Sapphire Ventures, a venture capital firm with USD2.4 billion under management, has hired Stefanie Gordish as vice president of marketing. Gordish will lead the firm’s marketing strategy, including brand, communications, events, messaging and thought leadership.   Gordish brings extensive marketing communications experience to Sapphire. Most recently, she led communications at Marketo, a marketing technology provider, where she saw the company through its take-private transaction and a corporate repositioning from a marketing automation application to an engagement platform. Prior to Marketo, Gordish spent more than a decade at global PR agencies Weber Shandwick and Edelman, where she led corporate communications programs

Specialist investment advisory firm Gravis Capital Management has hired ex-Fidelity director Charles Payne as an investment consultant. Payne left Fidelity in 2015 after 14 successful years to become an independent investment consultant. He regularly lectures at London Business School, the Imperial College Business School and elsewhere on equity research, stock analysis, financial marketing and business ethics and will provide Gravis with support on portfolio management and construction.   Whilst at Fidelity Payne held a number of senior roles including  Product Director  with responsibility for European Equities, Director of Research and Executive Director managing the Equity Investment Operations, managing 120 staff,

Private equity firm Arsenal Capital Partners (Arsenal) has appointed Patricia Grad as a Senior Managing Director and Head of Investor Relations.  Grad has over 15 years’ experience in developing, launching, and executing strategic fundraising and investor relations programs for private equity firms.   Bill Farrell, Arsenal’s Head of Investor Relations since 2011, has chosen to retire after a lengthy career.  He will be with the firm through the end of the year to assist during the transition and will remain a senior advisor to the firm.   Terry Mullen, Arsenal’s Co-Founder and Partner, says: “Patricia joins Arsenal at an exciting

Palatine Private Equity has made a new addition to its Manchester team with the appointment of Tom Ross-Jones as Portfolio Director. Ross-Jones, who is a qualified chartered accountant, joins Palatine from EY, where he spent 11 years with the business advisory firm. Tom has advised businesses on a range of transactions and restructuring programmes and went on to work in the operational transactions services team, which involved completing due diligence for private equity backed buyouts, as well as advising on business carve-outs and post-merger integrations.   Ross-Jones will work alongside Steve Donaldson, Head of Portfolio, and Partner Ed Fazakerley. In

FirstPoint Equity, a global private funds placement group and advisory firm, has appointed veteran LP Craig Lewis as Managing Director. Lewis will be responsible for client advisory and business development within Real Assets including Agriculture, Energy and Power, Natural Resources and Real Estate.   As Director of Private Markets and Real Assets at Alfred I duPont Testamentary Trust for over nine years, Craig was responsible for developing, sourcing and executing investment strategies for the Trust’s $900 million Real Assets portfolio and brings a wealth of sector knowledge in private markets. Prior to duPont Trust, Craig served as Investment Manager within

Ipes, a leading provider of outsourced services to private equity in Europe, has appointed Gary Ayres as a Senior Manager in the firm’s Jersey Office. Ayres joined Ipes in August 2017 and is responsible for the management and development of the Jersey client delivery teams and the associated client portfolios and relationships.   Ayres has 11 years’ asset management experience after starting his career at PwC Ireland, where he joined in 2006 as an associate in PwC’s dedicated Asset Management Practice providing audit services to European and US asset management clients. Specialising in the alternatives sector, Gary has a strong

China Renaissance Group has appointed Ke Wei as Partner of the New Economy Fund and member of the Investment Committee. Wei will report to Fan Bao, Chairman and CEO of China Renaissance Group. Wei previously served as Managing Director at global private equity firm General Atlantic (GA), where he focused on investments in the TMT and consumer sectors. During his eight years at GA, Wei has led and participated in a number of significant deals and delivered solid returns for investors. Prior to GA, Wei was Investment Principal at another private equity firm, Actis. He also worked at Boston Consulting

PNC Business Credit has appointed Karl Brier as senior vice president and business development officer to its senior secured financing team in the western region. PNC Business Credit is the senior secured lending division of PNC Bank, NA, and its subsidiaries and a part of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.   Based in Orange County, Brier is responsible for business development with private equity firms and middle-market companies, and originating asset-based and cash flow loans in southern California, Arizona and southern Nevada.   Brier joins PNC from Chase Commercial Bank, where he served as market executive. He earned a

Maranon Capital has made three additions to its investment and operations teams. Shawn Meador joins as an Investment Analyst after previously working at Maranon as an Intern. Meador is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame where he earned a BBA in Finance.   Matt De Frank joins as a Senior Fund Accountant. Prior to Maranon, De Frank worked at Cortland Capital Market Services and BMO Capital Markets. He earned a BS in Finance from Miami University.   Greg Singer joins as a Fund Accountant. Prior to Maranon, Grheeg worked at Cortland Capital Market Services. He earned a BS