Equistone CFO defects to Lion

Consumer-focused private equity firm Lion Capital has hired Simon Brown as its new chief operating officer (COO), pfm has confirmed.

Brown, who had been chief financial officer (CFO) and chief risk officer at Equistone Partners Europe since 2011, replaces Lion’s former COO Paul Cooper. Brown will be based in Lion’s London office.

It is unclear when Cooper left Lion or where he has landed. Lion declined to comment.

Equistone, which was formed in November 2011 from the spinout of Barclays Private Equity, has not yet replaced Brown, according to a source familiar with the matter.

Prior to joining Equistone, Brown served as CFO at European middle market firm Cognetas, now known as Motion Equity Partners, from 2006 to 2011. Earlier, Brown was COO of family office Five Arrows between and finance director at law firm Lawrence Graham, according to his LinkedIn profile.