Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Company hired Deryck Maughan as chairman of its Asian business, tapping the former Citigroup vice chairman to oversee its expansion in the region.

Mr. Maughan will be a managing director based in New York, a spokeswoman, Ruth Pachman, said yesterday. KKR said last month that it will open its first offices in Asia in Hong Kong and Tokyo, and is seeking to hire an undisclosed number of employees.

The 57-year-old executive led Salomon Brothers’ entrance into South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore two decades ago. Back in New York, he oversaw international strategy under the Citigroup chief executive, Charles Prince, who ousted him last year after Mr. Prince pledged to take “strong action” following the forced shutdown of Citigroup’s Japanese private bank.

“I am very excited to be joining KKR and working with (KKR cofounder Henry) Kravis and the other KKR executives to help build a new business in Asia,” Mr. Maughan said in a statement.

Buyout firms such as KKR, the Blackstone Group, and the Carlyle Group have announced plans this year of opening offices or expanding in Asia, which has some of the fastest growing economies in the world.

“I have known Deryck for more than twenty years and I am delighted he is joining KKR,” Kravis said in yesterday’s statement.

“His global insight and personal knowledge of Asia will be of great value to our firm.”

KKR employs about 200 people. Since it was founded in 1976, the firm has invested in more than 130 transactions with a total value of about $162 billion.