Lehman appoints European PE head

Global investment bank Lehman Brothers has today appointed Vittorio Pignatti Morano in the newly created role of head of European private equity.
 
Based in London, Pignatti will report jointly to Michael Odrich, head of global private equity, and Thierry Sciard, head of the European Investment Management Division (IMD), of which Lehman Brothers Private Equity is a subsidiary.
 
A spokesman for Lehman Brothers said the appointment was part of the bank’s expansion of its European franchise, including the planned launch of several European private equity funds, but declined to comment further.
 
Pignatti will join the IMD European executive committee and the IMD global operating committee and will remain a member of the European operating committee.
 
Pignatti joined Lehman Brothers in 1989 and was previously a vice chairman of the bank. Most recently, he was co-head of mergers and acquisitions, Europe, and played a key role in the creation of Lehman Brothers’ franchise in Italy.
 
“Europe is a primary focus as we continue to build upon our achievements in private equity by extending our investment reach, and we are fortunate to have Vittorio in this important role,” said Odrich in a statement.
 
Lehman Brothers also announced that Carlos Fierro, Pignatti’s former co-head of mergers and acquisitions, Europe, has assumed day-to-day management responsibilities for European M&A.
 
Last July, Lehman Brothers hired Richard Atterbury as global co-head of the financial sponsors group from Morgan Stanley, where he held the same position. He also chairs Lehman’s European leveraged finance group.
 
Lehman Brothers’ European private equity practice focuses on merchant banking, venture capital, real estate, credit related funds and private funds investments. It currently manages a portfolio of investments in excess of $5 billion (€4 billion).
 
In February, Lehman Brothers Merchant Banking agreed to acquire the European seafood business of Heinz for €425 million ($520 million).