CVC taps Pantheon for first comms chief

CVC Capital Partners has hired Carsten Huwendiek as its global head of communications – the first time in its history that it has appointed someone to this role.

Based in London, Huwendiek will be responsible for CVC’s media relations, investor communications, events and branding, the firm confirmed to Private Equity International. He will report to Steve Koltes, CVC co-founder and co-chairman, who oversees the firm’s fundraising and investor relations teams from his base in Switzerland.

Huwendiek has spent the last six years in a similar role at private funds investor Pantheon, having previously worked at UBS Asset Management, ABN AMRO and Cognito. He will leave Pantheon at the end of next week and start at CVC on May 1.

CVC closed its most recent global buyout fund last year. The vehicle, which was heavily oversubscribed, held a final close on €10.5 billion, leaving the firm with more firepower than any of its European peers. It has also branched out successfully into credit strategies in recent years: CVC Credit Partners, which launched in 2006, now has more than $10 billion of assets under management.

The historically publicity-shy firm has some high-profile assets in its portfolio, notably motor racing series Formula One. CVC was forced to pull a proposed Singapore listing of the business in 2012 due to the macroeconomic climate, and its attempts to float the business since have been complicated by bribery charges hanging over fellow shareholder Bernie Ecclestone.

Claire Ellis, who previously handled marketing and communications for the private equity group in Europe, has now left the firm, CVC confirmed.

Pantheon could not be reached for comment at press time.