Executive moves, week of March 31, 2008

Wu joins Northern Light

John Wu

has joined Northern Light Venture Capital as a venture partner. He will be based in Shanghai, and will focus on new investment opportunities in consumer and tech-enabled businesses. The China-focused VC firm recently closed its second fund with $350 million in capital commitments from Princeton University and other limited partners. Wu previously was CTO of the Alibaba Group.

Trinity names Garg EIR

Ashu Garg

has joined Trinity Ventures as an executive-in-residence, with a focus on next-generation advertising and digital media opportunities. He most recently was with Microsoft, as general manager of the company’s Online Services unit.

Hall joins Fidelity Equity

Gray Hall has joined Fidelity Equity Partners as an operating partner. He previously was president and CEO of CeriCenter Inc., an IT managed service provider he co-founded in 2000. Fidelity Equity also announced that it has promoted David Nemeskal to vice president. The firm, which invests private equity in high-growth, mid-sized companies in North America and Europe, raised $500 million for its first fund in 2007.

Former SEC chair to advise RenCap

Renaissance Capital, which targets the Russian, CIS and African markets, announced last week that it has hired William Donaldson, the former chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, as a senior adviser. From 2003 until 2005, he was was responsible for enforcing the regulation of the U.S. securities markets, overseeing compliance with, and enforcement of, securities laws, and ensuring the protection of investors’ interests. Donaldson has also served as chairman and CEO of the New York Stock Exchange.

MPM boosts staff

Robert Millman and Elizabeth Stoner have joined MPM Capital as executive partners. Millman previously was chief IP council for Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc., while Stoner spent the past 22 years with Merck Research Labs.

Quadrangle hires Ruth

Alice Ruth

has agreed to join Quadrangle Group as a managing principal, and Quadrangle Asset Management as chief investment officer. She previously was CIO for the Gordon & Betty Moore Foundation.

PTV Sciences adds two

Jerry DeVries

and Steve Whitlock, co-founders of LDR Spine USA and Spinal Restoration, have joined PTV Sciences, a health care-focused venture firm. They will serve as operating venture partners. PTV Sciences was founded in 2003 to invest in life and materials sciences.

Greenhill names new CFO

Greenhill & Co. has named Richard Lieb as its new CFO. He had joined Greenhill in 2005 as a managing director, after having run the real estate investment banking group at Goldman Sachs. Former Greenhill CFO John Liu has resigned “to take a position with a client of the firm.”

Oaktree looks to branch out to Warsaw

Bart Dujczynski

has joined Oaktree Capital Management to help set up a new office in Warsaw, according to Dow Jones. He previously was a managing director with Rothschild in London.

Genender out at Fenway

Mark Genender

has left Fenway Partners, according to PE Insider. Genender was the Boston-based firm’s only Los Angeles-based partner, although Fenway still has two staffers who are expected to keep the Los Angeles office open. No future plans for Genender were reported.