Ken Whitney will retire as senior managing director and head of investor relations and business development at Blackstone, according to an internal memo obtained by Pensions & Investments.
Mr. Whitney started at Blackstone in 1988 and played a key role in developing several of Blackstone's businesses, including Blackstone Real Estate Partners, Blackstone Mezzanine Partners and Blackstone Debt Advisors.
He will keep an affiliation with the firm as a senior adviser, according to the memo.
“For many years, Ken has spearheaded our efforts both to raise capital from, and maintain relations with, our most important limited partners. He has been an invaluable part of Blackstone since 1988, just a few years after the firm's founding,” the memo states.
Blackstone spokesman Peter Rose declined to comment.