European Capital, a buyout firm and mezzanine provider, has hired Luis Felipe Castellanos from BNP Paribas to head up its new Madrid office. The new office will concentrate on mezzanine investments and flexible financing solutions for the Spanish market. European Capital, a subsidiary of Nasdaq-listed American Capital, also has offices in London, Paris and Frankfurt. Castellanos was previously managing director and head of leveraged finance of Spain and Portugal at BNP Paribas in Madrid, where he managed LBOs, MBOs, recapitalisations and refinancings. www.thomsonmergernews.com