Law firm Akerman has bolstered its tax practice group with the appointment of former CBS vice president and general tax counsel Alvan L Bobrow as partner. Bobrow joins the firm’s New York office from Mayer Brown, where he served as the leader of the national state and local tax group.   "Alvan's experience with complex tax structures and strategies adds important depth to our transactional team," says Peter Larsen, chair of Akerman's tax practice group. "His work across numerous jurisdictions will be valuable to our clients as they confront a multitude of corporate tax issues and deal-making decisions throughout the US and

Comcast Ventures, the venture capital affiliate of Comcast Corporation, has appointed Kai Bond as principal to lead Comcast Ventures Catalyst Fund. Bond will be based out of New York and focus on investing in early-stage start-ups in NYC and start-ups led by minority entrepreneurs across the country.   “I am delighted to welcome Kai Bond to Comcast Ventures Catalyst Fund,” says Amy Banse, managing director and head of funds for Comcast Ventures. “His network, operational expertise and product knowledge will be an excellent addition to our team, helping us identify new types of investments for the growing Catalyst Fund.”  

DW Healthcare Partners and Council Capital, two healthcare-focused private equity firms, have appointed Mark Lashley as chief executive officer of Caregiver, a provider of services to the intellectual and developmental disability community in the US. Lashley comes to Caregiver with over 20 years of healthcare and leadership experience, most recently as a division president for Rural/Metro, the nation's second largest ambulance company. While with Rural/Metro, Lashley helped lead the company through a major integration initiative ultimately improving employee engagement, patient care, financial results, and the successful sale of the company in 2015.   “With years of experience in leading teams

Private equity investor Bowside Capital has appointed Marcia J Hooper as a senior adviser. Hooper has over 30 years of investing experience and is the president of Hooper Lewis, a private investment and advisory firm.   She was formerly a partner at Castile Ventures, Advent International, Viking Capital and Ampersand Ventures/Paine Webber Ventures and has extensive public and private company board experience.   "We have had a strong working relationship with Marcia for many years as she is an investor in each of the Bowside funds and was formerly a member of the advisory board of each Bowside fund until

London-based partner Tim Elliott has relocated to co-lead the CMS’s Hong Kong office together with German CMS partner Nicolas Wiegand. Elliott will to build out CMS’ finance capabilities in the region alongside its newly established disputes offering.   The firm obtained its Hong Kong license in September 2016, and will initially be focusing on those product areas with one of its key aims in 2017 to strengthen its capabilities in asset finance and energy finance.   Elliott says: “We have for some time been pressed by our existing clients and contacts in the region to provide more on the ground

Kirkland & Ellis International has appointed Paula Liu as a partner in firm’s corporate practice group in Shanghai. Liu concentrates her practice on M&A transactions with a particular focus on private equity.   “Paula has built a reputation as one of the leading young corporate and private equity lawyers in Shanghai,” says David Zhang, a senior partner in Kirkland’s Asia corporate practice group. “She is a talented lawyer and an important addition to our Shanghai office as we look to further strengthen the firm’s China corporate practice.”   Liu joins Kirkland from the Shanghai office of Clifford Chance, where she

Private equity firm Altitude Partners has appointed Andrew Syvret from Santander Corporate Bank as partner in charge of fundraising and deal origination. Syvret has undertaken senior commercial roles in professional services, banking and the private sector for almost 20 years.   Following positions at both KPMG and PwC in accountancy and corporate finance, Syvret was recruited by the Royal Bank of Scotland in 2007 to establish and lead a corporate business origination team. A period in the private sector followed as head of the business development team for the Earl of March at The Goodwood Estate securing global sponsors and

Independent Growth Finance (IGF), a commercial finance provider for SMEs, has appointed Mark Lindsay as managing director of its invoice finance practice.  Following the development of IGF’s asset based lending facilities, IGF is seeking to replicate this trend across its entire product offering.    Lindsay will be responsible for increasing the client base and lending book of the business’ established invoice finance division, developing new financial products and continuing the firm’s recent hiring run across the country.     Lindsay moves from his previous role as managing director at Bibby Trade and International Finance, where he spent more than five years leading a team of trade finance experts providing finance solutions to SMEs.   Prior to this, he was a regional manager

Law firm Goodwin has expanded its private equity and private investment funds practice with the addition of partners Marie-Laure Bruneel and Arnaud David in the firm’s Paris office. “The skills and talent of Marie-Laure and Arnaud, who are both well-known in the market, allow us to offer a complete range of services and cover all the needs of our clients, including investment banks and managers,” says Maxence Bloch, chair of Goodwin’s Paris office. "Their arrival is a significant step in our strategy of becoming an industry leader in the private equity, infrastructure and real estate investment spaces, not only in the

Dentons has recruited three partners to work in its private equity and corporate/M&A practices in Europe. They are Christopher Rose (CEE/UK), Alessandro Dubini (Italy) and Simon Vogel (Germany).   Rose joins as head of Dentons’ Europe venture technology group, splitting his time between Moscow, London and Warsaw. He joins from Squire Patton Boggs, where he was head of the emerging markets private equity group.   Rose specialises in cross-border private equity and venture capital investments and exits, as well as M&A and joint ventures. He has advised on over 200 transactions on behalf of leading private equity and venture capital investors. He