Executive moves, week of Dec. 24, 2007

Sierra boosts staff

Sierra Ventures has promoted Vispi Daver to partner and Navam Welihinda to associate. Daver joined Sierra in 2004 and works on the firm’s software investments in the United States and cross-border investments in India. Welihinda started at Sierra in 2006 as an analyst and has been involved with deal sourcing and due diligence on a variety of new investments.

WashingtonVC adds Litman

WashingtonVC, a Washington, D.C.-based fund that incubates early stage companies, named Eric Litman managing director. He joins founder Mike Mann, who previously was managing director, but becomes chairman. Litman previously held senior executive positions at various tech companies, most recently as founder and CEO of Viaduct Technologies. WashingtonVC is currently raising its first institutional fund, which is expected to close in early 2008.

Advent adds two

Advent International has recruited Dan Morgan and Albena Vassileva as principals for its Central and Eastern Europe team. Morgan previously worked for Kaupthing as director of the bank’s specialist private equity division. Vassileva joined Advent’s new office in Prague, Czechoslovakia. She has spent seven years with ABN AMRO Capital, most recently as a vice president and a senior investment manager.

Amand joins Highland

John St. Amand has joined Highland Capital Partners as a venture partner. He founded and served as CEO of Telica, a Highland portfolio company acquired by Lucent in 2004.

Kreiz resigns from Balderton

Ynon Kreiz has resigned as a partner of London-based VC firm Balderton Capital (f.k.a. Benchmark Capital Europe). No reason was given for the move, which also includes Kreiz’s resignation from his portfolio company boards.

Emergence names Holleran EIR

Matt Holleran has joined Emergence Capital Partners as an entrepreneur-in-residence. He previously led the AppExchange partner ecosystem at Salesforce.com, and will focus on software-as-a-service opportunities.

Xanthopoulos joins Regulus

Kleanthis Xanthopoulos has been named president and CEO of Regulus Therapeutics, a joint venture between Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq: ALNY) and Isis Pharmaceuticals Inc. Xanthopoulos is a former managing director with Enterprise Partners Venture Capital, which has halted raising its seventh fund.

Kwok joins Bear venture

Steven Kwok was named head of an Asian private equity joint venture of Bear Stearns and Eagle Investment Group. He previously was with Orchid Asia and, before that, was head of UBS Capital Greater China. The joint venture was announced earlier this year, with Bear Stearns and Eagle each committing up to $250 million.