The Carlyle Group, which recently appointed former UK Prime Minister John Major as its European chairman, is opening for business in Spain.

Pedro de Esteban, a former executive director with Goldman Sachs, is to head the firm's new office as managing director. De Esteban's team will include Alex Wagenberg, who joins Carlyle as a director after working as chief financial officer for the travel website eDreams. Luisa Alemany will also join Carlyle as an associate director after working as a consultant at management consultancy McKinsey. All three will be based in Barcelona, and Carlyle will also open an office for their use in Madrid.