Sarnoff Joins KKR

KKR TAPS SARNOFF: Private equity Kohlberg Kravis Roberts tapped Bertlesmann U.S. Co-Chairman and book publishing veteran Richard Sarnoff as a Senior Advisor. Sarnoff is regarded as one of the key architects of the upcoming Google books settlement in his role as head of the German company’s book publishing holdings and Digital Media Investments. The 51-year-old exec, who played a key role in negotiating the acquisition of book publisher Random House from Advance Publications in 1998, and later served as Random House’s first-ever EVP/CFO, will become a member of the board of BMG Rights Management, the joint music publishing venture between KKR and Bertelsmann, as well as a Senior Advisor and Board Member for Weld North, a partnership between KKR and Jonathan Grayer. Sarnoff, who is also on the board of game manufacturer Activision Blizzard, holds a B.A. degree from Princeton University and an MBA from Harvard University. (1/11p)