It was big news when Al de Molina, formerly a big wig at Bank of America, signed on with Cerberus Capital Management. He's not alone. TheStreet.com notes that the Carlyle Group recruited Ned Kelly, former CEO of Mercantile Bankshares, and David Zwiener, former president and COO of Hartford Financial Services. They will head up its new financial institutions group. Financial services firms have never been among the favorite targets of private equity funds, but all that seems to be changing. Hires such as these only fuel the thought. Recall that Kohlberg Kravis Roberts has bought First Data. A J.C. Flowers-led group has a deal for Sallie Mae. Would a fund want to own a bank? There are some thorny regulatory issues. But these days, it seems like anything goes. I would not count anything out.

For more:
- here's the article from TheStreet
- another financial IPO: Man. Article