GLOBAL - OMERS Private Equity, the private equity arm of the CAD55bn (€43bn) Canadian pension plan, has extended its UK team with two new appointments.

Isabelle Pagnotta joins as a director and Bryony Marshall as an associate to the fund's London office.

Pagnotta joins from Arcapita in London, where she was most recently principal in private equity, focusing on the pan-European mid-cap LBO market and transactions across a broad range of sectors.

According to OMERS Private Equity, the appointment of Pagnotta, who is a French national, will help the company focus further on that market.

Meanwhile, Marshall spent more than four years in corporate finance at Hawkpoint in London, advising UK and European private equity firms and corporates on mid-market transactions.

OMERS Private Equity, which set up its London business back in 2009, seeks to expand its presence in the European market and has completed three transactions, investing CAD640m so far.

The deals included the £207m (€256m) acquisition of supported living provider Lifeways in June, the CAD520m buyout of shipping services provider V.Group in 2011 and the investment of CAD700m in Haymarket Financial in 2009.

Most recently, Axa Private Equity agreed to acquire a portfolio of buyout funds from OMERS Private Equity worth approximately $850m (€676m).

The deal included a portfolio of 11 private equity fund investments and related unfunded commitments, consisting mostly of North American and global funds.