Jacques Veyrat, founder and chairman of Impala, attends the third annual tech conference "Inno Generation" organized by French investment bank Bpifrance at AccorHotels Arena in Paris, France, October 12, 2017. Picture taken October 12, 2017. REUTERS/Charles Platiau

PARIS (Reuters) - Investment and private equity firm KKR KKR.N has named Jacques Veyrat, a well-known businessman with previous leading positions in the commodities and telecoms sectors, as senior adviser in France as KKR looks to build its presence in the country.

Veyrat currently manages his own company called Impala SAS, a diversified investment company with around 1 billion euros ($1.2 billion) in net asset value (NAV).

Before founding Impala in 2011, Veyrat had served as chairman and chief Executive of the global merchant and commodity company Louis Dreyfus Group, and of telecoms companyNeuf Cegetel before its acquisition by SFR.

“France is an important market for KKR, and we see significant opportunities across a number of sectors, building on our successful track record and commitment to supporting French businesses,” Johannes Huth, who is head of KKR EMEA (Europe, Middle East & Africa), said in a statement on Monday.

“Jacques will bring valuable insights and local knowledge as we further develop our presence and activities in France,” added Huth.