Michael Kim: Godfather of Asian private equity

As part of its 20th anniversary celebrations, FinanceAsia is running a series of interviews with figures that have shaped Asian finance over the past two decades.

One of the most influential is Michael B. Kim who we described as the godfather of the Asian private equity industry in our 10th anniversary magazine issue back in 2006.

Kim shot to fame after spearheading one of the most symbolic transactions during the Asian Financial Crisis - the sale of KorAm Bank to a foreign private equity buyer, his then company Carlyle Asia Partners. 

The bank was subsequently sold to Citi...