FinanceAsia. The spokesperson added that the team would "evaluate opportunities" across the board in SEA, including Singapore.  

In addition, the New York-headquartered alternative asset manager has appointed Mumbai-based Aravind Krishnan, a managing director at Blackstone Private Equity, as the firm’s next head of Southeast Asia for private equity. Krishnan, who has been Blackstone for 11 years, will relocate to Singapore soon, in order to lead the expanding team.

Amit Dixit, head of Asia, Blackstone Private Equity, said in an emailed January 16 media release: “Singapore is home to some of our most important investors, as well as headquarters to global and Asian businesses and a gateway to SEA. We are excited to add experienced private equity talent to the Blackstone Singapore team, which already exceeds 100 professionals, and that Aravind – who has been with Blackstone for more than a decade – will be leading our SEA private equity business.”

Blackstone has recently moved to new office in Singapore and celebrated its tenth anniversary in the Lion City. Altogether the firm employs over 100 people there.

Joe Baratta, global head of private equity at Blackstone, added in the release: “This is a fantastic time to be in Singapore, an important gateway to SEA and its emerging opportunities. We have built a robust presence in Singapore over the last decade, growing more than threefold across businesses, and cultivated valuable partnerships with our investors, the government, and companies. The expansion of our private equity business will significantly help grow our footprint in SEA.”

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