manoj.b@eempl.com

Gabrielle “Ellie” Rubenstein, the daughter of David Rubenstein, co-founded Manna Tree Partners in 2018 along with Ross Iverson, chief investment officer, and Brent Drever, chief operating officer. In June the Vail, Colorado, growth firm, which invests in healthy food, unveiled its first deal. Vital Farms specializes in pasture-raised eggs and butter. The firm’s second deal, […]

Jeff Bistrong is leaving Harris Williams after 17 years and joining a private equity firm, four sources said. Bistrong began at Harris Williams in 2002, his LinkedIn profile said. He is credited with launching the technology, media and telecom group at Harris Williams in 2006. Bistrong is currently group head of TMT and a managing director […]

Scott Erickson has left Gores Group after eight years, according to three sources. A May 14 email to Erickson at Gores generated an automatic reply: “Please note that Scott Erickson is no longer with the firm.” Erickson no longer appears on the Gores website. Erickson joined Gores Group in May 2011, his LinkedIn said. He […]

Eric Herr has left NewStar Financial, the middle-market lender that was sold to First Eagle in 2017, after nearly six years. Herr is now a partner at Solar Capital, which he joined in April, his LinkedIn profile said. He started at NewStar in June 2013 and was a managing director. Herr previously worked for Carlyle […]

Aaron Goldman is managing director and co-head of financial services at General Atlantic. He focuses on fintech. Before GA, Goldman was part of Freemont Group’s growth equity arm, where he invested in internet, communications and healthcare. Q: We’ve had some big payments deals recently. FIS is buying WorldPay for about $35 billion, while Fiserv also […]

Jay Rose, one of the original partners of StepStone Group, is retiring from the firm later this year, three sources said. Rose, 44, told StepStone’s management about his plans earlier in 2019, one of the sources said. His departure from StepStone is slated for June, the person said. He plans to spend more time focusing […]

WM Partners clinched a nearly $200 million first close for its second fund, a source said. The Fort Lauderdale, Florida, private equity firm is out marketing for Fund II, which has a $400 million target. The hard cap for the pool is $500 million, Buyouts reported in May. The fundraising comes a year after WM Partners […]

J.W. Childs Associates has changed its name one month after its co-founder retired. The Waltham, Massachusetts, firm is now Prospect Hill Growth Partners. J.W. Childs’s investment and finance staff will remain in place and continue to manage the active investment funds the firm established, a statement said. Prospect Hill will include 16 investment and finance professionals […]

Bridgepoint stands to make a huge return when it picks the winner of the eFront auction. The successful buyer could be announced next week. Final bids for the Paris software company were due this week, three sources said. The process was well-attended by private equity and strategics, people said. One buyout shop and two strategics […]

Steve Lucas, head of Marketo, remembers the first time he met Robert Smith, founder, chairman and CEO of Vista Equity Partners. It was July 2016. Lucas, a sales and marketing executive with a strong product background, was looking for his next career move. He had spent several years at SAP, most recently as president in […]