Suzanne Weinstock

The private equity branch of the UK’s second biggest bank Barclays, which today announced plans to sell more than £6.5bn of shares to private investors, has hired former Altium Capital assistant director Steven Whitehead.

Led by former Abraaj managing director and co-founder Shirish Saraf, the growing MENASA-focused firm expects to close its debut special situations fund targeting $350m this month.

The global buyout firm has agreed to provide equity and waive fees in support of Hexion’s $10.6bn merger with Huntsman. Last week, Hexion was ordered by a Delaware Court to comply with the buyout agreement in an effort to close.

The private equity firm, which specialises in Israel and China, has made the ‘flagship deal’ of its ‘gaming cluster strategy’ by backing Oberon Media. Fellow Oberon backers include Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and Oak Investment Partners.

The UK lower mid-market specialist has made its third hire of the year, appointing Richard Swann as investment director.

The Irish private investment firm has brought on two former JPMorgan investment bankers as managing directors to grow its private equity investment portfolio and assets under management.

American International Group will retain core business lines while entertaining the divestiture of all remaining units. The embattled insurance company plans to sell as many assets as necessary to repay its $85bn loan from the US government.

Andrew Hartley, who co-led the UK mid-market private equity firm’s spin out from Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein, has left after 13 years to seek ‘fresh challenges’.

The $153bn New York State Common Retirement Fund has marginally surpassed its 8 percent private equity target allocation while approaching its 6 percent target real estate allocation.

On the heels of bank investor Gerald Ford joining the firm, Flexpoint Ford has raised more than five times the capital of its 2005 debut fund. The Chicago-based firm has also hired two principals and will open a New York office.