The SuperReturn private equity conference is usually a staid affair. It’s an event where people in conservative suits talk in small groups and in hushed tones, raising funds and sourcing deals. But at this year’s event in Berlin this June, hundreds clamored to find a seat for a 30-minute panel. The room quickly reached capacity well before the session, titled “The Next Generation of Consumer Brands,” was scheduled to begin. Some investors banged on the hotel conference room doors, pleading for a spot inside. One locked-out man got into a physical skirmish with a security guard.
The conference attendees were fighting to hear from a familiar face—Jay Sammons, a 16-year veteran of Carlyle, a top private equity firm—and one new to them: Kim Kardashian, the entrepreneur, influencer, and now private equity investor.
