# Alex Navab

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**Alex Navab** (November 24, 1965 – July 7, 2019) was an American financier who was the head of the Americas Private Equity Business of [Kohlberg Kravis Roberts](/source/Kohlberg_Kravis_Roberts) and possible successor to the firm.

## Early life

Navab was born on November 24, 1965, in [Isfahan](/source/Isfahan), to an Iranian father and Greek mother, Dr. Ali and Katina (Armenakis) Navab. His father was a physician.[1] The family fled for [Greece](/source/Greece) after the [Iranian revolution](/source/Iranian_Revolution) in 1979 and then moved to the [United States](/source/United_States).[2] He graduated from [Columbia College](/source/Columbia_College_(New_York)) as [Phi Beta Kappa](/source/Phi_Beta_Kappa) in 1987 and [Harvard Business School](/source/Harvard_Business_School) in 1991.[3][4][5]

## Career

He worked at [Goldman Sachs](/source/Goldman_Sachs) and [James D. Wolfensohn, Inc.](/source/Bankers_Trust) before joining [KKR](/source/Kohlberg_Kravis_Roberts) in 1993. During his time at [KKR](/source/Kohlberg_Kravis_Roberts), he oversaw its takeover of the [Nielsen Company](/source/Nielsen_Holdings), [Yellow Pages](/source/Yellow_Pages_Limited) and [Borden](/source/Borden_(company)). Navab became co-president of [KKR](/source/Kohlberg_Kravis_Roberts)'s American private equity business in 2008. He became the sole president in 2014.[6] He helped the firm raise $13.9 billion, one of the biggest of its kind.[1][7] He was the youngest partner at KKR.[8]

Navab sat on the management committee of [KKR](/source/Kohlberg_Kravis_Roberts) and was considered by many in the industry to be a candidate to succeed [Henry Kravis](/source/Henry_Kravis) and [George R. Roberts](/source/George_R._Roberts).[1][9][10] However, he was reported to have health issues which raised concerns about his prospects of succession.[11][12] After two other executives, Scott C. Nuttall and [Joseph Bae](/source/Joseph_Bae), were promoted to co-presidents, he departed [KKR](/source/Kohlberg_Kravis_Roberts) in 2017 and launched his own buyout firm, Navab Capital Partners.[2][6][10][13][14]

## Philanthropy

His philanthropic activities included serving as a [trustee](/source/Trustee) of [Columbia University](/source/Columbia_University) as well as on the boards of the [Robin Hood Foundation](/source/Robin_Hood_Foundation) and [NewYork–Presbyterian Hospital](/source/NewYork%E2%80%93Presbyterian_Hospital).[15][16][17] He was also involved in the [Greek American](/source/Greek_Americans) community and was named "Executive of the Year" in 2017 by the Hellenic American Association for Professionals in Finance.[18][19]

In 2016, he received an [Ellis Island Medal of Honor](/source/Ellis_Island_Medal_of_Honor) for his professional achievements and public service.[3][20] He received a [John Jay Award](/source/John_Jay_Award) from Columbia College in 2011, along with Ghanaian economist and future [Minister for Finance and Economic Planning](/source/Minister_for_Finance_and_Economic_Planning) [Ken Ofori-Atta](/source/Ken_Ofori-Atta), Israeli ambassador [Michael Oren](/source/Michael_Oren), and [Livingston Award](/source/Livingston_Award)-winning journalist [Elizabeth Rubin](/source/Elizabeth_Rubin).[21]

## Political activities

Navab served on the advisory council of the [Hamilton Project](/source/Hamilton_Project), an economic policy initiative at the [Brookings Institution](/source/Brookings_Institution), where business leaders put forward proposals for America's economic policy.[22] He was the former co-chair of the national council of the [American Enterprise Institute](/source/American_Enterprise_Institute) and supported former governor [Jeb Bush](/source/Jeb_Bush) for the [Republican](/source/Republican_Party_(United_States)) nomination for president in 2016.[23][24][25]

## Personal life

He died [clarification needed] on July 7, 2019, while vacationing with his family in [Greece](/source/Greece).[26] His memorial service was held in [Central Park](/source/Central_Park) and was attended by 1,800 people, including [Mitt Romney](/source/Mitt_Romney), [Henry Kissinger](/source/Henry_Kissinger), [Ali Wentworth](/source/Ali_Wentworth), [George Stephanopoulos](/source/George_Stephanopoulos), [Wilbur Ross](/source/Wilbur_Ross), [Mariska Hargitay](/source/Mariska_Hargitay), [Peter Hermann](/source/Peter_Hermann_(actor)), and [Aerin Lauder](/source/Aerin_Lauder).[8]

## References

1. de la Merced, Michael J. (2019-07-12). ["Alex Navab, Prominent Wall Street Dealmaker, Is Dead at 53"](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/12/business/alex-navab-dead.html). *The New York Times*. [ISSN 0362-4331](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/0362-4331). Retrieved 2020-05-21.

1. Gottfried, Miriam (2019-04-18). ["Former KKR Executive Alexander Navab Aims to Raise $3 Billion for New Buyout Firm"](https://www.wsj.com/articles/former-kkr-executive-alexander-navab-aims-to-raise-3-billion-for-new-buyout-firm-11555578000). *The Wall Street Journal*. [ISSN 0099-9660](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/0099-9660). Retrieved 2020-05-21.

1. ["Board of Visitors Chair Alex Navab CC'87 receives 2016 Ellis Island Medal of Honor"](https://www.college.columbia.edu/news/board-visitors-chair-alex-navab-cc-87-receives-2016-ellis-island-medal-honor). May 19, 2016. Retrieved May 20, 2020.

1. ["Columbia College mourns the loss of Alex Navab CC'87"](https://www.college.columbia.edu/news/columbia-college-mourns-loss-alex-navab-cc-87). *Columbia College*. July 11, 2019. Retrieved May 20, 2020.

1. ["WHAT DOES THE AMERICAN DREAM MEAN IN TODAY'S AMERICA?"](https://www.alumni.hbs.edu/stories/Pages/story-bulletin.aspx?num=5609). *www.alumni.hbs.edu*. 18 May 2016. Retrieved 2020-05-21.

1. ["Ex-KKR executive Navab to launch buyout firm with Goldman backing: sources"](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-privateequity-m-a-navab-idUSKCN1MJ2RQ). *Reuters*. 2018-10-09. Retrieved 2020-05-21.

1. ["KKR Closes $13.9 Billion Americas Private Equity Fund"](https://media.kkr.com/news-releases/news-release-details/kkr-closes-139-billion-americas-private-equity-fund). *KKR & Co. Inc.*. Retrieved 2020-05-21.

1. ["NYC Elite Remember Financier Alexander Navab"](http://gothammag.com/nyc-elite-remember-alexander-navab). *gothammag.com*. Retrieved 2020-05-21.

1. ["Remembering Alex Navab, former KKR executive and founder of Navab Capital Partners"](https://www.themiddlemarket.com/news/remembering-alex-navab-former-kkr-executive-and-founder-of-navab-capital-partners). *Mergers & Acquisitions*. 2019-07-18. Retrieved 2020-05-21.

1. de la Merced, Michael J. (2017-07-17). ["K.K.R. Lays Out a Line of Succession, a Rare Move in Private Equity"](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/17/business/dealbook/kkr-henry-kravis-george-roberts-succession.html). *The New York Times*. [ISSN 0362-4331](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/0362-4331). Retrieved 2020-05-21.

1. Kosman, Josh (2013-07-26). ["KKR draws healthy skeptics after co-head collapses during investor meeting"](https://nypost.com/2013/07/26/kkr-draws-healthy-skeptics-after-co-head-collapses-during-investor-meeting/). *New York Post*. Retrieved 2020-05-21.

1. ["At KKR, Nuttall and Bae are favorites to fill founders' shoes"](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-kkr-succession-insight-idUSKBN0FL0XF20140716). *Reuters*. 2014-07-16. Retrieved 2020-05-21.

1. Perlberg, Heather (18 April 2019). ["Former KKR Dealmaker Alex Navab Starts a Private Equity Firm"](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-04-18/former-kkr-dealmaker-alex-navab-starts-a-private-equity-firm). *Bloomberg*. Retrieved May 20, 2020.

1. ["Alex Navab Unveils New Firm, Navab Capital Partners"](https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190418005310/en/Alex-Navab-Unveils-New-Firm-Navab-Capital). *www.businesswire.com*. 2019-04-18. Retrieved 2020-05-21.

1. ["Alexander Navab and Li Lu Elected to Columbia Board of Trustees"](https://news.columbia.edu/news/alexander-navab-and-li-lu-elected-columbia-board-trustees). September 7, 2017. Retrieved May 5, 2020.

1. Hood, Robin (2015-01-30). ["David Einhorn Elected as Chair of Robin Hood Board of Directors"](https://www.robinhood.org/david-einhorn-elected-as-chair-of-robin-hood-board-of-directors/index.html). *Robin Hood*. Retrieved 2020-05-21.

1. ["NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center Opens the Mary Kathryn and Alex Navab Cardiothoracic Robotic Surgery Center - NewYork-Presbyterian"](https://www.nyp.org/news/Navab-Cardiothoracic-Robotic-Surgery-Center-Opens). *www.nyp.org*. Retrieved 2020-05-21.

1. ["Alexander Navab, Businessman and Philanthropist, Passed Away, 53"](https://www.thenationalherald.com/archive_whats_new/arthro/alexander_navab_businessman_and_philanthropist_passed_away_53-20814/). *The National Herald*. Retrieved 2020-05-21.

1. Kolasa-Sikiaridi, Kerry (2017-05-02). ["Hellenic American Association for Professionals in Finance to Honor Alexander Navab as Executive of the Year"](https://usa.greekreporter.com/2017/05/02/hellenic-american-association-for-professionals-in-finance-to-honor-alexander-navab-as-executive-of-the-year/). *USA.GreekReporter.com*. Retrieved 2020-05-21.

1. ["Medalists Database"](http://104.131.85.100/medal-of-honor/medalists-database?medalist=29883). *104.131.85.100*. Retrieved 2020-05-21.

1. Sachare, Alex. ["Five Alumni Honored at John Jay Awards Dinner"](https://www.college.columbia.edu/cct/archive/may_jun11/features0). *Columbia College Today*. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1. ["Alexander Navab | The Hamilton Project"](https://www.hamiltonproject.org/people/alexander_navab). *www.hamiltonproject.org*. Retrieved 2020-05-22.

1. ["National Council"](https://www.aei.org/about/national-council/). *American Enterprise Institute - AEI*. 2017-02-22. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20170222190108/https://www.aei.org/about/national-council/) 2017-02-22 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2020-05-22.

1. ["Alex Navab, Ex-KKR Dealmaker Who Opened Own Firm, Dies at 53"](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-07-08/alex-navab-ex-kkr-dealmaker-who-started-own-firm-dies-at-53). *Bloomberg*. 8 July 2019. Retrieved 2020-05-22.

1. White, Ben (18 February 2015). ["Building the Jeb Bush machine — Clinton Foundation taking foreign cash — Greece seeks extension"](https://www.politico.com/tipsheets/morning-money/2015/02/building-the-jeb-bush-machine-clinton-foundation-taking-foreign-cash-greece-seeks-extension-212543). *Politico*. Retrieved 2020-05-22.

1. ["Alex Navab, KKR Breakout Star, Dies Unexpectedly"](https://www.institutionalinvestor.com/article/b1g605k8mwy8qg/Alex-Navab-KKR-Breakout-Star-Dies-Unexpectedly). *Institutional Investor*. 8 July 2019. Retrieved 2020-05-21.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Alex Navab](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Navab) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Navab?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.