MID-MARKET private equity firm LDC has appointed Kevan Leggett, one of the most successful dealmakers in the south, as its new regional director.

LDC, part of Lloyds TSB, backs ambitious, entrepreneurial management teams seeking between £2m and £50m of equity and has regional offices in Southampton, Reading and Bristol.

Kevan joins from Ernst & Young, where he was head of private equity mergers and acquisitions for the UK.

Since 1998 he has been involved in 75 deals and has led 25 private equity transactions with an aggregate value of £662m.

Kevan replaces Jonathan Simm, who has decided to stand down for personal reasons.

However, Jonathan will remain a senior director and is a standing member of LDC's investment committee. Nationally, LDC invested £127m across 11 transactions and achieved gains of £118m in 16 exits.

This year the Southampton office was involved in a number of high-profile deals, including the £10m acquisition of Silvertown Group by specialist technical rubber product firm Icon Polymer Group.

The deal has created one of the largest manufacturers of specialist rubber products in the UK, supplying the pharmaceutical, defence and automotive industries.

Kevan, who is married with three children aged eight, six and three, is interested in golf and football.

In 2004 he raised nearly £10,000 for charity by trekking across Iceland for ten days.