Private Equity Firms

Balance Point Capital Partners has named Justin M. Kaplan as a partner. Prior to joining BPCP, Kaplan worked at BNY Mellon Alcentra Mezzanine Partners. Based in Westport, Connecticut, BPCP is a provider of capital to lower mid-market companies in the United States.

The Blackstone Group has named Shelly Lazarus to its board of directors. The former CEO and chairman of Ogilvy and Mather, Lazarus is currently its chairman emeritus.

Hooman Amiralai has joined Houston-based alternative investment firm Brasada as a managing director, and portfolio manager Robert Leslie is leaving the firm for a new opportunity as a chief investment officer for a local-area wealth management firm. In his role at Brasada, Amiralai, formerly a vice president in the alternative investments and manager selection group at Goldman Sachs & Co. in New York, will be responsible for private fund investor relations.

Gillian Brown, who heads the private equity unit at British Airways Pension Investment Management, will be leaving her post in the new few months, according to various news sources. When asked for further details, a spokesperson for British Airways declined to comment. Prior to joining the airline, Brown worked at Mithras Capital Partners, Merrill Lynch Investment Managers and Hermes Private Equity.

Susan Meng has joined Brookwood Financial Partners as a vice president in its acquisitions group. Meng recently received her MBA from the Wharton School of Business. From 2008 to 2011, she was an associate at HarbourVest Partners.

Health Evolution Partners, a healthcare private equity firm, has appointed Braden Kelly as investment partner. Kelly has served as a senior adviser to Health Evolution Partners Growth Buyout Fund since 2008 and joined the board of directors at portfolio company CenseoHealth in 2012.

Huron Capital Partners has beefed up its team with four new hires. They are Heather Madland, Mark Miller, Tod Pesses and Mike Zukas. All will play key roles in helping deploy the firm’s $500 million fund, the Huron Fund IV. Madland serves as vice president of deal origination while Miller has been tapped to be vice president for Huron’s transaction team. Pesses and Zukas have been named analysts.

Safeguard Scientifics has named Albert Wiegman as a senior member of the company’s deal team. In his new position, Wiegman will lead new investment opportunities and manage some of Safeguard’s partner companies. Prior to joining Safeguard, Wiegman was a general partner at HLM Venture Partners. Based in Wayne, Pennsylvania, Safeguard Scientifics is a provider of growth capital and support to companies in the medtech, healthtech, pharmaceutical, financial technology, digital media and enterprise sectors.

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