Executive moves, week of Dec. 3, 2007

Ex-Senate majority leader Frist joins new PE firm

, former U.S. Senate Majority Leader, has joined Cressey & Co. as a partner. The health care-focused private equity firm was recently formed by Bryan Cressey and Peter Ehrich. Frist will work with the New York-based firm to make new investments in health care companies and to advise portfolio companies. Before he was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1994, Frist was a practicing physician. His father, Thomas Frist, co-founded hospital company HCA Inc., which was sold in 2006 to private equity firms Bain Capital, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. and Merrill Lynch Global Private Equity.

Reis joins Carlyle

has joined The Carlyle Group as a managing director for European buyouts, with a focus on opportunities in Germany and Austria. Reis previously was with Credit Suisse as vice chairman of I-banking and, before that, as co-head of European M&A. Norbert’s appointment comes as the European team continues to invest from Carlyle Europe Partners III, which raised $7.3 billion for buyout deals last year.

Hobbs takes the High Road

has joined new York-based middle market buyout firm High Road Capital Partners as a partner. Hobbs has served as CEO, chairman and director of various companies in such industries as construction equipment, steel processing, industrial distribution, plastic and metal manufacturing, and catalog and Internet retailing.

TVM boosts staff

Marios Fotiadis has joined TVM Capital as a Boston-based general partner on the firm’s life sciences team. He previously was with Enterprise Partners Venture Capital. TVM also announced that it has promoted Jens Eckstein to general partner, and hired Ovid Santoro as a venture partner in the firm’s recently opened New York office. Santoro previously worked in the alternative capital group of Deutsche Bank, and will focus on building and maintaining relationships with I-banks and hedge funds.

SV Life Sciences hires Palmisano

has joined SV Life Sciences as a venture partner. He most recently served as CEO of IntraLase, which was acquired by Advanced Medical Optics earlier this year for more than $800 million.

Dorton joins Needham

has joined Needham & Co. as a managing director in the firm’s corporate finance department, with a focus on life sciences. She previously was an investment banker with Morgan Stanley.

Bolland leaves Alchemy Partners

Martin Bolland has decided to leave U.K. buyout firm Alchemy Partners, where he was a partner, according to Dow Jones. Bolland’s future plans were not immediately known.