People

Jon Atzen has joined the Los Angeles office of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP as a partner focused on emerging companies. He previously was a partner with DLA Piper.

Makram Azar has joined Barclays Capital as head of Middle East investment banking. He had been with KKR as a managing director in charge of operations in the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA).

Kjerstin Barley has joined Square 1 Bank as a managing director and regional manager of investment banking in Silicon Valley. She previously was a senior vice president with GE Commercial Finance’s Media, Communications and Entertainment practice.

John Canning, co-founder and chairman of Madison Dearborn Partners, has joined the board of Corning Inc. (NYSE: GLW) as an independent director.

Allan Cook has joined the operating executive board of private equity firm J.F. Lehman & Company. He is the former CEO of U.K. aerospace and defense company Cobham PLC.

Elizabeth de Saint-Aignan and Pamela Bliss Harris have joined the Boston office of TA Associates as senior vice president and vice president, respectively. Saint-Aignan previously was with Nautic Partners, while Harris was with Capital Resource Partners.

Steven Della Rocca has joined Vestar Capital Partners as a managing director and general counsel. He previously was with the law firm Latham & Watkins.

Colin Ellis has joined The British Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (BVCA) as its chief economist. He previously was the European economist for Daiwa Capital Markets.

Dietrich Hauptmeier has joined European private equity firm Palamon Capital Partners as an associate principal. He previously was finance director of PensionDCisions and, before that, was a principal with KKR.

Geoffrey Jones has joined Tennenbaum Capital Partners as a principal. He previously was a principal with KKR, where he focused on managing credit investments.

Christopher Keber has joined Starwood Capital Group as director of fundraising and investor relations. He previously was in the real estate private funds group of Credit Suisse.

Yabo Lin has joined the Palo Alto office of law firm Sidley Austin LLP as a partner. He previously was a partner with Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP.

RBS Capital Markets announced three new hires: Frank Napolitano to lead a new U.S. power and utilities group, Kevin Smith to lead U.S. industrials and Ron Eliasek to co-head U.S. technology investment banking. Napolitano previously was with Lehman Brothers, Smith was with Silverfern Group and Eliasek was at Sagent Advisors.

John Rosenberg of Technology Crossover Ventures has been promoted to general partner from principal. He joined the firm in 2000, and currently sits on the boards of portfolio companies FX Alliance and ThinkCash.

Weijian Shan reportedly is stepping down as a China-based partner with TPG in order to launch his own Asia-focused fund. He will remain with TPG in a senior advisory role.

J. Wayne Merck, former president and CEO of K2 Inc., has joined Angelo Gordon & Co. as a senior adviser to the firm’s private equity group. He also will serve on the board of portfolio company KEE Action Sports.