People
Chris Lee
As of October 6, 2026, Chris Lee is a KKR partner and president of its global real estate business. He joined KKR in 2012, manages KKR Property Partners Americas, and currently chairs KKR Real Estate Finance Trust. He previously co-led the mortgage REIT’s executive operations through March 2020. Current board oversight and historical CEO responsibilities are separate roles. Public evidence 1 Reviewed public evidence.
Updated
Career
Lee spent five years in Goldman Sachs' real estate principal-investment group after earlier work in investment banking. He joined Apollo's global real estate team, focusing on acquisitions, then moved to KKR in 2012. KKR identifies him as president of its global real estate business and lists him on the firm's operating, investment, and portfolio-management committees. He previously served as KREF's co-CEO and co-president before becoming its board chair.
Focus
Lee's responsibilities cover real estate equity and credit, including oversight of KKR Property Partners Americas and the firm's real estate investment committees. This places him across property ownership and commercial real estate finance. KKR's biography supports the roles and career history described here; transaction histories should be attributed to the particular funds or deal teams identified in their own materials.
Related Pages
- Investor People Hub
- National Investor Benchmarks Hub
- KKR
- Billy Butcher
- Source: Top 200 Global CRE People and Families
Sources
- Source: Top 200 Global CRE People and Families
- Chris Lee | KKR
- KREF Third Quarter 2025 Investor Presentation
Reviewed Profile Update — 2026-10-06
Related research
- KKR