People
Lynn Nicholson has joined the European Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (EVCA) as senior communications manager.
Nicholson’s (pictured) responsibilities include the delivery of member, industry and press communications with a particular focus on strategy and content.
An experienced communications professional and M&A consultant, Nicholson joins from B2Boost, a pan-European IT service provider, where she headed up the communications and marketing functions. Previously, she spent nine years working in the UK financial services industry as both a management consultant and as an investor relations officer.
Emma Thorpe, EVCA head of communications, says: “Lynn brings an exceptional combination
August Equity has strengthened its investment team with three promotions.
Rob Simpson (pictured) has been promoted to business development director whilst Mehul Patel and Anthony Bellau are now investment directors.
Simpson, who joined August Equity in 2011, has sourced a number of acquisitions for August Equity including the platform acquisition for the Compass Group investment and has also worked on the Aspirations and SecureData investments.
Patel, who joined August Equity in 2009, has worked on a number of transactions including the recent SecureData investment and the subsequent bolt-on of Quadrant Networks Limited. He is also a non-executive
Altius Associates has appointed two senior associates to its global investment team.
Jeffrey Kopocis will be based in the Richmond, Virginia office and Arnaud Garel-Galais will be based in the London office.
Bradford Young (pictured), Altius’ head of investments, says: “We are delighted that we were able to attract these high calibre investment professionals to strengthen our global investment team on the both sides of the Atlantic. These appointments reflect our commitment to providing clients with an outstanding level of advice and support.”
Kopocis joins Altius from a multi-family office in Alexandria, VA where he was an
UMB Fund Services (UMBFS) has made leadership changes and appointed a new representative for its business development team.
Lonnie Macdonald has transitioned out of his role as head of business development for UMBFS in order to focus on other responsibilities within the organisation. He had led the business development team since September 2007.
Macdonald will continue to serve as head of marketing for UMBFS and as president of the company’s alternative investment servicing division, JD Clark & Company. In addition, he will be focusing on developing and implementing a suite of middle-office services to be offered to clients.
Olga Koulechova has been promoted to partner at Idinvest Partners, having joined the firm as head of business development in October 2011.
Koulechova’s (pictured) promotion strengthens Idinvest Partners’ development of close relationships with large institutions involved in investing in small and mid private equity backed companies in Europe (venture capital, buy out, mezzanine, senior loans, funds of funds etc.).
Prior to joining Idinvest, Koulechova was executive vice president in charge of the Nordic countries at Edmond de Rothschild Asset Management, and senior international sales manager at Natixis Asset Management. She was responsible for Europeans institutional clients particularly in Germany,
Vulcan Capital, the Seattle-based investment management firm that oversees philanthropist Paul G Allen’s multi-billion dollar portfolio, has named Abhishek Agrawal as managing director and head of its new Palo Alto office.
Agrawal (pictured) will direct Vulcan’s presence in Silicon Valley and focus on expanding the firm’s investments in the internet and technology sectors.
Agrawal joins Vulcan Capital from General Atlantic, a global growth equity firm with USD17bn in capital under management, where he has worked since 2005. He has been closely involved in General Atlantic’s investments in the internet and technology sector, including AKQA, Alibaba Group, Bazaarvoice, Dice
Schulte Roth & Zabel (SRZ) has expanded its London office with the addition of partners Peter JM Declercq and Sonya Van de Graaff to the business reorganisation practice.
Declercq and Van de Graaff (pictured) are joining the firm from Brown Rudnick.
Adam Harris, head of the SRZ business reorganisation practice, says: “Two years ago, we began a distressed debt & claims trading practice in London as it became clear to us that our clients were increasingly dedicating personnel and other resources to UK and European restructuring opportunities. That practice has blossomed, and the addition of Peter and Sonya
HIG Capital managing director Fraser Preston (pictured) and principal Brian McMullen have relocated from the firm’s Miami office to San Francisco in order to create a West Coast presence for the HIG Middle Market fund, targeting transactions with enterprise values from USD200m to USD1bn.
They will focus on making investments in leading middle market businesses located throughout North America with a particular emphasis on companies in the Western US.
HIG Middle Market invests in a wide range of industries with a focus on certain verticals in market sectors where HIG has extensive experience including technology, media and telecom,
The Sterling Group, a middle market private equity firm based in Houston, Texas, has hired Jim Apple as a senior vice president, business development effective immediately.
Apple (pictured) has worked with Sterling closely for many years in his role in sponsor coverage at both Morgan Keegan and Raymond James.
In his new role at Sterling, Apple will lead the firm’s deal sourcing efforts with an immediate focus on family businesses and corporate carve-outs in the sectors of basic manufacturing, distribution and industrial service. He has over 20 years of experience working with industrial businesses in North America.
The Women’s Venture Capital Fund (WVCF) has formed an advisory board comprised of venture capitalists on the West Coast and select limited partners.
Enrique Godreau III is co-founder and managing director of GSharp Ventures and venture partner with 9Mile Labs. He was formerly co-founder and managing director of Voyager Capital, a Seattle-based venture capital firm.
Beth Horowitz is board member of HSBC Bank Canada and former CEO of Amex Bank of Canada. She is also member of Catalyst Canada Advisory Board and former member of Amex’s Global Diversity Council.
Michelle Lantow is chief administrative officer for New
Events
12 November, 2026 – 8:00 am
12 November, 2026 – 5:00 pm
