Buzzacott has appointed Antoine Housden as Head of Financial Services Tax.Housden joins Buzzacott from EY, where he worked as a director in the Wealth and Asset Management Tax Practice. Over the past 15 years, Housden has also worked at PwC and Kinetic Partners (now Duff & Phelps), in the UK and Switzerland, providing tax structuring advice to private equity funds, hedge funds and asset management businesses. His appointment reflects Buzzacott’s growing reputation in the alternative fund management sector and a commitment to tax consultancy services.   Housden says: “I am excited to be joining an energetic and growing family at

Mid-market private equity investor LDC has strengthened its South West & Wales team with the appointment of Oliver Schofield as an Investment Director.

Schofield joins LDC from Goldman Sachs, where he was part of the Leveraged Finance team, supporting clients across the TMT and Industrials sectors. Prior to this, Schofield worked at RBC Capital Markets, and he has wide-ranging experience in financing private equity buyouts and corporate transactions across Europe.

In his new role, Schofield will be responsible for identifying potential investment opportunities, leading transactions and supporting the management teams of LDC’s portfolio businesses as they pursue their growth ambitions.

Private equity investor Berkshire Partners has appointed Matt Gooch, Saad Hasan and Ben Levy as Managing Directors effective 1 January, 2020. They join the 22 current Managing Directors in managing the firm and its affiliated investment funds. The firm’s 25 Managing Directors have an average tenure of 16 years with the firm. Gooch joined Berkshire Partners in 2019 as Director of Business Development after more than 20 years with investment bank William Blair & Company, where he was most recently a Managing Director and head of European banking. At Berkshire, he leads the firm’s private equity investment sourcing efforts, alongside industry

Ara Partners Group (Ara Partners), a Houston-based private equity firm specialising in industrial decarbonisation investments, has expanded its senior management team with the promotion of Johanna Schmidtke to Managing Director. Schmidtke joined Ara Partners in 2018 as a Principal. “We’re delighted to announce Johanna’s promotion,” says Troy Thacker, Managing Partner of Ara Partners. “Since joining the firm in 2018, she has made major contributions to our efforts to build a strong portfolio of companies that contribute to the decarbonisation of the industrial economy.” “As a firm, we benefit greatly from Johanna’s investment acumen, technical knowledge, and industry relationships,” adds Charles Cherington,

Growth private equity firm TA Associates has promoted eight staff members in its Boston, London and Mumbai offices, effective 1 January, 2020, including two new Managing Directors.“It is an honour to recognise the promotions earned by these talented and dedicated team members who have provided a tremendous level of value-add to TA Associates’ portfolio companies and ultimately for our investors,” says Brian J Conway, Chairman and Managing Partner at TA Associates. “We look forward to their continued success and contributions through their judgment, creativity and work ethic. We are particularly pleased that seven of the eight promotions were earned by

Squire Patton Boggs has expanded its Middle East presence with the addition of a team of three partners in its Dubai office. The trio have joined from Winston & Strawn’s Dubai office: Campbell Steedman, formerly Winston & Strawn’s Middle East Managing Partner, and corporate partner Christopher Skipper have both joined Squire Patton Boggs’ Corporate Practice; and Shibeer Ahmed, formerly Head of the Middle East Finance Practice at Winston & Strawn, joins the firm’s Financial Services Practice. They will be followed by a team of associates.   “Our presence in the Middle East is a critical element of our global practice, and

SANNE, a provider of alternative asset and corporate business services, has appointed Jessie Meng to the role of Country Head – Shanghai.In her role, Meng will strengthen and enhance the existing Shanghai offering, while working closely with business leaders in SANNE’s other Asia-Pacific based offices to promote the brand across the region. In addition to heading the Shanghai office, she will also be responsible for continuing to grow and develop SANNE’s international offering.   With 14 years’ experience working in the financial services industry, Jessie has an extensive background in developing business strategies and optimising team structures coupled with her

Dillon Eustace has appointed three new partners across its Corporate and M&A, Tax and Litigation & Dispute Resolution practices.Richard Lacken has been made a partner in the Tax division, Philip Lea is appointed partner in the Corporate and M&A division and Rachel Turner becomes a partner in Litigation and Dispute Resolution. The appointments demonstrate the firm’s ambition at the outset of the 2020 decade, with Dillon Eustace now comprising over 200 employees and 45 partners. Lacken who previously trained at a big four accounting practice, joined the firm in 2011. An AITI Chartered Tax Adviser, he consults on a wide

Milbank has appointed M&A attorney Lisa O’Neill as a partner in the firm;s London office, further strengthening Milbank’s global corporate capabilities.

National law firm Seward & Kissel has promoted Kevin Neubauer to partner and Brian Maloney to counsel. The promotions are effective 1 January, 2020. “We are thrilled to make these well-deserved promotions. Kevin brings our clients a tremendous wealth of knowledge in fund formation and other issues of concern to private funds and pooled investment vehicles,” says Seward & Kissel Managing Partner Jim Cofer. “Brian has demonstrated his litigation talents across a range of subjects and types of engagements, from banking and shipping disputes to securities investigations. His versatility is a great asset to our clients and the Firm.”   Neubauer has extensive experience