Private Equity Firms

Computer maker Dell has reported that senior vice president for corporate strategy David Johnson has left the company to take a senior position with The Blackstone Group LP, Reuters reported.

Century Bridge Capital added Michael Yan as director, asset management. He was formerly senior manager, assurance at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Beijing. Century Bridge recently closed its Century Bridge China Real Estate Fund LP with $170 million in capital.

Highland Consumer Fund has hired Peter Cornetta as a managing general partner. Cornetta, who previously was a managing director in the Boston office of H.I.G. Capital, will focus on investing in growth-oriented companies with proven business models and working with existing portfolio companies.

Jorge Fergie is joining Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. as a managing director to head its São Paulo office and business development in Brazil. The move is effective March 1. Prior to this, Fergie spent 29 years at McKinsey & Co., where he helped establish that firm’s business in Brazil and throughout Latin America.

Consumer/retail sector-focused LNK Partners has appointed Patrick J. Boroian as a partner focused on business development. Prior to joining LNK, Boroian spent over 10 years as a partner at Brockway Moran & Partners, where he led the firm’s business development activities.

Monomoy Capital Partners has hired Kareem Aktar as a vice president. Aktar was formerly a vice president at H.I.G. Capital Management, where he focused on LBO’s in the industrial and business services sectors. The firm has also promoted John Stewart to managing director and promoted three other team members. Jaime McKenzie and Lee Mlotek have been promoted to vice president, and Eric Ceresnie has been promoted to senior associate.

UK investor NVM Private Equity has appointed Andy Leach to its investment team. Leach will be based in Manchester with responsibility for sourcing new investment opportunities.

The Pritzker Group has hired Michael Nelson, former managing director of Wind Point Partners, to lead its investments in manufactured products. Nelson focused on specialty manufacturing at Wind Point Partners, where he served on the boards of several portfolio companies during his 10-year tenure with the firm.

Veronis Suhler Stevenson said that John Suhler, a founding partner and president, retired at the end of 2012. Suhler is 69 years old and co-founded Veronis Suhler Stevenson in 1981. Suhler has been named chairman emeritus and will continue, along with other VSS partners, to represent VSS at communications industry events, the firm said.

Warburg Pincus has appointed Janet Vergis as an executive-in-residence. She served most recently as the chief executive officer of OraPharma Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on oral health, where she led the successful turnaround and subsequent sale of the company to Valeant Pharmaceuticals. At Warburg Pincus, Vergis will support the firm in the identification and evaluation of investment opportunities in the biopharmaceutical sector, particularly in the United States.