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Weekly People Roundup: 06 August 200806/08/2008. Source: AltAssets. 
 All the week's most important people stories from across the globe. Essential reading for those who need to keep up-to-date with the private equity industry's key staff moves.
Seattle-based venture capital firm Monster Venture Partners has named Todd Humphrey as a venture partner. In his new role, he will lead the firm's consumer internet practice. Most recently, Humphrey was the CEO of CleverSet. Prior to that, he led the business development efforts for Apex Learning. He was also the vice president of strategic initiatives for Jones Knowledge. Monster focuses on marketing technology, consumer healthcare and consumer internets sectors.
Maranon Capital has hired Rich Jander as a principal and also appointed Michael Fineman, Rommel Garcia and Ashish ShahAngelica Mariscal joining as a marketing associate. The firm focuses on originating and structuring senior debt, subordinated debt and equity co-investment opportunities for private equity-backed and other mid-market companies. Gregory was previously a managing director and headed the Chicago office for a publicly traded asset management company. He also served as a member of the firm's investment committee. Maranon provides senior financing, mezzanine debt and equity co-investments primarily for companies in the lower mid market.
Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. has appointed retired chairman and CEO of Edison International John E Bryson as a senior advisor to the firm. Bryson brings over 30 years of experience as both an industry leader and regulator to KKR's initiative to invest in global infrastructure opportunities, the firm said. Bryson joined Southern California Edison in 1984, and was elected chairman and CEO of Edison International in 1990. Prior to that he was a partner at the law firm of Morrison & Foerster. Last month, KKR announced its plan to list on the New York Stock Exchange in the fourth quarter of this year.
SL Capital Partners has appointed Jamie Ebersole as senior investment director (Private Equity), North America. Jamie previously worked for Allianz Private Equity Partners where he was head of the New York office. Ebersole, who will be based in SLCP's Boston office, will be working with Eric Albertson who joined in April 2008 from Bank of America Capital Advisors. Together they will be focusing on managing the $625m of US private equity interests raised from clients. SLCP provides European and US private equity fund of funds service to clients from 24 different countries and has raised over $9bn making it one of the largest private equity fund of funds managers in the world.
US financial house Piper Jaffray has appointed Doug Cameron, former chief scientific officer at Khosla Ventures, as managing director and chief science adviser. In his new role, Cameron will work with Lois Quam, leader of strategic investing for green economy and health at Piper Jaffray, in building the firm's renewable energy and clean technology capabilities. He will also explore alternative investments and other opportunities, according to the firm. Previously, Cameron served as director of biotechnology at Cargill. Piper Jaffray's cleantech and renewables team includes project finance, investment banking, research and sales and trading professionals. In 2005, the firm launched its CleanTech Fund of Funds.
US private equity firm Resilience Capital Partners has expanded its Cleveland, Ohio-based team, appointing Michael Lundin as operating partner, Michael Merriman as operating advisor and David Blank as investment associate. Lundin was formerly president and CEO of Oglebay Norton Company. Previously, Merriman served as CEO of electronics manufacturer Lamson & Sessions Corporation. Blank joins Resilience from Morgan Stanley, where he served as an associate. Before that, he was a Captain in the 82nd Airborne Division of the US Army and served in Germany, Iraq and Kosovo.
Resilience targets companies in a variety of special situations including underperformers, corporate divestitures, turnarounds and orphan public companies.
Teaneck, New Jersey-based renewable energy-focused private equity firm Hudson Clean Energy Partners has hired Mike O'Neill to assist the firm in the launch of the newly formed renewable energy company Element Power will operate as an independent power producer focused on carbon-free wind and solar energy sources at utility scale in the renewable energy marketplace.
UK mid-market buy-out firm Inflexion Private Equity has added two new professionals, Andrew Leek and Clara Chen, to its investment team. Leek has been appointed as assistant director. He was previously at Alchemy Partners and SAATCHiNVEST, a private equity vehicle for Maurice Saatchi and the partners of M&C Saatchi. Chen joins Inflexion as an investment executive. She was formerly at strategy consulting firm Marakon Strategy Consultants. The firm has also announced three promotions. Christian Hamilton and Catherine Richards have been promoted to the position of investment director from assistant director and Tim Smallbone has become a partner. Inflexion is currently investing from its £165m 2006 Buyout Fund.
UK pension fund investment manager Hermes has hired Glyn Jones as its new chairman. Jones is taking over from Richard Bernays who will retire. Jones was previously chief executive of Thames River Capital and Gartmore Investment Management. His career has also included being chief executive of Coutts Group, the private banking arm of NatWest Bank. Currently, Jones is chairman of UK wealth manager Towry Law Group and Aspen Insurance Holdings, a New York-listed speciality insurer and re-insurer. With £36.2bn under management, Hermes is owned by BT Pension Scheme.
The Blackstone Group has established a representative office in Beijing, to be headed by Shan Fu, who has joined the firm as its Beijing chief representative. Fu joins from China real estate investment firm Beijing Mainstreets Investment Group, where he was vice president. Before that, Fu worked for a variety of Chinese government agencies and commissions, including the National Development and Reform Commission and the State Economic and Trade Commission. Last year, sovereign wealth fund China Investment Corp agreed to invest $3bn in Blackstone in the form of non-voting common units. The agreement was made just prior to Blackstone's IPO.
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