People Moves

Recently-listed private equity stocks are under-performing on both sides of the Atlantic, casting doubt on the future ability of buyout firms to tap the public markets for additional capital.

Publisher Ziff Davis is casting off a $150 million subsidiary in the hopes of recovering its financial equilibrium.

Two powerful committee chairmen are backing a bill intended to scrap the low, 15 percent capital-gains tax treatment of GP carried interest in the US. The member behind the bill says the current tax regime on carry is unfair.

The president of the Private Equity Council, Doug Lowenstein, told attendees at a recent PEI Media investor relations conference how the US lobbying group intends to support and demystify the industry.

Private equity infrastructure specialist Global Infrastructure Partners has opened an office in Hong Kong and appointed a new partner to lead its Asian investment activities.

In the October 2006 issue of Private Equity International, we produced a selection of the 30 most influential lawyers in global private equity. Here, we remind our readers of some of the legal world's most valued practitioners.

Hela Fourati joined the Tunis, Tunisia office of corporate advisory and private equity firm Swicorp in July 2004 as group finance manager. Prior to joining Swicorp, she spent several years as a senior manager in the audit, consultancy and organisation practice of KPMG Tunis. Fourati, who speaks English, French and Arabic, is part of a five-strong senior administrative team at Swicorp. Swicorp provides intellectual and financial capital to businesses in the Middle East and North Africa out of its offices in Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria and Iran. The firm's private equity division focuses on a range of investments including start-ups, development capital and buyouts.

Criticisms are increasingly being flung at the private equity industry. Firms have two options to manage their reputation: they can litigate, or engage the media.

The increase in high profile public-to-private bids in the UK has brought into sharper focus the powers of the Takeover Panel.

What is the right background for a private equity marketing and communications professional? Meet private equity's professional communicators, who say their jobs require a broad mix of skills.