Former FCC Chairman Kennard to Join The Carlyle Group

Washington, DC - William E. Kennard, former chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), will join The Carlyle Group, one of the leading private equity firms in the world.

Kennard, who was FCC chairman from November 1997 through February 2001, will serve as a managing director of Carlyle's global telecommunications and media investing strategy. He assumes his new position May 14th.

Kennard presided over the FCC at a momentous time in the agency's history. During his tenure, he shaped policies that created an explosion of new wireless phones, brought the Internet to a majority of American households, and resulted in 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.

"Bill Kennard will be an invaluable asset to Carlyle. He was an outstanding FCC chairman and has a deep knowledge of the players and the rapidly changing technologies in the telecommunications world," said Carlyle chairman Frank Carlucci. "We are delighted that he is joining us."

"As one of the world's leading private equity firms, Carlyle's vast resources will continue to spur innovation and unleash entrepreneurial spirit worldwide. I look forward to being a part of it," Kennard said.

Prior to serving as FCC chairman, Kennard was general counsel to the commission from December 1993 through October 1997.

Previously, Kennard was a partner in the Washington law firm of Verner, Liipfert, Bernhard, McPherson & Hand. He has over two decades of experience as an attorney specializing in communications law.

A native of Los Angeles, Kennard is an honors graduate of Stanford University, where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, and a graduate of Yale Law School.

Kennard joins a distinguished management team at Carlyle. Recent appointments include former Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Arthur Levitt and former World Bank Treasurer Afsaneh Beschloss.