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Karen King is a Managing Director of Silver Lake, the global technology investment firm. Silver Lake differentiates itself from generalist investment firms by devoting the vast majority of its resources to investing in and cultivating leading technology, tech-enabled and related growth businesses at scale. Karen joined Silver Lake over 20 years ago and has been involved in numerous portfolio investments for the firm, including Dell, Endeavor, Skype, VMware and many others. She currently serves on the board of Relativity, the leading e-Discovery platform, and Qualtrics, the category creator of Experience Management. Previously, she also served on the boards of Aras and Serena Software, both enterprise software companies, where she led successful sales of each business. Integrated into all the firm’s business units, Karen sits on the Valuation Committee for each of Silver Lake’s funds, as well as on the firm’s Risk Committee, Conflicts Committee, Cybersecurity Steering Committee, ESG Committee and ED&I Committee. In addition, she helped launch the firm’s Charitable Commitment Committee.
Karen wears many hats at Silver Lake. As chief legal officer, she oversees a global team who are immersed in all business and regulatory affairs for the firm, including deal execution, fund formation and portfolio value creation, as well as risk management. She is also the global head of talent and human resources. Additionally, Karen has served as the interim global head of communications for Silver Lake and oversees the government relations function. Regularly called upon to help solve difficult, complicated and/or sensitive matters, Karen frequently advises directors and senior management of many of Silver Lake portfolio companies. She has been involved in multiple acquisitions, divestitures, financings, IPO processes, and various other major and complex transactions.
Outside of her role at Silver Lake, Karen serves on the board of Franklin Templeton (NYSE: BEN). She is also a member of the investment collective, Broadway Angels.
Karen graduated from Duke University in 1994 with a major in Public Policy Studies and a certificate in German, including studying abroad with Duke in Berlin. She previously served on the Board of Visitors for Duke’s Trinity College and before that on the Board of Visitors for Duke’s Sanford School of Public Policy. She has also been actively involved in supporting the Duke Technology (DTech) Scholars program. And she is an avid supporter of Duke Athletics, including women’s sports, and is a member of the Legacy Fund.
Karen is also a graduate of Harvard Law School, where she served as co-chair of the 25th reunion for her class. She also serves on the Executive Advisory Board of the Berkeley Center for Law and Business. In addition, Karen was until recently the Chair of the Board of Trustees for Menlo School. Previously, she also served on the Investment Committee for Sacred Hearts Schools – Atherton.
Karen has also served as the Board Chair for the American Leadership Forum - Silicon Valley (ALF), where she is a Senior Fellow. She has also served on the Silicon Valley Leadership Council of the Global Fund for Children. And she and her husband are Trustees for the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Foundation.
Karen lives in Silicon Valley. Her husband, Greg, whom she met at Harvard Law School, was formerly the General Counsel of Veritas Technologies. Their daughter, Caroline, graduated from Duke in May 2024 and their son, Charlie, is a sophomore at Duke.
Elected to the Duke University Board of Trustees in 2022, Karen serves on the Governance Committee and as vice chair of the Finance Committee.
July 2024