HarbourVest promotes 12 professionals – update

The story was updated to reflect the promotion of Kanji Takenaka.

HarbourVest Partners, a Boston-headquartered fund of funds manager, has promoted 12 professionals, including three who focus on secondaries, according to a statement by the firm.

The firm promoted three staff to managing director including Carolina Espinal in London, who evaluates and monitors European venture capital and buyout fund investments and has worked with HarbourVest’s secondaries group on deals.

In Boston, John Fiato was promoted to principal within the firm’s secondaries investment team. Fiato, who joined the firm in its accounting team in 1994, is responsible for the closing process related to new secondaries deals, as well as leading traditional and complex transactions. He has worked on over 80 secondaries deals, according to HarbourVest’s website.

In the firm’s Tokyo office, Kanji Takenaka was promoted to principal. Takenaka joined HarbourVest in 2014 and works on Japan-related primary, secondary and direct co-investments, as well as building relationships with institutional investors and general partners.

“At every level, promotions reflect a clear and demonstrated commitment to our clients to support their investment goals, protect and drive value, and further strengthen businesses across the globe,” Peter Wilson, managing director, said in the statement.

The firm also promoted Nate Bishop and Aris Hatch to managing director positions in Boston, where they focus on relationships with North America-based investors and consultants.

Five other staff focusing on primary fund investments, direct co-investments and client relations were promoted to principal across the firm’s Boston, Bogotá and London branches, with one senior vice-president promoted in the firm’s tax team in Boston, according to the statement.