Early Life and Education
Scott Kapnick, a US citizen, was born in 1959. He graduated from Williams College with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and holds a combined JD/MBA from the University of Chicago. He also studied at the London School of Economics & Political Science.
Rise to Success
Kapnick's career began at Goldman Sachs in 1985, where he spent 21 years, rising to become co-head of investment banking and co-CEO of Goldman Sachs International. He was named Partner in 1994. In 2007, he left Goldman Sachs to join Highbridge Capital Management, building up its credit arm. Kapnick became CEO of Highbridge in 2013. In 2016, he and other principals bought HPS from JPMorgan, which has since grown significantly. In July 2025, HPS was sold to BlackRock.
Key Business Strategies
Kapnick founded HPS Investment Partners in 2007. HPS specializes in private credit, public credit, private equity, and real assets investments. HPS has a global presence, with offices across the world. The firm focuses on providing capital solutions and generating risk-adjusted returns. HPS was acquired by BlackRock in July 2025, with Kapnick, Scot French, and Michael Patterson leading a new private financing solutions business unit.
Philanthropy
Kapnick, along with his wife Kathleen, established The Kapnick Foundation Trust in 2004, continuing the philanthropic legacy of his father, Harvey Kapnick. The foundation focuses on education, youth development, arts and culture, and health initiatives, with significant grants made to institutions such as Howard University and Naples Botanical Garden. Kapnick serves on the boards of directors for the Naples Botanical Garden, Room to Read, and Aileron Therapeutics.