Berkshire promotes two

Boston-based Berkshire Partners has appointed Sharlyn Heslam and Elizabeth Hoffman managing directors.

Heslam joined the mid-market firm in 2006 to manage legal matters related to investment processes and operations, and also holds the position of general counsel. Hoffman has worked with Berkshire’s communications and business services companies since 2003. The appointments are effective 1 January, and bring the firm’s managing director team to 14 individuals.

Prior to joining Berkshire, Heslam represented private equity firms as a corporate partner in the Boston office of Weil, Gotshal & Manges.

Hoffman previously worked in venture capital at the Sprout Group after a six-year stint as a financial analyst in the Mergers & Acquisitions group at Morgan Stanley.

Berkshire invests between $50 million and $500 million in companies ranging from consumer products, retailing and related services, business services, transportation, energy, industrial manufacturing and communications. The firm’s seventh fund closed on $3.1 billion in October 2006. The target amount of the firm’s eighth fund could not be determined at press time.

Berkshire's total investment staff is comprised of 45 people. The firm has invested in over 100 companies with about $20 billion of acquisition value and combined revenues of over $22 billion.