Berkshire Partners announced that E.J. Whelan was appointed managing director effective January 1, 2012. He joins the 13 current managing directors of Berkshire in managing the firm and its affiliated investment funds.

Whelan joined Berkshire Partners in 2005. He has worked extensively with Berkshire’s consumer products, retail and business services companies. Prior to Berkshire, Whelan worked at Summit Partners for two years and also served on the management team at Sterling Auto Body Centers, a Berkshire portfolio company. Whelan began his career at Bain & Company as an associate consultant. He received a B.A. from Dartmouth College and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.

Berkshire’s investment staff is comprised of 47 professionals who have a broad range of backgrounds and experiences, including operations, consulting and finance. The original team, which came together in the mid-1980s, has expanded significantly as the firm’s capital base and investment scope have grown.

Berkshire Partners, the Boston-based private equity firm, has invested in over 100 leading middle-market companies for over 25 years through eight investment funds with aggregate capital of $11 billion.