Hong’s Hiring Positions Firm to Capitalize on Powerful Trends Shaping Global Finance, as Firm’s Founder Takes on Strategic Leadership Role
Malk Partners (“The Firm”), the preeminent advisor to private market investors for creating and protecting value through environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) management and impact investing, has appointed private equity and consulting veteran Max Hong as the firm’s chief executive officer.
Hong’s appointment positions the firm to capitalize on the most powerful trends shaping global finance, while enhancing Malk Partners’ best-in-class advisory services for clients’ rapidly evolving needs in the ESG and impact space. It also comes as responsible investing is being quickly embraced throughout private equity and private credit and as more clients are demanding the expertise and singular ESG focus that the firm has pioneered.
“Following an extensive CEO search, we are excited for Max to guide Malk Partners through our next stage of growth,” said Andrew Malk, Malk Partners’ Founder, who has led both strategy and operations since founding the trailblazing ESG firm in 2009. “Max’s strategic acumen will assist our firm in delivering broader and deeper value for clients, even as ESG trends shift quickly. His background in private equity means that he deeply understands our clients’ asset classes, which span private equity, growth equity, venture capital, and private credit. And he brings a track record of leading high-growth businesses and attracting the top-tier talent that will deliver for our clients.”
Malk is now moving to the strategic leadership position of Executive Chairman, where he will work closely with Hong.
“I am honored to join Malk Partners in this time of unprecedented momentum, as the world’s embrace of ESG converges with the firm’s tremendous growth as the most trusted ESG advisor to leading private market clients,” said Hong. “This firm was an early innovator in this space and has built an unparalleled reputation. Working with Andrew and this talented team, we have plans to build on this strong foundation and find new ways to deliver value to clients. With two powerful global mega-trends as our tailwinds – the growth in private market assets under management and the arrival of ESG as an essential board-level consideration – I look forward to enhancing Malk Partners’ reputation as the world’s leading ESG advisor.”
Hong assumes executive leadership responsibilities at the firm with 25 years of private equity, consulting, and senior executive experience. He was most recently an Operating Partner at Crosspoint Capital Partners, a cybersecurity and infrastructure software-focused private equity firm. Prior to Crosspoint Capital, Hong was a Partner at the Boston Consulting Group and led the West Coast Technology, Media, and Telecommunications Practice, assisting some of the world’s most successful technology companies and investors drive value creation and operational improvements.
Before these roles, Hong held senior executive positions leading high-growth technology businesses that transformed the lighting industry with energy efficiency LEDs. He started his career at McKinsey & Company, where he became Partner and worked in the West Coast and Korea offices. He holds a B.S. degree in Economics, with a concentration in Finance, from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School.
In addition to overseeing the Board of Directors, Andrew Malk will continue to play a leadership role in realizing the firm’s vision and mission by directing its strategic planning and execution. As the primary relationship-builder during the firm’s formation, Malk will continue to support strong partnerships with existing and new clients, limited partners, and the broader responsible investing community.
“With so many private investors asking our firm to provide new services amid a fast-changing landscape, I look forward to spending more time on strategy and on positioning Malk Partners as the ESG firm that accelerates corporate ESG excellence,” said Malk. “As our firm continues to grow its impact through our clients, we are also focused on rallying key stakeholders – from governments and educational institutions to large corporations and private investors – to leverage ESG best practices in ways that maximize impact on our world.”