Key Takeaways
- • EQT Partners appoints Kim Dae-hyun, former CEO of DHK Management, as Partner and Head of Real Estate for South Korea, effective June 16, 2025, to establish and lead institutional real estate investment strategies in the market.
- • Kim brings nearly 30 years of global real estate investment expertise, including prior roles as managing director of Pan-Asian real estate at Shinsei Bank and experience across financial and technology sectors in the United States.
- • EQT's global real estate platform manages over €33 billion in assets (approximately 51.2 trillion won) across the Americas, Europe, and Asia-Pacific regions, with Kim's appointment signaling expansion into South Korea's institutional real estate sector.
- • Kim holds degrees from the University of Chicago (bachelor's) and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania (MBA), positioning him as a credentials-strong hire for a major European private equity firm's regional expansion.
- • The appointment reflects EQT's strategic focus on building local market expertise through experienced practitioners, leveraging Kim's established relationships and specialized knowledge of Korea's real estate investment landscape.
Summary
EQT Partners, Europe's largest private equity firm, has appointed Kim Dae-hyun as Partner and Head of Real Estate for South Korea, effective June 16, 2025. Kim, who previously led DHK Management—a Seoul-based real estate investment and advisory firm he established in 2012—will oversee the establishment and operation of EQT's institutional real estate investment strategies across Korea. This appointment represents a strategic expansion of EQT's presence in Asia's fourth-largest economy's real estate sector.
Kim is a 30-year veteran of global real estate investment with a diverse professional background. He previously served as managing director responsible for Pan-Asian real estate at Shinsei Bank and held positions in investment and business development across financial and technology corporations in the United States. His educational credentials include a bachelor's degree from the University of Chicago and an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. At DHK Management, Kim led opportunistic, high-risk, high-return investment strategies tailored to the Korean market.
EQT's real estate platform operates at significant scale. The global team currently manages assets exceeding €33 billion (approximately 51.2 trillion won) and maintains active investment and development operations across the Americas, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region, spanning more than 55 locations. Kim's appointment aligns with EQT's strategy of combining global institutional capabilities with local market expertise.
In a statement, Kim highlighted his strategic vision: "Based on the know-how specialized for the local market in Korea, I want to closely cooperate with a world-class team to further expand EQT's real estate presence in Korea and the Asia-Pacific region and build long-term partnerships." This positioning emphasizes the dual-track approach of leveraging local market knowledge while integrating EQT's global platform and resources to identify and execute institutional-scale real estate transactions in the South Korean market.
Kim is a 30-year veteran of global real estate investment with a diverse professional background. He previously served as managing director responsible for Pan-Asian real estate at Shinsei Bank and held positions in investment and business development across financial and technology corporations in the United States. His educational credentials include a bachelor's degree from the University of Chicago and an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. At DHK Management, Kim led opportunistic, high-risk, high-return investment strategies tailored to the Korean market.
EQT's real estate platform operates at significant scale. The global team currently manages assets exceeding €33 billion (approximately 51.2 trillion won) and maintains active investment and development operations across the Americas, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region, spanning more than 55 locations. Kim's appointment aligns with EQT's strategy of combining global institutional capabilities with local market expertise.
In a statement, Kim highlighted his strategic vision: "Based on the know-how specialized for the local market in Korea, I want to closely cooperate with a world-class team to further expand EQT's real estate presence in Korea and the Asia-Pacific region and build long-term partnerships." This positioning emphasizes the dual-track approach of leveraging local market knowledge while integrating EQT's global platform and resources to identify and execute institutional-scale real estate transactions in the South Korean market.
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