Adams Street names Credit Suisse exec as COO

The private markets firm has appointed James Walker, who held the same role in wealth management units at Morgan Stanley and Citi.

Adams Street Partners, a private markets investment manager, has named James Walker as chief operating officer.

Walker, who joins as a partner, will report to Jeff Diehl, managing partner and head of investments, and serve on its executive committee, as well as chair its operating committee.

“As Adams Street completes its 45th year and looks toward the future, it is vitally important that we are able to execute on the increasingly complex needs of private market investors,” Diehl said. “Jim’s depth of experience and global perspective will help ensure that we deliver on that goal.”

Walker joins from Credit Suisse Private Bank, where he was COO. He had the same roles at Morgan Stanley Global Wealth Management and Citi Global Wealth Management.

He replaces Kevin Callahan who left last December, according to Callahan’s LinkedIn profile.

Walker’s appointment follows the hire of Adams Street’s first chief technology officer, Alicia Pando, in September. She joined from Magnetar Capital, an alternative asset manager.

The firm recently raised a $475 million growth equity and direct venture fund, it announced in June. It is also in the process of raising Adams Street Global Secondary Fund 6 and had gathered $201.8 billion of a $1.2 billion target, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing also in June.