Kelso & Company

About Kelso & Company

Kelso & Company is a private equity firm with a strong focus on creating alignment of interests among all parties involved in a transaction. Founded in 1971 and headquartered at 320 Park Avenue, 24th Floor, New York, New York, Kelso has a longstanding history in leveraged acquisitions and investment partnerships. They have a robust track record of managing seven private equity investment partnerships with over $4.9 billion in capital since 1980. Their investments span more than 115 companies with a total capitalization exceeding $39 billion. Kelso is deeply focused on middle-market companies across North America, leveraging their experience to drive growth and performance in their portfolio companies. They invest in a diverse range of sectors including Software (Web, Marketplace, SaaS), IT & TMT, FinTech & Financial Services, Hardware & Manufacturing, Energy, HealthTech & Fitness, Logistics & Distribution, and Material Science. With an investment range of $30 million to $300 million, Kelso's approach is rooted in the principles of partnership and shared equity ownership, inspired by Louis Kelso's invention of the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). Their culture is driven by their ESOP roots, emphasizing alignment and partnership core values, which they believe leads to superior business performance. Kelso's employees are significantly invested in their funds, thus aligning their interests with those of their investors and portfolio companies. On average, they commit approximately 15% of the capital in each of their funds, which is one of the largest GP commitments in the industry. Their team showcases a long tenure, reflecting their stable culture and consistent investment approach developed over 40 years. Kelso's specialties include Management Buyouts (MBO), Leveraged Buyouts (LBO), Acquisitions, Recapitalizations, Private Investment in Public Equity (PIPE), and Going Private transactions. Their expertise in private equity and commitment to long-term partnerships have positioned them as an attractive partner in the fiercely competitive investment landscape.