We’re delighted to welcome Kerry Wang as Accel’s newest early-stage partner.

We’ve worked with Kerry across many chapters — as a founder, operator, and advisor — and it’s a privilege to now call her a partner. We first met Kerry at Y Combinator Alumni Demo Day Winter 2019, when she took the stage to present Searchlight.ai. We were impressed by Kerry’s intensity, charisma, and intelligence, an appreciation that only deepened after we led her Seed round and partnered with her to build Searchlight’s pioneering AI models for recruiting. That vision led to Searchlight’s acquisition by Multiverse in 2024, where she led the integration of tech and team with the launch of their new AI product for the US market.

At early stage companies where lines between building and selling blur, founders must toggle between strategy and execution, storytelling and delivery, often on the same day. It’s here that Kerry’s blend of technical fluency and go-to-market experience is invaluable, giving her a unique perspective and empathy for what early-stage founders face.

At Accel, Kerry will focus on the earliest stages. She understands how new ideas become real products, how real products find their first users, and how the human side of the journey determines whether any of it sticks. She also understands how critical it is to have great partners along the way, and gets glowing reviews from founders for her operating and moral support.

Please join us in welcoming Kerry. We’re proud she’s chosen to build with us and look forward to the companies and communities that will grow from the conversations she begins here.

Boston, MA – July 17, 2025 – Advent International (“Advent”), a leading global private equity investor, today announced the appointment of technology executive Frank Roe as an Operating Partner. Roe will partner closely with Advent and its portfolio companies to help drive operational improvements, scale global go-to-market efforts, and identify new platform and bolt-on acquisition opportunities across high-growth software markets.

“Frank is a seasoned software operator with a combination of commercial instinct, operational rigor, and leadership experience,” said Bryan Taylor, Managing Partner and Head of Advent’s Technology Investment Team. “We believe his track record of driving growth, building high-performance teams, and scaling software businesses globally will be an asset to us as we look for new opportunities and work to create enduring value in our existing portfolio.”

Roe brings over 30 years of experience in enterprise software markets, most recently serving as Chief Executive Officer of SmartBear, a leading provider of software quality and visibility solutions. At SmartBear, he led the company through a period of hyper-growth, product expansion, and operational excellence that resulted in SmartBear becoming a fast-growing DevOps and software quality player in the industry.

Prior to SmartBear, Roe held senior leadership roles at industry-leading technology companies, including Oracle and Progress, where he built and scaled go-to-market engines and executed growth-focused operating models across multiple market segments.

“I’ve long admired Advent’s reputation for backing great teams and building market leaders,” said Frank Roe. “This is an exciting opportunity to work alongside expert investors and portfolio CEOs to help drive transformational outcomes, and I look forward to rolling up my sleeves to make an impact.”

Roe continues to support SmartBear as a Strategic Board Advisor. In addition, Roe serves as Executive Chair on the board of MariaDB, a new generation cloud database company, and is also a board member at LastPass, a leading password and identity management company. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in business from the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

With its global presence, deep cross-sector network, company-scaling resources, and flexible capital, Advent’s approach to investing in the technology sector is focused on companies targeting innovation and growth at scale.

About Advent International

Advent is a leading global private equity investor committed to working in partnership with management teams, entrepreneurs, and founders to help transform businesses. With 16 offices across five continents, we oversee more than USD $94 billion in assets under management* and have made over 430 investments across 44 countries.

Since our founding in 1984, we have developed specialist market expertise across our five core sectors: business & financial services, consumer, healthcare, industrial, and technology. This approach is bolstered by our deep sub-sector knowledge, which informs every aspect of our investment strategy, from sourcing opportunities to working in partnership with management to execute value creation plans. We bring hands-on operational expertise to enhance and accelerate businesses.

As one of the largest privately-owned partnerships, our 660+ colleagues leverage the full ecosystem of Advent’s global resources, including our Portfolio Support Group, insights provided by industry expert Operating Partners and Operations Advisors, as well as bespoke tools to support and guide our portfolio companies as they seek to achieve their strategic goals.

To learn more, visit our website or connect with us on LinkedIn.

*Assets under management (AUM) as of March 31, 2025. AUM includes assets attributable to Advent advisory clients as well as employee and third-party co-investment vehicles.

Media Contact

Advent International
Leslie Shribman
lshribman@adventinternational.com

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Seasoned aerospace executive brings over 25 years of experience and deep aftermarket expertise to enhance the firm’s aerospace capabilities

BOCA RATON, Fla.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–AE Industrial Partners, LP (“AE Industrial”), a private equity firm specializing in National Security, Aerospace, and Industrial Services, today announced the appointment of Oscar Torres as an Operating Partner. Torres joins the firm following an extensive tenure as President & CEO of global aerospace aftermarket distributor and service provider Kellstrom Aerospace (“Kellstrom”), a former AE Industrial portfolio company, which was sold to VSE Corporation in December 2024.

“During his more than two decade career at Kellstrom, Oscar was an outstanding leader, consistently driving initiatives that enhanced the company’s operational excellence and contributed to its sustained growth,” said David Rowe, Co-CEO and Managing Partner at AE Industrial. “At AE Industrial, he will be an invaluable resource, leveraging his firsthand experience and network of relationships to provide strategic insight to our portfolio companies, helping them seize new business opportunities while supporting their value creation initiatives.”

Torres served as Kellstrom’s CEO and President for three years and as its CFO for more than 20 years. He helped guide the company through three strategic acquisitions and established Kellstrom as a leading supply chain solutions provider in the commercial aerospace engine aftermarket, with one of the industry’s most comprehensive inventories of aircraft parts, strong technical expertise, and a reputation for service excellence.

“Having worked closely with the team at AE Industrial, it is a great privilege to join the firm as an Operating Partner and put my experience to work for other growing businesses,” said Torres. “I look forward to collaborating with the team and the leadership at our portfolio companies to capitalize on the strong tailwinds across the aerospace and defense industries.”

Torres received a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Florida International University and holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Miami’s Herbert Business School.

About AE Industrial Partners:
AE Industrial Partners is a private investment firm with $6.4 billion of assets under management focused on highly specialized markets including National Security, Aerospace, and Industrial Services. AE Industrial Partners has completed more than 130 investments in market-leading companies that benefit from its deep industry knowledge, operating experience, and network of relationships across the sectors where the firm invests. With a commitment to driving value creation in partnership with the management teams of its portfolio companies, AE Industrial Partners invests across private equity, venture capital, and aerospace leasing.

Media Contact:
Stanton Public Relations & Marketing
Matt Conroy
mconroy@stantonprm.com
(646) 502-3563

NEW YORK – July 14, 2025 – Blackstone (NYSE: BX) today announced that Monica Issar will join Blackstone Multi-Asset Investing (“BXMA”) as a Senior Managing Director based in New York where she will be the Head of Total Portfolio Management (“TPM”). Monica will join the TPM leadership team partnering closely with Co-Chief Investment Officers, Joe Dowling and David Ben-Ur. She will report directly to Joe Dowling, Global Head of Blackstone Multi-Asset Investing.

“Monica is a proven leader with a remarkable track record of driving innovation in investment solutions and scaling multi-asset platforms,” says Joe Dowling. “Her expertise will be pivotal in advancing BXMA’s portfolio management capabilities and delivering value to our clients worldwide. We are thrilled to welcome her to the team.”

Monica brings over 25 years of experience in multi-asset investing, portfolio solutions, and leadership within the financial services industry, including building and scaling investment platforms for institutional and private clients globally.

Monica joins Blackstone from J.P. Morgan Global Private Bank, where she served as the Global Head of Multi-Asset & Portfolio Solutions. In this role, she managed a $55 billion Outsourced Chief Investment Office and a team of over 300 professionals managing $600 billion in single- and multi-asset portfolios.

Monica Issar adds: “I am honored to join Blackstone, a firm renowned for its scale, innovation, and client-first approach. I look forward to working with Joe and the BXMA team to deliver cutting-edge portfolio solutions and drive meaningful outcomes for our clients across asset classes.”

BXMA’s Total Portfolio Management platform manages large-scale total portfolios across asset classes in both public and private markets. The TPM platform is a natural extension of BXMA’s business as clients increasingly look for strategic investment partners who can deliver tailored solutions across a wide variety of opportunities. TPM leverages Blackstone’s strength and position as the world’s largest alternative asset manager.

About Blackstone Multi-Asset Investing
Blackstone Multi-Asset Investing (BXMA) manages $88 billion across a diversified set of businesses. We strive to generate attractive risk-adjusted returns for our clients across market cycles. Our strategies include Absolute Return, Multi-Strategy, Total Portfolio Management, and Public Real Assets.

Contact
Paula Chirhart
Paula.Chirhart@Blackstone.com
347-463-5453

Aaron Miller Named Chairman of APPS, Expected to Retire at End of 2026

NEW YORK, July 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Apollo (NYSE: APO) today announced that Brian Chu has joined the firm as a Partner and Head of Apollo Portfolio Performance Solutions (APPS). In this role, Chu will lead APPS’ mission to deliver strategic and hands-on operational support across Apollo’s private equity portfolio. He will build on the team’s established value creation model, which combines generalist operating partners and deep functional expertise to unlock transformational growth opportunities for Apollo’s funds’ portfolio companies.

Chu brings more than 20 years of experience in operational leadership and private equity to Apollo. He most recently served as Senior Managing Director and co-head of the portfolio operations group at Centerbridge Partners, where he led value creation efforts across a portfolio of approximately 30 companies. His career has been defined by close collaboration with management teams and boards to drive growth and implement organizational change. Prior to Centerbridge, he was an Operating Partner at Bain Capital and has held several senior roles in operations and technology.

Aaron Miller, who led APPS since joining the firm in 2019, will transition to Chairman of APPS. In this role, he will continue to advise on strategic initiatives, work closely with select portfolio companies on high-priority value creation projects and support the continued evolution and expansion of the APPS platform.

“Brian’s exceptional ability to build high-performing operations teams, combined with his disciplined approach to value creation, makes him the ideal leader to continue building upon the strong foundation that Aaron has established and developed,” said Antoine Munfakh, Partner and Head of Private Equity – North America, and Michele Raba, Partner and Head of Private Equity – Europe. “As our industry increasingly recognizes that outperformance will be driven by improving businesses rather than expanding multiples, the role of APPS has never been more crucial. Scaling our APPS platform has been a game changer for our private equity franchise, transforming the way we partner with outstanding management teams to create tangible value at each stage of the investment lifecycle.”

“Apollo has built one of the most effective operating platforms in the industry, known for its deep alignment with management and relentless focus on business transformation,” said Brian Chu. “I’m honored to join this talented team and to carry forward the APPS mission—accelerating growth through investments in technology, talent and commercial excellence. I look forward to expanding our capabilities and helping portfolio companies realize their full potential.”

Miller said, “I’m deeply proud of the culture of innovation, performance and collaboration we’ve built at APPS. Working alongside such a talented group of professionals—and seeing the tangible, lasting value we’ve helped create—has been one of the most fulfilling chapters of my career. I’m excited to support Brian and the team as they take APPS to even greater heights.”

About Apollo Portfolio Performance Solutions (APPS)

APPS supports Apollo funds’ portfolio companies throughout every stage of ownership by leveraging deep expertise across critical functional domains, including digital transformation, AI integration, procurement and supply chain optimization. With a team of 35 full-time professionals—comprising both functional specialists and generalist operators—APPS partners closely with company leadership to implement tailored value creation strategies. Through Value Creation Offices (VCOs), the team works with management to ensure rigorous execution and accountability, driving sustained performance improvements and long-term value.

About Apollo

Apollo is a high-growth, global alternative asset manager. In our asset management business, we seek to provide our clients excess return at every point along the risk-reward spectrum from investment grade credit to private equity. For more than three decades, our investing expertise across our fully integrated platform has served the financial return needs of our clients and provided businesses with innovative capital solutions for growth. Through Athene, our retirement services business, we specialize in helping clients achieve financial security by providing a suite of retirement savings products and acting as a solutions provider to institutions. Our patient, creative, and knowledgeable approach to investing aligns our clients, businesses we invest in, our employees, and the communities we impact, to expand opportunity and achieve positive outcomes. As of March 31, 2025, Apollo had approximately $785 billion of assets under management. To learn more, please visit www.apollo.com.

Contacts

Noah Gunn
Global Head of Investor Relations
Apollo Global Management, Inc.
(212) 822-0540
IR@apollo.com

Joanna Rose
Global Head of Corporate Communications
Apollo Global Management, Inc.
(212) 822-0491
Communications@apollo.com

Amsterdam, 8 July, Amsterdam-based investment firm Globitas Capital is pleased to announce that Lawrence Hasselbaink joined the company as Investment Director as of 1st of July. For the seasoned M\&A advisor and dealmaker, this move marks an important next step in his career.

Lawrence brings over ten years of experience in mergers and acquisitions and is a specialist in initiating, structuring, and executing complex transactions. He combines strategic oversight with a keen eye for detail and has a strong ability to balance the interests of various stakeholders. His people-focused approach—taking the time to understand what drives individuals and teams—sets him apart when navigating complex deals. This makes him a trusted advisor to entrepreneurs, management teams, and investors alike.

Lawrence’s move to Globitas reflects his ambition to contribute more actively to business development. In his new role, he supports management teams in shaping the strategic direction of companies. “Transitioning into a hands-on investment role is a natural next step in my career,” says Lawrence. “I look forward to convincing ambitious entrepreneurs and management teams of Globitas’ approach and applying my experience and expertise to businesses where we can truly make a difference.”

Arthur Clement, Managing Partner at Globitas, adds: “Lawrence is a great addition to the Globitas team. In addition to his impressive M&A track record, he brings the right analytical and interpersonal skills to help drive our growth. We look forward to a successful collaboration.”

Prior to joining Globitas, Lawrence was Vice President M\&A at ING Corporate Finance, where he was responsible for leading transactions and sourcing new deals. Before that, he spent over six years at PwC in various roles across Corporate Finance, Due Diligence, Valuations, and Data Analytics.