WASHINGTON -- Global private equity firm The Carlyle Group today announced that former XO Communications Chairman Daniel F. Akerson will join the firm as a managing director on March 3, 2003. Mr. Akerson will focus on buyout and venture investment opportunities in North America with an emphasis on technology. He will be based in Carlyle's Washington, DC headquarters. Carlyle managing director and co-founder Daniel A. D'Aniello said, "Dan is a superb addition to the firm. His decades of operational and investment experience across both corporate and private equity platforms will strengthen our investment team and sector specialties. Dan's proven ability to identify emerging and undervalued technologies and bring them to profitably is exactly what our investors demand." Carlyle Venture Partners