Apollo announced it has opened an office in Seoul and that Jay Hyun Lee has joined the firm as a Partner and Head of Korea to help execute and build on its growth plans in the market.

Apollo has established a successful track record over more than 15 years in Asia Pacific, providing capital and retirement solutions to assist, support and partner with institutions across various geographies, including South Korea. The firm has grown its operational presence across Tokyo, Sydney, Hong Kong, Mumbai and Singapore since 2006.

As Head of Korea, Lee will help drive Apollo’s capital formation strategy, institutional relationships and team growth in the country. He brings 25 years of financial services experience to the role, having most recently served as Senior Executive Vice President for Samsung Securities where he led the integration and management of the firm’s M&A, securities underwriting and corporate investment functions.

“Korea is a leading financial hub where we see a tremendous opportunity to serve investors and retirees across the risk-return spectrum and meet businesses’ growing demand for flexible, creative capital solutions,” said Scott Kleinman, Co-President of Apollo Asset Management. “We are thrilled to welcome Jay Hyun as we continue to strengthen our presence across Asia Pacific and execute our global growth strategy.”

Apollo Partner and Head of Asia Pacific Matt Michelini added, “As we grow our franchise in Korea, we are excited to work alongside pensions, insurers and other institutions as a scaled provider of excess return. We expect our reach will extend across the region’s retirement ecosystem, where we also aim to deliver yield-oriented solutions to individuals and savers seeking duration-matched income products.”

“Apollo has an incredible platform delivering private capital and retirement solutions to clients globally and I am excited to lead their efforts on the ground in Korea. I look forward to working with Matt and the team across Asia Pacific and the globe to build upon the strong momentum in the region,” added Jay Hyun Lee, Apollo Partner and Head of Korea.

Prior to Samsung Securities, Lee served as Managing Director, Head of Korea in Private Equity and Growth Equity for Goldman Sachs. Previously, he held roles as Head of Korea Investment Banking for BNP Paribas, Executive Director of Investment Banking at Goldman Sachs and additional roles at J.P. Morgan, KPMG Korea and Korea Long Term Credit Bank. Lee received his DBA from Hong Kong Polytechnic University, his MBA from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business and his BA from Seoul National University.

In addition to Lee, the firm has appointed Dr. Sam Young Chung, Professor at Yonsei University and Head of AIF APAC, as an Academic Advisor in Asia Pacific to apply his academic expertise to the firm’s work at the intersection of retirement solutions and alternative assets.

Source: Apollo