Big changes at HarbourVest

Fund-of-funds manager HarbourVest Partners has promoted eight executives from the firm’s Boston, Hong Kong and London offices.

Peter Lipson, Julie Ocko and Mary Traer have been promoted to managing director. Additionally, Karin Lagerlund has been appointed chief financial officer, Sebastiaan C van den Berg was promoted to principal and Bruce G Pixler, Catherine Shih, and Abraham Soquar were promoted to vice presidents.

Having joined HarbourVest in 1997, Lipson is a senior member of HarbourVest’s direct team, with a focus on growth equity and buyout investments in operating companies. He currently serves as a director of Mimeo.com, Photobox, Towne Park, Tropitone, and xpressdocs.

Traer also joined HarbourVest in 1997 as the director of taxation and became a principal in 2003. As well as being appointed managing director, she has been promoted to chief administrative officer.

Ocko joined the firm in 2001 as a member of the primary partnership team focusing on U.S. buyout, venture capital and credit investments. Following this promotion, she will be taking a more senior role managing the primary partnership programmes.

Principal and chief financial officer, Lagerlund joined HarbourVest in 2000 as the firm’s controller. She currently managers the firm’s accounting and finance activities.

Van den Berg joined the firm in 2005 as vice president responsible for partnership investments in the Asia Pacific and emerging markets. After four years of service with the firm, he is now responsible for the emerging market investment portfolio of HarbourVest.

Having joined HarbourVest in 2005, Pixler is a vice president and director of tax, responsible for coordinating the US federal and state income tax compliance function for all of HarbourVest entities.

Shih joined the firm in Hong Kong in 2007 and is responsible for market coverage and deal sourcing in India, Japan and Australia. She is active with many of the Asia Pacific fund managers across HarbourVest’s portfolios.

Finally, Soquar joined HarbourVest in London in 2002 to focus on primary and secondary investments in Europe. He currently serves on the boards of several private equity partnerships.