People Briefs

Stuart Armstrong has joined Aquiline Capital Partners as a senior advisor. He previously was president and CEO of Black Diamond Commercial Finance.

Conor Boden has joined Advent International as head of portfolio board development, a newly-created position focused on extending Advent’s operating partner program. Boden has spent the past nine years with 3i Group.

John Bowlin and Denny Shelton have joined CCMP Capital as executive advisors, focused on the consumer and healthcare sectors, respectively. Bowlin is a 30-year veteran of Kraft Foods/Philip Morris, where his positions included president of Kraft and president and CEO of Miller Brewing Co. Shelton is the former chairman and CEO of Triad Hospitals.

Albert Cantu has joined Waud Capital Partners as an executive partner. He previously was a senior executive with ServiceMaster.

Arnie Chavkin has joined Pine Brook Road Partners as a managing director, with a focus on the energy and financial services sectors. He served as chief investment officer for JPMorgan Partners, until his retirement in August 2006.

Genstar Capital has promoted J. Ryan Clark to principal. He joined the firm in 2004 from Hellman & Friedman, and serves on the boards of Genstar portfolio companies like Panolam Industries International, Fort Dearborn Co., PRA International, 21st Services, and Confie Seguro.

Jack Holmes has joined Natural Gas Partners as a venture partner. He retired in December as CEO of Syntroleum Corporation.

Ronald Hopkinson has joined law firm Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP as a corporate partner, where he will focus on leveraged buyout and other private equity transactions. He previously was head of the private equity practice at Latham & Watkins LLP.

David Jones has joined Oak Hill Capital Partners as a senior advisor, with a focus on consumer, retail and distribution opportunities. He is the former chairman and CEO of consumer products company Spectrum Brands Inc.

John Kanas has joined WL Ross & Co. as a senior advisor, with a focus on distressed financial services opportunities. Kanas previously served as CEO of North Fork Bank, until it was acquired by Capital One Financial in 2006. He will continue as an advisor to Capital One.

Leeds Equity Partners has made four promotions: Brad Whitman and Peter Lyons from principal to managing director (Lyonds remains CFO), Atif Gilani from vice president to principal and Jesse Serventi from associate to senior associate.

Lightyear Capital has promoted David Cynn and Thierry Ho to managing director, and Michal Petzela to vice president.

Kevin Malover has joined Chicago-based private equity firm GTCR as chief information officer. He most recently served as chief technology officer for Barack Obama’s presidential campaign, and was recruited to GTCR by TillmanCarlson.

Jai Pathak has joined the Los Angeles office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, as a partner focused on cross-border transactions in Asia and elsewhere. He previously was a partner with Jones Day.

Ian Ross has joined Chicago-based private equity firm Concentric Equity Partners as a vice president. He previously was with Edgewater Funds and, before that, with Lincoln International and GE Capital.

Michele Serrao and Evan Darr have joined the private equity fund-of-funds team at Invesco, as a partner and senior associate, respectively. Both were previously with Atlantic Trust, Invesco’s private wealth management business.

UBS has named Jerker Johansson as chairman and CEO of investment banking, effective March 17. He previously was vice chairman of Europe for Morgan Stanley.

VenGrowth Private Equity Partners has named three new members to its Traditional Industies Advisory Board: Doug Berchtold, former president and CEO of Brick Brewing Co., Donald McCreesh, president of The Garnet Group; and Leonard Simak, former president and CEO of Footmaxx Holdings Inc.

Paul Walsh and Clyde Thomas have joined Calera Capital as operating partners, focused on the business and financial services sectors. They both had been with eFunds Corporation.

Ralph Whitworth, principal of Relational Investors LLC, has been named to the Sprint Nextel Corp. board of directors. Some reports indicate that he could push for a sale of the Nextel network, or of the entire company.

Bob Wright, vice chairman of General Electric, has agreed to serve as a senior advisor to Lee Equity Partners.

Compiled by Dan Primack