Squire Patton Boggs has appointed Michael Gajic as a partner. Formerly with MinterEllison, Gajic specialises in public mergers and acquisitions and acts for bidders, targets and major shareholders on public M&A transactions, including schemes of arrangement, takeovers (hostile, unsolicited and friendly), takeover defences, take-privates of ASX listed companies by private equity bidders and Takeovers Panel matters.   He has extensive experience in advising in respect of shareholder activism, having advised activist investors on campaigns, as well as advising ASX listed companies on their responses to shareholder activism. Gajic acts for both buyers and sellers on Australian and cross-border private M&A

Next generation City law firm, McCarthy Denning, has appointed Soulla Berger as a partner. The appointment strengthens the firm’s international hospitality practice especially within the area of hotel real estate transactions.

Appian Capital Advisory (Appian), an investment advisor to long-term value focused private equity funds that invest solely in mining and mining related companies, has appointed Richard Johnson as a Managing Director and the Company’s Global Head of Investor Relations. As Global Head of Investor Relations, Johnson will lead the investor relations team working across Appian’s portfolio, managing relationships with existing investors and attracting new investors to the Company, working closely with the Executive Team to co-ordinate strategic business development. He will advise and work with the portfolio company financial teams to ensure their businesses reach their potential, and will also

UK venture capital investment manager Deepbridge Capital has appointed Steve Shallcross as Chief Information and Technology Officer and Connor Grimes as Associate Investment Director, Technology. Prior to joining Deepbridge, Shallcross was Senior Vice President of Technology and Innovation at Cheshire-based tech company Afin Technologies. Shallcross’s role at Deepbridge is to lead the digitalisation of the business and ensure that the company has the digital capabilities to continue to be a leading provider of tax efficient investments to the financial adviser and private investor markets.   Grimes joins the Deepbridge technology investment team following six years as Investment Manager at Seneca

McGuireWoods has continued the strategic expansion of its nationally recognised M&A practice with the arrival of partner Brian L Hager, who brings nearly 17 years of corporate deal experience to the firm’s Richmond, Virginia office. Hager’s extensive deal experience includes advising public and private companies on mergers and acquisitions, venture capital investments, securities offerings and corporate governance matters. He represents clients across a broad range of industries including manufacturing, retail, consumer packaged goods, finance and insurance. Joining Hager is McKenzie Carson, an accomplished deal lawyer with experience in a wide array of industries. Hager and Carson come to McGuireWoods from

Investment advisory firm Time Partners has expanded its team with three new hires – Crispin Payne, Ed Stubbings and James Morrison. As chief transactions & operating officer, Payne will be responsible for leading internal operations and for providing advice to clients on private markets transactions. His focus will be to lead a collaborative team with strong, efficient processes to support the growth of Time Partners and support the client advisory teams with advice on private equity structures.  After an early advisory career with Hambros Bank and The Kalchas Group, Payne became a private equity investor with Dresdner Kleinwort Capital in