They’re hired: this week’s top people moves(1)

Alpa Patel, former chief of the division of investment management at the Securities and Exchange Commission, has been appointed partner at Kirkland & Ellis, a global law firm. She joins the investment funds practice in its Washington DC office.

Altegris Advisors, an alternative investment advisor, has poached two Salient employees. Robert Naka has been named chief operating officer and Preeti Malik is its new head of strategy. Both had similar roles at the alternative asset manager. Altegris is a portfolio company of Genstar Capital Management and Aquiline Capital Partners.

In Europe, Yann Magnan has been promoted to lead the EMEA region at Duff & Phelps, the global corporate finance and valuations advisor. Previously, he was lead of valuation advisory services for Europe. Magnan joined the firm in 2007.

Société Générale’s private banking arm has appointed Simon Ibbitson as leader of its private equity funds business. He joins the bank from Credit Suisse, where he developed the private equity team in its wealth management division. He worked there for more than eight years.