Private equity firms

Aquiline Capital Partners has hired Susquehanna Growth Equity co-founder Vincenzo La Ruffa to lead the firm’s focus on financial technology. Prior to Aquiline, La Ruffa co-founded and was managing director of Susquehanna, a firm focused on financial technology, information services and software growth. Before that, he worked at NGP Energy Technology Partners and EnerTech Capital.

Auda has opened a Shanghai office and appointed Jacob Chiu as managing director and head of Auda’s Asian buyouts business. Shanghai will be the fifth office for Auda worldwide and the firm’s second in Asia.

Baird Capital , the direct investing arm of Robert W. Baird & Co, said that Michael Bernstein has rejoined the firm as a partner in its U.S. private equity group. Based in Chicago, Bernstein first joined Baird Capital in 2008 as an executive-in-residence. He is also the former president and CEO of Medical Education Technologies, a portfolio company of Baird Capital.

Bridge Growth Partners has hired Alison Catchpole as vice president of finance and controller. Catchpole is the former CFO and managing director at Solera Capital.

Centerview Capital Technology, based in Menlo Park, California, an investment adviser focused on growth capital and mid-market buyouts in the U.S. technology industry, has hired Buno Pati as a senior adviser. Pati previously was the CEO of Sezmi Corp.

Beverly, Massachusetts-based Investment firm Easterly Capital has hired David Cody and Avi Kalichstein to its team. Cody is a co-founder and former CEO of MatlinPatterson Asset Management while Kalichstein is a founder of Solel Investment Group as well as a former managing director at J.C. Flowers & Co.

GI Partners, a mid-market private equity firm in Menlo Park, California, has hired Travis Pearson as managing director. Previously, Pearson worked at Bain & Co.

Dallas-based private equity firm glendonTodd Capital has hired Daryl Bird as managing director of real estate. Previously, Bird worked at BH Capital, an affiliate of Behringer Harvard.

Harald Quandt Capital, a private investment group owned by the Harald Quandt family of Germany, has appointed David Pierce as a managing director and head of Asia. HQ Capital represents three financial services businesses: Auda International, Equita Management and Real Estate Capital Partners focused on investments in private equity and real estate.

NewSpring Capital’s buyout strategy, NewSpring Holdings, has hired Jim Ashton as a general partner. Ashton previously worked as the managing partner of JA3Partners, an executive advisory firm he founded in 2011. Prior to starting his own firm, Ashton worked as a division chief executive officer for SunGard’s Financial Systems division.

TVM Capital Healthcare Partners has appointed Sudhir Bahl as an executive-in-residence in Dubai and director-India. The firm recently announced its intention to invest up to $100 million in India over the next three to five years.

Asset management firm Vida Capital of Austin, Texas, has hired Bill Tice as senior managing director, head of marketing and investor relations. Previously, Tice worked at Siguler Guff & Co, where he most recently served as a managing director.

Western & Southern Financial Group and its investment arm, Fort Washington Investment Advisors, have hired Steven K. Kreider as senior vice president and chief investment officer. The appointment becomes effective May 30. Previously, Kreider worked at Western Asset Management Co, where he served as head of insurance asset management.