Staff Writer

The London-listed private equity giant is trying to sell some of its European venture capital portfolio in an attempt to reduce its debt load.

The UK-based secondaries firm has hired Eric Pathé as an investment director just months after it appointed Matthew Arkinstall and Robert Savage.

New York firm SecondMarket says it has attracted more than $500m worth of secondaries for its new LP fund interest trading platform.

Secondaries specialist Coller Capital was the largest investor in the listed fund of funds’ recent rights issue, having picked up 50 million shares. The investment was made from Coller's fifth fund, which is around 55% deployed; the firm is expected to raise up to $6bn for Fund VI later this year.

Cogent has hired former Ernst & Young transaction manager Briac Houtteville as an associate and promoted Bernhard Engelien to managing director.

Average high bids for private equity fund interests fell to 61% of NAV in the five months through November 2008, driven by stale holding values, according to Cogent Partners.

The San Francisco-based secondaries firm has hired Rein Gabriel as an associate. Last month it hired former SL Green/Gramercy Capital executive John Graham to boost its acquisitions team.

The private equity fund of funds has hired former Unigestion secondaries executive Francesco di Valmarana amid increasing activity in the global secondaries market. The appointment brings the number of Pantheon's European secondaries team members to 25.

The UK-based secondary specialist has added Matthew Arkinstall to its team.

The San Francisco-based real estate secondaries firm has appointed former SL Green/Gramercy Capital executive as LPs increasingly look to liquidate some of their real estate positions. The appointment comes as Liquid works with LPs faced with capital calls in excess of their distributions.