KKR PE vs Blackstone PE - Analyst Roles

Very lucky to recently have gotten a full-time analyst offer to join KKR's Private Equity Team. 

Does anyone have any thoughts on how the program compares to those of Blackstone, Ares, and Silverlake? I am only really considering KKR and Blackstone at this point but wondering which one is better in terms of business school and public investing exits. Like very blunt, which would you rather take and why? Thank you!

Any thoughts on Blackstone TacOpps vs. Core Private Equity regarding exits as well are much appreciated.

 

Re: Blackstone TacOpps vs. Core PE, I think for most the scales would weigh heavily in favor of Core. Lots of the cooler stuff TacOpps was involved in over the years has evolved into its own categories, like BXG. Core PE is about as ~prestige~ as it gets and the skillset is universally more appreciated for most SM HFs that you're probably targeting & certainly moreso than the scattered experiences (which, while most likely interesting, likely lend themselves to less of a high caliber skillset and more of a broad experience base) of TacOpps. I say this as someone who ended up with a TacOpps offer and went elsewhere, so possibly biased, but also just finished interning so what do I actually know about the world and stuff, ya know?

 

Just wanna point out that Core PE (BCEP) is separate from the flagship Corporate PE (BCP) fund. The core strategy started in 2014, and is designed to do long-term holding. I believe core equity partners is on their second fund now, while capital partners is on their eighth

 

BX is a much older program that's been around since late 90's and probably has the #1 alumni base on the street, people like Ning Jin (Viking CIO), Scott Shleifer and a bunch of Tiger Partners, and mid to senior people at a ton of top funds (Baupost/ Darsana/ Soroban/ Farallon/ Tiger/ Addition/ D1(I think)/ Eminence/ Coatue/ King Street/ Value Act) who are more likely to help you. The 3 year program lets you exit to a HF earlier and perception at my school is that you pretty much get your pick of top funds. KKR will probably get there in a few years, but would lean BX for well known insane exits and a more established program. And if you ever want to switch groups, I think BX is better with Tac Ops (vs KKR special sits which blew up and had to rebrand) and growth equity which should be a nice spot with Korngold leading and the Oatly/Bumble momentum in fund I 

Also I've heard BX analysts skip the hand holding since MDs are used to a stream of top H/W kids who are competent from day 1, hence the 3 year analyst+associate program while every other fund is 4 

 

If you have the option I would pick BX over KKR (assuming both for PE, not TacOps or another strategy) mostly because the program is not as new so you’re less likely to be a guinea pig. One consideration is that KKR is broken into industry teams so if you want to focus your experience on something specific that might be a better choice (though I personally think being a generalist is the best approach at a junior level)

 

Congrats on the offer!! Would you mind sharing some intel/tips on getting that KKR PE FT analyst offer? Do you know if it's really just H/W kids, or is it also other ivies/targets? Any idea as to how many kids get offers, and maybe how competitive it is relative to the top EBs/top BB groups? If you wanna stay in PE or maybe move into the HF space after 2 years, sounds like a great program

 
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Congrats. Both solid options. I echo comments above and would say me personally may venture more towards KKR. Might be firm culture and/or the people who I know who have done either of those programs / worked at those firms. KKR just seems like a more interesting place to invest and learn/grow in my personal opinion. BX is def great and has solid pipeline to continue down a well-trodden path of just kinda following the people who previously were in that seat. Def a lower risk option. But KKR has been taking analysts for a few years now and I have seen some of them continue on career paths wherever they wanted it seems. KKR is just a great name in the investing world. Also seems like a more entrepreneurial thing if that’s what you like. Like if you want to start your own firm/fund one day it may sometimes be nice to have a different background/experience set than a lot of other PMs/partners out there. But just my thoughts based on very limited info/knowledge. Also if you want to spend a career at either place, I think BX may be more geared on the RE side, not sure if PE is still the main money making business there. It may end up being like a more legacy-type business like how M&A was at the firm one day. Idk. At KKR, it still seems like PE may be the main business there but I really don’t know much.

 

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