New York – Global private equity firm The Carlyle Group today announced that William P. Johnston has joined the firm as a Senior Advisor to the Healthcare team. In this capacity, Mr. Johnston will help identify investments in the healthcare sector and provide strategic and management guidance to Carlyle healthcare portfolio companies. Mr. Johnston began his duties on June 5, 2006 and is based in Nashville, TN.

Karen H. Bechtel, Carlyle Managing Director and Head of the Healthcare team, said, "Will’s breadth of experience, from deal sourcing and negotiation to company building, is remarkable and will be a tremendous benefit to our growing healthcare practice. We are pleased to welcome him to the Carlyle team."

Mr. Johnston said, "Carlyle has committed significant resources to its healthcare activities and I welcome the opportunity to be a part of its growth and success."

Mr. Johnston is an attorney with 37 years of experience in the investment banking, investing and healthcare sectors. In May 2006, Mr. Johnston became a Member of the Supervisory Board of Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA (NYSE: FMS), the global provider of kidney dialysis services and products.

From 2003 to 2006, Mr. Johnston was Chairman of the Board of Directors of Renal Care Group, Inc. (NYSE: RCI), a specialized provider of dialysis services. In this capacity, he negotiated the $4.2 billion acquisition of the company by Fresenius Medical Care which was completed in March 2006. From 1987 to 2002, Mr. Johnston served in a number of senior capacities at the Equitable Securities Corporation and its successor organizations (SunTrust Equitable Securities and SunTrust Robinson Humphrey), including Chief Executive Officer and Vice Chairman, Managing Director and Head of Investment Banking.

Mr. Johnston was an attorney at Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis in Nashville, TN from 1969 to 1986, where he specialized in corporate finance, acquisitions and securities law.

Mr. Johnston earned his J.D. from the Vanderbilt University School of Law and his B.A. from Vanderbilt University. He serves on the boards of The Hartford Mutual Funds and the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe, NM.