Emerging markets private equity specialist CDC Group has appointed Michele Giddens, named one of the most influential women in finance by Financial News, to its board.

Giddens, a partner and co-founder of private equity house Bridges Ventures, and a member of the current FN100 list of the most influential women in European financial services, will become a non-executive director at UK government-owned CDC in December, according to a spokesman for the firm.