--- title: "On the Move: July 2026 Hires and Promotions" url: https://burnaze.com/article/06c8179a-6470-4186-aa3a-a1819acf5dbf source: "Middle Market Growth" original_url: https://middlemarketgrowth.org/july-2026-on-the-move/ author: "Carolyn Vallejo" category: "Finance" topics: ["Finance & M&A","People"] published: 2026-07-29T13:00:51.000Z modified: 2026-10-31T13:16:45.574Z image: https://middlemarketgrowth.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/january-2025-on-the-move.jpg --- # On the Move: July 2026 Hires and Promotions **TL;DR:** MidFirst Business Credit appoints a new vice president in Los Angeles to lead nationwide middle-market lending and business development efforts. *By Carolyn Vallejo, originally published in Middle Market Growth on 2026-07-29. [Read the original](https://middlemarketgrowth.org/july-2026-on-the-move/).* ## Story MidFirst Business Credit, the asset-based lending arm of MidFirst Bank, appointed Graham Nelson as vice president and business development officer. Based in Los Angeles, Nelson will help expand the lender’s nationwide originations efforts and deepen relationships with middle-market borrowers. An announcement pointed to his extensive background across credit, portfolio management, and originations in commercial finance. Most recently, he served as business development officer and director of originations at Accord Financial. Nelson is also a member of ACG Los Angeles. International law firm Dechert added Leahana Grimley as a partner in its Corporate and Securities practice this month, enhancing its private equity and M&A capabilities on the West Coast. Based in San Francisco, Grimley advises private equity sponsors and portfolio companies on acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, and restructurings. A press release pointed to Grimley’s experience in cross-border transactions across the U.S., Australia, and Southeast Asia. AEA Investors, a global private investment firm, hired Adam Biren as partner and head of capital formation–Americas within its Investor Relations & Fundraising team. Based in New York, Biren will lead the firm’s capital formation efforts across North America and help expand investor relationships. He brings more than 20 years of experience spanning private equity, alternative investments, and investor relations. Most recently, he was a managing director at Apollo Global Management, where he led investor coverage for the U.S. South and Southeast within Client & Product Solutions. Private equity firm Halifax Group hired Rob Holcomb as an operating executive this month, adding the veteran data analytics leader to support portfolio company value creation, an announcement said. Based in Massachusetts, Holcomb will advise on data infrastructure, analytics capabilities, and AI readiness across Halifax’s portfolio and prospective investments. He brings more than 20 years of experience in data management, analytics, and business strategy to the firm. Prior to joining Halifax, he served as director of analytics at Johnson & Johnson. McDermott Will & Schulte appointed Robert Rizzo as global co-head of its Private Equity Group, the law firm said in a recent press release. Based in New York, Rizzo will help lead the firm’s expanding sponsor-side private equity practice and advise clients on complex domestic and cross-border transactions. He brings more than 22 years of experience representing private equity sponsors, most recently practicing at Weil, Gotshal & Manges, where he advised leading sponsors on buyouts, growth investments, and portfolio company transactions. Private equity firm Littlejohn & Co. announced it promoted Brian Michaud to managing partner, elevating him to the firm’s senior leadership team. Based in the firm’s Greenwich, CT headquarters, Michaud will help oversee management of the organization alongside the firm’s other managing partners and chief operating officer. He has been with Littlejohn for nearly 20 years, joining the firm in 2007 and helping build its services investment vertical focused on transportation, logistics, commercial, and professional services businesses. Prior to this promotion, Michaud served as a senior investment professional and member of the firm’s Investment Committee. Physician Growth Partners (PGP), a healthcare-focused investment bank specializing in sell-side M&A advisory, hired Steven Grassa as managing airector to expand its healthcare services coverage. Based in Boston, Grassa will bolster the firm’s physician practice and broader healthcare services investment banking efforts. He brings 10 years of healthcare services M&A experience, having advised companies across behavioral health, physician practice management, and other multi-site healthcare verticals. Most recently, he spent a decade at Provident Healthcare Partners, where he helped lead more than $1 billion in healthcare M&A transactions. Investment bank William Blair expanded its presence in the healthcare and biopharmaceuticals spaces with the hiring of Michael Allwin as managing director and head of Biopharma Investment Banking, according to an announcement. Based in New York, Allwin will lead the firm’s global advisory efforts for public and private biopharma companies, as well as venture firms and financial sponsors focused on the sector. He brings nearly 15 years of biopharma investment banking experience, including extensive work on M&A, IPOs, follow-on investments, and private placements. Most recently, he served as managing director and head of biopharma investment banking at Truist Securities. Law firm Ashurst Perkins Coie strengthened its Tax practice with the addition of Ryan Gaglio as a partner this month. Based in Los Angeles, Gaglio advises private equity sponsors, venture investors, emerging growth companies, and public companies on the tax aspects of M&A and other strategic transactions. His practice covers leveraged buyouts, mergers, international tax planning ,and fund-related matters. Summit Partners, a growth equity investor, added Matt Lunkes as an advisory partner, expanding its AI-focused value creation capabilities. Based in Boston, Lunkes will work with Summit’s investment team and Peak Performance Group to help portfolio companies identify, implement, and scale AI initiatives. He brings experience in strategy, operational transformation, and AI deployment across technology businesses. Most recently, he served as senior vice president and chief of staff at Accelya, where he led corporate strategy and AI programs. Investment firm Athena Capital, which focuses on technology- and AI-enabled businesses approaching exit, announced two senior additions this month. Karim Bousta has joined as investment partner, while Francesca Cornelli joined the firm’s Athena Council advisory group. Bousta most recently served as co-founder and managing partner of DVx Ventures and previously held leadership roles at Getaround, Tesla, Lyft, and SoftBank’s Vision Fund. Cornelli, meanwhile, who is Dean of Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, brings deep expertise in corporate finance, governance, capital markets, and private equity, including prior service as Deputy Dean and director of the Private Equity Institute at London Business School. Global law firm Freshfields added Keith Hallam as a partner in its Mergers & Acquisitions and Corporate practice, a press release said. Based in New York, Hallam advises clients on public and private M&A, carve-outs, joint ventures, strategic investments, structured equity transactions, and cross-border deals. Hallam is a widely recognized M&A lawyer whose career includes 17 years at Cravath, Swaine & Moore before joining White & Case, where he most recently practiced. He has significant experience representing corporates, private equity sponsors, and financial investors, as well as advising on activism defense and shareholder engagement matters. ## Entities - Middle Market Growth (publication) - Carolyn Vallejo (person) --- Originally reported by Carolyn Vallejo, Middle Market Growth (https://middlemarketgrowth.org/july-2026-on-the-move/). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/06c8179a-6470-4186-aa3a-a1819acf5dbf).