Henry R. Kravis: The Tulsa-Born Pioneer of Private Equity | Full Interview

Описание: 🔗 Explore More and Support the Mission

📄 Read the full transcript of this interview on our website:
https://voicesofoklahoma.com/intervie...

💬 Make future oral history interviews possible by donating to Voices of Oklahoma:
https://voicesofoklahoma.com/donate/

Tulsa native Henry R. Kravis became one of the most influential figures in global finance as the co-founder of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. (KKR), the investment firm that pioneered the modern private equity industry. His career transformed how companies were bought, built, and managed—and his vision reshaped the financial landscape around the world.

Born in 1944 to Raymond and Bessie Kravis, Henry grew up in a Tulsa household that blended business discipline with deep community values. His father, an oil and gas consultant, and his mother, a civic leader who founded the Tulsa Urban League, instilled in him a lifelong belief in hard work, integrity, and giving back to others. After studying economics at Claremont McKenna College and earning his MBA from Columbia University, Kravis began his career at Bear Stearns, where he and his cousin George Roberts developed a new approach to investing that became known as the leveraged buyout.

In 1976, Kravis, Roberts, and their mentor Jerome Kohlberg left Bear Stearns to form KKR, starting with just $120,000 of their own savings. They went on to manage billions in assets and acquire companies such as RJR Nabisco—a record-breaking $30 billion deal that inspired the book and film Barbarians at the Gate. Kravis reflects candidly on that era, his partnership with Roberts, and the values that guided their decisions amid unprecedented public attention.

Beyond business, Kravis has devoted his life to philanthropy. He and his wife, Marie-Josée, have supported education, medical research, and the arts through initiatives like the Kravis Center for Molecular Oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering and major contributions to Rockefeller University, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Museum of Modern Art. He also founded The Fund for New York City to spur inner-city entrepreneurship and job creation.

In this interview, Kravis shares personal stories about his Tulsa upbringing, his father’s friendship with Joseph Kennedy, his own path from small-town Oklahoma to Wall Street, and his reflections on leadership, opportunity, and integrity. He offers advice to young people on resilience, curiosity, and “grit”—the same qualities that turned a Tulsa boy into one of the most respected financial leaders of his generation.

#HenryKravis #KKR #PrivateEquity #TulsaHistory #WallStreet #OklahomaEntrepreneurs #FinanceHistory #Philanthropy #BusinessLeadership #OklahomaLegacy
#OklahomaHistory #StateHistory #OklahomaPodcast #OklahomaHistoryPodcast
#Oklahomans #Oklahoma #HistoryPodcast #OralHistoryInterview #OklahomaOralHistory