VCP Apex, a global provider of financial, advisory, and capital raising services for corporate and fund manager clients, announces today three strategic hires in its New York and Hong Kong offices, as it continues to strengthen its global capabilities. Jill Cohen joined in July as Managing Director and Head of the Americas, from Mercury Capital where she was a Partner. She has over 20 years of experience within the alternative asset management industry, having held senior positions at several firms, including Avenue Capital, Salient Partners, and MPM Capital. She was also head of Capital Introduction for the Americas at Citigroup.

ECI Partners, a growth-focused mid-market private equity firm, has added to its commercial team with the appointment of Mia Smith as an associate. Smith is ECI’s sixth new hire in the last 12 months, representing a 20% increase in investment professionals.   ECI’s Commercial Team works with portfolio companies, offering hands-on-support to management teams from day one of ECI’s investment. Smith will be supporting management teams across all these key focus areas.     Prior to joining ECI, Smith spent four years at OC&C Strategy Consultants, where she worked on a range of customer due diligence and growth strategy projects.

Global technology investor, EV Private Equity (EV), has announced the promotions of Espen Strøm and Tomas Hvamb from partner to senior partner. Strøm will continue to lead EV’s efforts related to origination, while Hvamb will continue to head up the firm’s stewardship efforts. For over a decade at EV, both professionals have specialised in high-profile transactions, portfolio growth strategies, and exit planning.   Over the past 20 years, EV Private Equity has become established as a leading technology-enabled impact investor, committed to driving decarbonisation deep within the energy sector by shaping world-class technology companies.

VSS Capital Partners (VSS), a private investment firm investing in the healthcare, business services, and education industries, has appointed Brad Corbin as Principal.  Corbin will work collaboratively with the VSS investment team to source new investment opportunities, perform due diligence and support portfolio company management teams to help drive value creation.   Corbin has investment experience across the healthcare, technology, and business services verticals to VSS. Prior to joining the firm, he was a Vice President with BBH Capital Partners (BBHCP), the private equity strategy of Brown Brothers Harriman & Co, where he oversaw deal execution for new platform investment

Global corporate finance advisory firm Clearwater International is further strengthening its presence in London with the appointment of a new Managing Partner and a move to larger premises. Christopher Jones joins as a Managing Partner and Head of London to lead the ongoing development of the firm’s 35-strong team in the capital.   This appointment will allow fellow Managing Partner, Marcus Archer, to expand his leadership role working alongside UK CEO Mark Taylor and devote more time to his strategic role of leading private equity coverage internationally, in addition to driving the sector-focused approach to M&A across the UK.  

VSS Capital Partners (VSS), a private investment firm investing in the healthcare, business services, and education industries, has appointed Brad Corbin as principal.  Corbin will work collaboratively with the VSS investment team to source new investment opportunities, perform due diligence and support portfolio company management teams to help drive value creation. Corbin brings investment experience across the healthcare, technology, and business services verticals to VSS. Prior to joining the firm, he was a Vice President with BBH Capital Partners (BBHCP), the private equity strategy of Brown Brothers Harriman & Co, where he oversaw deal execution for new platform investment opportunities

Francisco Partners (FP), a global investment firm that specialises in partnering with technology businesses, has made several key strategic hires. Erin Blake has joined the firm as a Managing Director, Legal M&A, working with the investment team on transactional legal matters. She was most recently a Partner in the Mergers & Acquisitions group at Kirkland & Ellis based in San Francisco, where she focused on software and technology transactions. She earned a JD from Georgetown University Law Center and a BS from Pennsylvania State University.   Francisco Partners has also hired Jason Warner as a Managing Director and Head of

Sidley has appointed James Lu as a partner in the firm’s Corporate Practice in Century City. Lu was previously a partner at Cooley LLP, as well as co-founder of its Shanghai office and the head of its corporate practice.  Lu’s addition comes on the heels of his former Cooley colleague, Daniel Elefant, joining the firm from Softbank Investment Advisers in San Francisco. Lu focuses on representing companies and their venture capital and private equity investors, especially in the life sciences and technology sectors. He also has extensive experience advising clients on private and public securities offerings, mergers and acquisitions, joint

Ares Management Corporation has appointed James Kim has as a partner and head of European special opportunities in Ares’ private equity group.  Based in London, Kim will lead Ares’ Special Opportunities activities in Europe, adding to Ares’ growing private equity presence in the region, while leveraging Ares’ leading European private credit and real estate platforms. Kim has more than 18 years of global private equity and leveraged finance experience. Prior to joining Ares, he spent over 11 years at Apollo Global Management where he most recently served as a Partner and the European Co-Head of Hybrid Value, focused on providing

Vista Equity Partners (Vista), a global investment firm focused exclusively on enterprise software, data and technology-enabled businesses, has appointed Michael P Charlton as Managing Director, Capital & Partner Solutions.  Charlton will be responsible for spearheading investor relations efforts dedicated to Vista’s credit platform, Vista Credit Partners and will report to Greg Myers, Senior Managing Director, Global Head of Capital & Partner Solutions. Charlton brings over three decades of experience leading successful marketing and investor relations initiatives to Vista. He most recently served as Managing Director, Global Head of Business Development and Investor Relations at Anchorage Capital Group. During his tenure,