UK lower mid-market firm Palatine Private Equity has announced three additions to its Manchester team as it looks to invest its third fund, which closed on a £220 million hard cap in June 2015 after just 11 weeks of fundraising.

Kieran Lawton joined the firm on February 22 as an investment director. He joined from BDO Corporate Finance where he was a director working on the leisure and hospitality M&A team in Manchester. He has over 10 years' experience in corporate finance and has previously worked on a number of mid-market deals including Palatine's investments in Italian restaurant chain Gusto and bar and restaurant brand The Alchemist, according to a Palatine statement.