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Susan Bihler has joined growth equity firm Catalyst Investors as an analyst. She previously was an analyst in CIT Group’s communications, media and entertainment group.

James Collins has joined Roark Capital Group as a vice president focused on franchise investments. He previously was a principal with Stone Tower Equity Partners.

Steven Demetriou, chairman and CEO of Aleris International, has joined the executive committee and advisory board of Resilience Capital Partners.

Sean Ebert and Cory Steffek, both of Altira Group, have been promoted to principals from senior associates. Ebert joined the energy-focused firm in March 2008 from Booz Allen Hamilton, while Steffek joined the following month after receiving his MBA from the Kellogg School of Management.

Erik Engstrom has taken over as CEO of publisher Reed Elsevier, following the resignation of Ian Smith after just eight months on the job. Engstrom has been CEO of the company’s scientific-publishing division Elsevier for the last five years, before which he was with private equity firm General Atlantic.

Art Friedman, former president and CEO of Gold Coast Distributors, has joined Liber Capital as a managing director. Liber is a New York-based private equity firm focused on the beverage industry.

Adam Gale has joined Chadbourne & Parke LLP as counsel in the law firm’s corporate practice, with a focus on investment company and fund formation. He previously was with Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP.

Susan Potok Harrison has joined Alternative Investment Management LLC as director of investor relations. She previously was director of investor relations with Quinlan Private, an international real estate and investment advisory group.

Fred Hassan has joined Warburg Pincus as a senior advisor, focused on the health care sector. He had served as chairman and CEO of Schering-Plough Corp. from 2003 until it was acquired earlier this month by Merck & Co.

Kenneth Jacobs has been named Lazard Ltd.’s new CEO, succeeding the late Bruce Wasserstein. Jacobs has been with the firm for more than two decades, becoming deputy chairman in 2002.

James Rhee has joined GB Merchant Partners as a managing director of the 1903 Equity Fund, which invests in middle-market retail and consumer products companies. He previously was with J.W. Childs Associates.

Harry Sachinis has joined Advent International as an operating partner, with a particular focus on the publishing and information services sectors. He previously was president of The McGraw-Hill Companies’ business information group.

Jonathan Silver has been named executive director of the Department of Energy‘s loan program. He had been a co-founding managing director of Core Capital Partners, before leaving in 2008. His first day on the job at DoE is this coming Monday.

Eric Speer has joined specialty finance company Wellington Financial, as head of transaction sourcing and business development activities in the Western U.S. He previously was with venture debt lender Vencore Capital.

Nate Westheimer has joined Flybridge Capital Partners as an adviser, while continuing to serve as co-founder and executive vice president of product and technology at AnyClip. Prior to AnyClip, Westheimer was an entrepreneur-in-residence with Rose Tech Ventures.