Private equity firms

J. Rich Alexander has joined Advent International as an operating partner. Alexander, a former executive at PPG Industries Inc, will work with Advent’s chemicals team to identify and evaluate new investment opportunities in the chemicals and materials sector and work with existing portfolio companies.

Atlas Merchant Capital, a private investment firm founded by Bob Diamond, former chief executive of Barclays plc, has hired David Schamis, a former managing director at J.C. Flowers & Co, to oversee the firm’s private equity investing. Schamis joined J.C. Flowers in 2000, prior to which he worked at Salomon Brothers. Diamond formed Atlas last year.

The asset manager GAMCO Investors has named Rudolf Bohli to the board of directors of GAMCO International SICAV. Bohli is the CEO and CIO of RBR Capital Advisors AG, an investment adviser that focuses on equity investments in Continental Europe.

The growth equity firm General Atlantic has appointed Jan-Michiel Hessels, former chairman of NYSE Euronext, as a special adviser in Europe, based in Amsterdam. Hessels brings over 30 years of experience across many industries to the role, and will work closely with GA’s global investment team to identify new investment opportunities as well as provide support for the firm’s portfolio companies.

Hamilton Lane has appointed Mingchen Xia as principal on the fund investment team and Yen Li Chew as vice president in the business development group. The new hires will be based in Hong Kong and will further strengthen the firm’s presence in the Asia-Pacific region. Mingchen was most recently a senior fund manager at Tokio Marine Asset Management. Yen Li joined the firm from Oaktree Capital, where she was vice president, marketing and client relations.

Mercato Partners has added Aaron Hall, former chief operating officer and executive vice president of client services at MarketStar Corp, to the Mercato investment team. Mercato Partners is an expansion stage private equity firm.

New York-based buyout firm Pine Brook has hired Bill Bron as managing director on the financial services investment team. Bron is currently chairman of the board of United PanAm Financial Corp, which is backed by Pine Brook

Sponsors for Educational Opportunity has appointed Henry Kravis as chairman of its board of directors. Kravis is the co-chairman and co-CEO of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co, which he also co-founded. Based in New York, SEO is an organization that helps students from underserved and underrepresented communities gain access to quality educational and career opportunities.

Growth equity firm Summit Partners has named Dayton R. Ogden as head of talent and recruiting. In his new role, Ogden will recruit senior executives and board members for Summit’s portfolio companies and investment teams. Prior to joining the firm, Ogden worked at CTPartners. Summit Partners also appointed Mark Crews and Stewart Stockdale as executive partners. Crews worked most recently at Lufkin Industries as senior vice president and general manager of the oilfield division. Stockdale previously worked at Western Union Co, where he served as president of global consumer financial services.

David Dobies has joined the TCW Group as a managing director in the direct lending group. Based in Boston, Dobies will be responsible for origination, due diligence review, structuring and execution of new investments, and ongoing management of portfolio companies. Dobies was previously a founding partner, member of the management committee and co-head of mid-market leveraged finance at NewStar Financial.

Trive Capital has hired Dan Lenahan to be a vice president. Lenahan was previously a vice president at Insight Equity, a Dallas area buyout firm.

Seattle-based investment firm Vulcan Capital, which oversees Paul G. Allen’s multi-billion dollar portfolio, has hired Sean Meeker as an associate director. Meeker previously worked at Goldman Sachs, where he most recently headed loan and loan credit-default swap trading.

Warburg Pincus has appointed Peter Kukielski as an executive-in-residence. Kukielski, previously the chief executive of ArcelorMittal Mining, will work with Warburg Pincus to identify and evaluate investment opportunities in the mining industry globally with a view to forming a new mining company.