Rothschild‘s merchant banking arm has completed the first closing of Five Arrows Credit Solutions, its private debt fund focused on the Western European middle-market. The fund has with total commitments so far of 235 million euros ($302.1 million). The final closing target is 400 million euros.

As recovery continues after the storm First Read brings you the latest start-up deal update, how European bank deleveraging is offering opportunities for emerging market private equity investors and also takes a look at whether we should trust the Force following Disney’s LucasFilm deal.

Italy’s Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena has given a mandate to Rothschild to sell the leasing activities it put on the block in its last business plan, writes Reuters. According to a media report, General Electric, BNP Paribas and some private equity firms could be interested in the leasing business, writes Reuters.

Moy leaves Rockefeller Financial as fund-of-funds business comes under pressure.

Jim Denton has joined Broadhaven Capital Partners as a partner. He previoulsy led the FIG group at Rothschild in New York. PRESS RELEASE Broadhaven Capital Partners today announced that Jim Denton has joined the firm as a partner. Mr. Denton previously led the Financial Institutions Group at Rothschild in New York where he worked on [...]

Aquilex Holdings said Friday that it has financially restructured its debt and is now majority owned by Centerbridge Partners. Also, Aquilex CEO and President Bill Varner is retiring while Donovan Boyd was named chairman of the board. Rothschild provided financial advice to Aquilex, while Alvarez & Marsal was restructuring advisor. Aquilex provides maintenance, repair and industrial cleaning solutions to the energy industry.

The New York-based financial advisory services firm Rothschild has hired Matthew Sperling has a managing director and its head of equity advisory for North America. Sperling was most recently a Managing Director in the equity capital markets group of Jefferies and prior to that held senior positions in the US equity capital market operations of UBS and [...]

Rothschild has named Herve Sawko has joined as head of Middle East investment banking. He has been with the firm for 17 years, most recently based in New York with a focus on international transactions.

Lawrence Portman has joined Rothschild as a managing director and head of consumer products for the Americas. He previously was head of Citigroup’s North American food and beverage practice.

(Reuters) – Laurence Grafstein, a former co-head of merger adviser Lazard Ltd’s (LAZ.N) technology and media group, will join Rothschild as co-head of the U.S. M&A group at the boutique investment bank, the Wall Street Journal said. Grafstein worked on deals such as Nextel-Sprint and MCI-Verizon and oversaw large financial restructurings at WorldCom and Nortel, [...]