Private Equity Firms

Advanced Capital, the European alternative investment specialist founded by financier Robert Tomei, has appointed Robert Berlé as its new chief executive officer. For the past 15 years Tomei has focused on mergers and acquisitions and private equity deals, managing transactions across Europe, the United States and the Asia-Pacific region.

Ampersand Capital Partners, a health care-focused, mid-market buyout shop, has made three appointments to its management team. Eric Lev, who joined Ampersand as a partner, formerly worked at Water Street Healthcare Partners. Dana Niles, who joined Ampersand as the firm’s CFO and chief compliance officer, formerly was CFO of HighPoint Capital, a senior debt platform. John Perkins has joined as an operating partner. He formerly was a senior executive at Ampersand portfolio company Talecris Biotherapeutics.

Arle Capital Partners has hired Quentin Nason as a partner with responsibility for investor relations, strategy and business development. Nason brings 20 years of experience in alternative assets, fund management and capital markets across Europe, Asia and North America.

Dan Johnson has been appointed partner of CapMan Buyout. Johnson previously served as the founding partner of Marluc Partners, a private investment and consultancy company.

Jacques Chappuis is joining The Carlyle Group as a managing director and head of the solutions business segment. Chappuis comes to Carlyle from Morgan Stanley, where he serves as president of alternative investments partners. He begins his duties at Carlyle in May and will be based in New York.

Carrick Capital Partners has added four industry leaders to its executive team. Named as chief technology officer was Steve Unterberger, who previously held several positions at Exult Inc. culminating in the role of business model architecture president until the time of its acquisition by Hewitt Associates Inc. Named as special advisers were Kenneth Coleman, chairman of Saama Technologies, a provider of software and services in the data and analytics market; Raul Fernandez, chairman of ObjectVideo, provider of intelligent video software; and Tom Neff, chairman of executive search firm Spencer Stuart.

Shuja Haque has joined investment firm CoBe Capital as a director of operations for North America. Haque was previously a global manufacturing manager at automotive product maker Federal Mogul as well a value stream manager for Pace Industries, a die casting manufacturer. The firm also hired Knuth Schmidt as a director of operations for Germany, Austria and Switzerland. CoBe Capital is a global private investment firm focused on the acquisition and management of non-core business units from large corporations.

Coronal Management, the manager of the Coronal New Energy Fund, has appointed Edwin Feo as COO and managing director. Feo will oversee Coronal’s development efforts and maintains the firm’s developer relationships.

EQT Midstream Partners has named Lara Washington as a member of the board of its general partner. She will serve on the firm’s audit and conflicts committees. Washington is currently president of the Allegheny County Rehabilitation Corp., a privately held residential property management company.

Health care-focused growth equity firm Essex Woodlands has named Cecilia Gonzalo to the post of managing director. Prior to joining Essex Woodlands, Gonzalo was a managing director at Warburg Pincus, where she focused exclusively on health care investments.

Incline Equity Partners has appointed April Simile as director of business development. Simile previously worked as a senior vice president at Pittsburgh-based Allegheny Valley Bank. Lauren McKibben, previously director of business development, will transition to a new role as investment associate with the firm.

RLJ Equity Partners announced that it has appointed Jack Isaacs a director of business development. Isaacs will coordinate corporate initiatives and investor relations. He will report to Rufus Rivers, RLJ’s managing partner. Most recently, Isaacs was a managing director and partner at Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors.