Matt Levin

Marks: Mark-to-market accounting is ‘accelerant’ to financial crisis

In a memo to investors, Oaktree head Howard Marks cites runaway leverage and fair value accounting as primary culprits in a ‘broad-gauged and systemic’ crisis.

Irish pension's alternatives director joins General Atlantic

Ronan Cunningham will bolster the Connecticut-based firm's investor relations team beginning later this summer.

TH Lee exec defends telecom deals at Congressional hearing

As Bain and TH Lee work to close their $22 billion Clear Channel buyout, a TH Lee executive appeared before a Congressional committee yesterday to champion private equity’s ownership of media and telecom companies.

3Com to pursue $66m break-up fee from Bain Capital

Following Bain’s termination of a $2.2 billion buyout, 3Com says the move was not ‘valid’.

Harvard endowment PE manager leaves for UNC

Kevin Tunick is the second alternative investment manager to leave the influential endowment following the arrival of a new CEO.

Minnesota State Investment Board commits $626m across eight PE funds

The activity includes commitments to Advent and Summit.

Survey: Alternatives increasingly popular among pensions

Real estate and private equity top the preferred investments among 52 percent of North American public pension respondents who do or want to commit to alternatives, according to a Bear Stearns report.

Panorama Capital closes first independent fund on $240m

The JPMorgan spin-out will target early- to mid-stage companies in life sciences, internet, semiconductors and telecom infrastructure.

Blackstone to fight Alliance Data lawsuit

The credit-card services company is pursuing a $170m break-up fee for the second time, as the mega-buyout firm calls the suit ‘just as spurious as the first one’.

Fidelity Equity makes second European investment

The firm committed $37 million of its $500 million fund to purchase a minority stake in Complinet, a London-based financial information services provider.