Gwendolyn J. Wong has joined Silicon Valley Bank to manage credit approval and product development for SVB Private Client Services’ venture capital and private equity clients. SVB Private Client Services provides personal financing solutions to entrepreneurs, investors and senior executives within the industries it serves. "Our dedication to venture capital over the last three decades has given us unique insight into the financial needs of venture capital partners and technology entrepreneurs," says Greg Becker, president, Silicon Valley Bank. "In more than 30 years of banking, Gwen has developed an outstanding reputation and track record, particularly with the venture community. She

Private equity firm Avista Capital Partners has formed Avista Capital Europe as part of its strategy to expand its European presence. Avista Capital Europe will be based in London and the firm has recruited a team of private equity professionals, Newton Aguiar, Allen Yurko, and Kunal Pandit, to form the Avista office there. Each of Avista’s new European team members come from DLJ Merchant Banking Partners, Credit Suisse’s private equity arm, from which Avista spun out in 2005. Aguiar will be a partner at Avista and head the firm’s activities in Europe. Yurko joins the firm as an industry executive

Dan Matthews has been appointed as an executive director of GE Capital’s European leveraged finance unit. Matthews will join the UK based leveraged finance origination team and will report into Paul Scott, managing director and head of sponsor coverage. Based in London, Matthews will be responsible for helping to grow GE Capital’s sponsor lead arrange franchise.    Matthews joins GE Capital from Barclays Bank’s strategic debt finance division where he spent five years sourcing, structuring and executing private equity backed transactions, having had coverage responsibility for the UK mid market.  Prior to Barclays, he spent six years at Rothschild generating

Neil Price has been appointed to head up the North West team at Lloyds TSB Corporate Markets acquisition finance, which provides leveraged finance to support private equity-backed transactions.  Price has a decade of experience at Lloyds Banking Group and joins from the acquisition finance team in London. During 2009, he originated and executed five sponsor-led MLA mandates including the Palamon Capital Partners-backed GBP136m acquisition of Associated Dental Practices and additional debt funding for high street retailer Kurt Geiger.   His new role will be focused on working with private equity houses and intermediaries across the region to develop well structured

Law firm Kaye Scholer has appointed Andrew B. Harris, a private equity, M&A and corporate finance lawyer, as managing partner of its London office. Harris joins Kaye Scholer from DLA Piper, where he was a senior equity partner and served as head of its private equity practice.   Harris acts for private equity houses, management teams and both listed- and non-listed corporations.   Barry Willner, Kaye Scholer’s co-managing partner, says “Andrew’s joining our firm furthers the major investment by Kaye Scholer in UK and European private equity, corporate and M&A, and supplements our existing transactional practice in London. London is

Equity Risk Partners, an insurance brokerage and consulting firm focused on the private equity industry, has appointed William Monat as managing director – transactional products, effective immediately. Monat will be responsible for establishing the firm’s transactional products practice group and building its capabilities for developing and marketing products including representations and warranties, tax liability, litigation buyout, and contingent liability insurance. "We are pleased to welcome Bill to Equity Risk Partners," says Michael Marcon (pictured), founder and chief executive. "With his unique and valuable understanding of transactional insurance products, he is a great addition to our team and a valuable resource

Hudson Securities has expanded its international capabilities to complement and support the growth of its cross-border investment banking group. Frank J. Drazka, who joined Hudson Securities last month as head of investment banking, leads the firm’s six-member cross-border investment banking group, which focuses on raising capital in the US market for Chinese and other non-domestic corporate clients. The firm’s activities in Asia and in particular China are spearheaded by Dick Price, a managing director with more than seven years of experience serving Chinese companies. Price joined Hudson Securities in March 2009. Hudson Securities offers a range of investment banking services