Karen King is a Managing Director of Silver Lake, one of the largest global technology investors in the world. Silver Lake differentiates itself from generalist investment firms by devoting the full extent of its resources to investing in and cultivating leading technology, tech-enabled and related growth businesses. Karen joined Silver Lake over 18 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. 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.
For many years, Karen has enjoyed wearing multiple 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, as well as risk management. More recently, she has also been involved in business development. Karen has served as the interim Global Head of Communications for Silver Lake, in addition to her normal duties, and also supervises 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.
In addition to her role at Silver Lake, Karen serves on the board of Franklin Templeton. 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 has been serving on the Board of Visitors for Duke’s Trinity College for a number of years and was previously on the Board of Visitors for Duke’s Sanford School of Public Policy. Karen has also been actively involved in supporting the Duke Technology (DTech) Scholars program. And she is an active supporter of Duke Athletics, especially in 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 is the Chair of the Board of Trustees for Menlo School. Previously, she served on the Investment Committee for Sacred Hearts Schools – Atherton. She has also been the Board Chair for the American Leadership Forum - Silicon Valley (ALF), where she is a Senior Fellow. Karen 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, is a junior at Duke and their son, Charlie, is a senior in high school.
Elected to the Duke University Board of Trustees in 2022, Karen serves on the Resources Committee.
July 2022