William E. Kennard, who served as U.S. Ambassador to the European Union and FCC Chairman, will join Grain Management, LLC

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Oct 31, 2013, 06:00 ET

WASHINGTON, Oct. 31, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- William E. Kennard, former U.S. Ambassador to the European Union and former Chairman of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, will join private equity firm Grain Management, LLC this month as a Senior Advisor in its new Washington D.C. office. In this role, Mr. Kennard will focus on investment opportunities in the telecommunications sector, including global opportunities.

Mr. Kennard is the immediate past U.S. Ambassador to the European Union, appointed by President Barack Obama. Before serving as Ambassador, Mr. Kennard was a Global Partner and Managing Director of The Carlyle Group, where he led investments in the telecommunications and media sectors. Before joining The Carlyle Group, Mr. Kennard served as Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from November 1997 to January 2001.

During his tenure as Ambassador to the EU, Mr. Kennard made reinvigorating the U.S.-EU economic relationship and eliminating regulatory barriers his top priorities. He was a key force behind the February 2013 decision to launch negotiations on the ambitious Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership which aims to expand trade and investment across the Atlantic.

As Chairman of the FCC, Mr. Kennard presided over the agency at an historic time. During his tenure, he shaped policies that created an explosion of new wireless services, brought the Internet to a majority of American households, and incentivized billions of dollars of investment in new broadband technologies. At the same time, he implemented bold new policies to bridge the digital divide in the United States and around the world.

"Mr. Kennard's breadth of domestic and international experience in addition to his deep understanding of the global communications and technology sectors make him an excellent fit for Grain and our strategy moving forward," said David J. Grain, Founder & Managing Partner of Grain Management, LLC.

"Grain's team has an exceptionally strong understanding of the fast paced and ever changing communications and technology sectors," said Mr. Kennard of his new firm. "I am extremely pleased to be a part of this talented team."

About Grain Management, LLC

Grain Management, LLC is a leading private equity firm focused on investments in the global telecommunications sector. Based in Sarasota, FL, the firm manages two flagship funds for a number of the country's largest endowments and public pension funds. Grain Management, LLC was founded by David J. Grain, who formerly served as President of Global Signal Inc., Senior Vice President of AT&T Broadband, and Executive Director with Morgan Stanley & Co. in New York.

Contact: Anthony Applewhaite (202) 393-7337

SOURCE Grain Management, LLC