ICG has appointed Andrea Serra as Head of Europe for ICG Strategic Equity (ICGSE), reporting to Ricardo Lombardi, the team’s global head. Serra joins ICG from Blackstone, where he spent 15 years, most recently as a Managing Director in the Tactical Opportunities group in New York, and prior to that, in the Private Equity division in London and New York. He will be based in ICG’s London office and be part of the senior leadership group executing ICGSE’s investment strategy. Serra will also join ICGSE’s Investment Committee.   ICG Strategic Equity specialises in GP-led secondary transactions, and has invested over

Tailwater Capital (Tailwater), a private equity firm focused on energy and growth infrastructure investments, has appointed Dana Sweet as head of strategic research and development (R&D). In this newly created role, Sweet will lead the firm’s development and implementation of strategic macro perspectives, as well as the delivery of Tailwater’s growing volume of proprietary research and insights across the energy solutions space. Additionally, she will work closely with Tailwater’s deal, investor relations and communications teams across the firm to integrate R&D and data analytics throughout our investment process to enhance everything from opportunity origination and assessment to execution.   Sweet

Perwyn has appointed Mathieu Antonini as a partner and investment committee member and to lead Perwyn’s activity in France and Southern Europe from the company’s Paris office. Antonini has spent most of his career at ARDIAN in Paris where he was a Managing Director in the BuyOut team as well as Head of France. During his tenure at ARDIAN, Antonini was involved in 12 buyout transactions with values ranging gradually from EUR15mn to more than EUR1.5 billion and invested a total of EUR1.5bn of equity.  Mathieu had originally joined the company in 1998 as its first ever junior executive. ARDIAN

Alternative lender BOOST&Co has promoted two new managing directors – Kim Martin, previously head of South and Midlands, and Richard Hallett, previously head of restructuring. The lender is expanding its leadership team following extensive business growth during the past two years, with the firm having now funded more than £650 million across more than 150 deals. Martin and Hallett have been appointed due to their combined experience and expertise in the UK SME sector, which will add strength and breadth to BOOST&Co’s senior management team.   Martin brings 14 years’ experience in financial services, previously working for Aberdeen Asset Management,

Outdoor Living Supply (OLS), a platform for outdoor living products with a focus on hardscapes, and a portfolio company of Trilantic North America, has acquired Stone Garden, an independent distributor of natural and cultured stone, landscape, and hardscape supplies to the Cape Fear region of North Carolina. This acquisition further strengthens OLS’s presence in the Carolinas and extends its footprint into the coastal market.   Stone Garden was founded in 1999 by Nina Brown. For more than 20 years, the Company has reigned as the region’s premier stone yard and outdoor living centre. Since its inception, Stone Garden has worked

Monroe Capital (Monroe) has appointed Amanda Tallman as vice president, direct originations. Tallman, who will be based in the firm’s Chicago office, will be responsible for originating transactions direct to non-sponsored and family-owned businesses. Prior to Monroe, Amanda was a Vice President at PNC Bank for nearly 10 years.  While at PNC, she assisted middle market privately held businesses and their owners navigate various transformational events through a variety of financing solutions. Monroe Capital (Monroe) is a boutique asset management firm specializing in private credit markets across various strategies, including direct lending, asset-based lending, specialty finance, opportunistic and structured credit,

Northern Gritstone, a university spin-out investment business based in the north of England, has appointed Alison Maughan as investment manager. Maughan joins Northern Gritstone’s growing investment team, led by chief investment officer, Marion Bernard, who joined the company in January. She joins after nearly four years at Deepbridge Capital specialising in life sciences and will bring deep experience and expertise in this area to the team. Her appointment follows that of Mark Wyatt, who joined Northern Gritstone as Investment Director earlier this month from Mercia Asset Management. Launched in July 2021 by the Universities of Leeds, Manchester and Sheffield and

Madrona Venture Group has added Karan Mehandru to the firm’s investment team as a managing director. With fifteen years of experience as a venture investor and board member for rapidly scaling private businesses, Mehandru brings a wealth of experience working closely with founders, their teams, and partners to build lasting and exceptional companies. Mehandru will be based in Silicon Valley, opening a Madrona office in Palo Alto to expand the firm’s Bay Area network and team while bringing a deep understanding of Seattle innovation closer to that market. Immediately prior to Madrona, Mehandru led the venture capital practice at STEADFAST

Building Industry Partners (BIP), a private equity investment firm focused on the US building industry, has appointed Steve Shaffer as an operating partner. Shaffer will help support BIP and Endeavor Fire Protection (Endeavor), BIP’s new fire and life safety platform. Shaffer brings nearly four decades of fire protection industry experience. He joins BIP and Endeavor from Impact Fire Services (currently operating as AI Fire Protection), the company he founded and served as President and Chairman.  Shaffer led Impact Fire Services from start-up in 2009 to $70 million in revenue in 2017. A Certified Public Accountant, Shaffer holds a Master in

Specialist consultancy firm, GRAPH Strategy, has promoted Phil Craig to partner. Formerly an Associate Partner, Craig has been instrumental in GRAPH Strategy’s growth since he joined the firm in 2018. GRAPH Strategy, which has offices in London and Washington DC, supports global corporations and private equity firms to acquire and build stronger businesses.    With nearly 15 years of experience in strategy consulting and private equity, Craig’s experience has seen him work with world-leading corporations and private equity firms throughout Europe and North America.     He currently works across many sectors including tech, healthcare and business services and his