Kim Kardashian hires Wall Street talent to grow her equity firm

The private equity firm of Kim Kardashian hired half a dozen financial industry professionals, including a new COO who previously worked at the alternative investment giant Apollo Global Management Inc.

SKKY Partners it now has nearly a dozen employees and expects to top 15 by the end of this year, according to former Carlyle Group Inc. partner, Jay Sammons47, who co-founded the firm with Kardashian last year.

“We have come a long way in just a few short months and we look forward to seeing our early investments come to life,” Kardashian, 42, said in an emailed statement, emphasizing that the firm has “an incredibly diverse team and a dynamic culture “.

That team includes six women and two employees who identify as LGBTQ. The firm’s new COO, Kaitlin May, previously worked for Apollo, Citigroup Inc. and Putnam Investments, where she served as director of global institutional management. Brittany Serafino, who joined L Catterton, and former Bain Capital employee Zachary Litner joined as vice presidents.

Boston-based SKKY invests in consumer products and the media industry, with Kardashian and Sammons serving as co-managing and co-founding partners.

While Kardashian first became famous for the “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” show, she also launched a number of businesses, including the underwear company Skims. Sammons, a 17-year veteran of Carlyle, has worked at investments including Beats by Dre, skincare company Philosophy and cosmetics company Beautycounter.

The new firm also signed Riyanka Ganguly, formerly at Blackstone Inc., as a senior associate. Ashley Baxter, who used to work at growth investment firm Stripes, joined as an associate. In addition, a CFO, Mark Urso, was added from Petra Funds Group, and last year the firm added a managing director, David Brisske, from Permira.

“Kim and I have experienced the power of diverse teams and highly inclusive cultures that generate the most impactful and creative thinking of all,” Sammons said. “It’s the right way to make the best decisions, and the way we’re building SKKY is no different.”