Both Mr Patton and Mr Merritt were previously directors of Providence Equity Partners responsible for Providence’s European investment activities in the telecommunications, Internet and media sectors.
Mr Patton, prior to joining Providence, spent six years at Morgan Stanley where he was responsible for starting and building their corporate finance activities in the alternative telecom and internet sectors.
Mr Merritt, prior to joining Providence, was Chief Financial Officer of Esprit Telecom Group plc, a pan-European facilities-based long distance telephone operator, which was acquired in March 1999 by Global Telesystems Group for approximately $1 billion.
'We are extremely pleased to have attracted two leading professionals in the telecoms and Internet field to lead our small ventures business,' said Graham Clempson, head of European Private Equity and co-head of Global Investment Banking in Europe for Deutsche Bank.