Axiom, an alternative legal services provider, has appointed Matthias Schwenke to head the company’s operations in Germany.   Axiom now provides access to high-quality legal services for large enterprises across Germany, which join a long list of Axiom’s current global clients, including more than half the Fortune/FTSE100.   Axiom’s lawyers provide clients with flexible capacity and specialised knowledge, offering in-house legal teams an alternative to traditional external law firms. In addition to experience working at top law firms, most Axiom lawyers also have spent several years at in-house legal departments. This profile allows them to effectively integrate into clients’ in-house

Benson Elliot, a UK-based private equity real estate fund manager, has made a number of management changes to support the company’s ongoing strategic growth and development.   All changes will take effect from 1 January 2018.   Marc Mogull will transition from his current role as managing partner to executive chairman and chief investment officer.   Trish Barrigan, who co-founded Benson Elliot with Mogull in 2006, will take on the position of managing partner.    Joseph de Leo, senior partner, and James Jakeman, partner, will jointly oversee the investment portfolio under Barrigan’s direction.   Separate to these changes, Benson Elliot

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom has appointed private equity lawyers Richard Youle and Katja Butler as partners in the firm’s European private equity practice in London.   Youle and Butler will add a expertise to Skadden’s global private equity and corporate platforms.   Youle was the co-head of both the global and EMEA private equity groups at his previous firm, from which Butler is also joining. His practice focuses on private equity, and he advises private equity houses and financial sponsor clients on all forms of leveraged M&A and portfolio assistance, including restructuring advice.   Butler focuses on transactional

European venture capital firm Sofinnova Partners has appointed Graziano Seghezzi as managing partner.   He joins Antoine Papiernik, Denis Lucquin and Monique Saulnier in the company’s managing partnership.   Graziano’s appointment boosts Sofinnova Partners’ international leadership.   Seghezzi began his career in venture capital in 2001 at Sofinnova Partners where he was in charge of identifying and assessing investment opportunities. Throughout his career, he has focused on company creation through the establishment of start ups, spin-offs, and accelerators.   He was the seed investor of Omthera Pharmaceuticals, listed on Nasdaq and then sold to Astra Zeneca, of Glycovaxyn sold to

Ducera Partners, an independent investment bank, has formed a private capital group and hired Douglas F Conrod to lead the practice.   Ducera’s private capital group will provide bespoke financing solutions to companies undergoing transformational changes in their business, or pursuing strategic corporate finance and investment transactions.   “The emergence of alternative capital sources, has created substantial opportunities for companies to access the financing needed to effectuate their growth and transactional objectives. The formation of a dedicated private capital group, led by Doug allows Ducera to grow with, and assist our clients,” says Michael Kramer, CEO of Ducera Partners.  

Dentons has appointed Giulio Andreani as a partner in the law firm’s tax practice in Italy.    He joins along with a team of five, including senior counsel Giuseppe Ferrara, senior associates Irene Avanzini, Giacomo D’Angelo and associates Erika Andreani and Valeria Andreani.   They will be based in Dentons’ Milan office.   In 2016, Andreani was named “Tax Litigation Lawyer of the Year” at both the TopLegal Awards and Legalcommunity Tax Awards. He is also recommended by Chambers & Partners as one of the leading tax lawyers in Italy.    Andreani is renowned for his experience in tax litigation,

French private equity firm Activa Capital has appointed Xavier Govare, former president of Labeyrie Fine Foods, as chairman of the company’s industrial committee.   He succeeds Philippe du Mesnil, former president of Ceva Santé Animale.   Du Mesnil will remain fully active on the industrial committee, of which he has been a productive member for more than 14 years.   The industrial committee is composed of 15 renowned industry experts who support the Activa Capital team in the study of investment opportunities and the monitoring of portfolio companies.   “Having had the pleasure of serving as president of Activa’s industrial

New York-based High Road Capital Partners has appointed Nicholas W Martino as partner and Eojin Lee as vice president.    “I’m pleased to welcome Nick and Eojin to the High Road team,” says Bob Fitzsimmons, managing partner of High Road Capital Partners. “I believe they will be tremendous assets to the firm. They join at an exciting time, as we recently marked our tenth anniversary and we continue to grow.”   Martino will serve as an operating partner and assist portfolio management teams with creating and implementing strategies designed to produce best-in-class performance and accelerate revenue growth. He serves on

Dallas-based Preston Hollow Capital (PHC), an independent specialty finance company, has appointed Matthew Challis as executive director.   Challis brings an extensive public finance background to PHC, most recently as a Managing Director with RBC Capital Markets, and previously holding senior vice president roles with Jefferies’ Municipal Securities Group and Piper Jaffray’s Public Finance Group.   He joins the originations team at PHC, headed by managing director Ramiro Albarran.   “We’re excited and pleased to have Matt on board,” says Albarran. “Hiring a banker with his level of talent and capability in the public finance space is a win for PHC.

Ambit has appointed Vikrant Narang as head – NBFC/structured finance.   The business has additionally brought in Sunil Gulati as an external senior adviser.    Sanjay Sakhuja, CEO, Ambit Investments, says: “Ambit’s NBFC business, along with co-investors, will focus on providing Structured Lending solutions to our clients. I am delighted to welcome Vikrant to lead this initiative, and to welcome Sunil, whose counsel will significantly enhance our risk underwriting capabilities.”   Narang joins Ambit from KKR’s NBFC business, where he has led several transactions over the past four years. He has extensive experience across structured finance, acquisition financing, syndicated loans