Simpson Thacher represented KKR Real Estate Finance Trust Inc. (“KREF”) in connection with its initial public offering of 11,787,500 shares of common stock at a public offering price of $20.50 per share. KREF’s common stock began trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “KREF” on May 5, 2017. Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and KKR Capital Markets LLC acted as joint book-running managers for the offering.
KREF is a real estate finance company that focuses primarily on originating and acquiring senior loans secured by commercial real estate assets. KREF is externally managed and advised by KKR Real Estate Finance Manager LLC, a subsidiary of KKR & Co. L.P.
The Simpson Thacher team included Joe Kaufman, Jo Djekovic, Eva Kang, Madeline Sprung-Keyser and Jennifer Rosen (Capital Markets); Rajib Chanda and Ben Wells (Registered Asset Management); Jason Herman and Peter Vassilev (Private Funds); Chris May and Tyler Cox (Corporate); Marcy Geller and Sophie Staples (Tax); David Rubinsky and Erin Murphy (Executive Compensation and Employee Benefits); and Jennifer Nadborny and Ellen Smiley (Public Company Advisory Practice). Partners Lori Lesser and Abram Ellis and Counsel Marcela Robledo and Jennie Getsin also provided invaluable assistance.