iVillage: NBCU’s iVillage has hired Michael Gutkowski as COO; the COO slot has been empty since Ezra Kucharz left for Oberon Media in April. Gutkowski leaves Time Inc.’s Southern Progress, where he has been SVP-digital. Prior to that, he spent 14 years at MSLO, with a brief interval away at Newport News Inc. Effective July 16, he’ll be responsible for “implementing the company’s strategic path” and for managing day-to-day operations for all iVillage Properties. Release.

GE/NBCU: Thomas M. Byrne has been appointed managing director of the the $250 million Peacock Equity Fund recently established by GE Commercial Finance’s Media, Communications $ Entertainment and NBCU. Byrne has worked with GE, ABN AMRO and Royal Bank of Canada. He is joined by Megumi Ikeda, who will work from London; she most recently was VP-strategic initiatives and new media for NBCU. The fund announced its first investment—Adify—when it launched in April.
Release.

• GE Launches $250 Million Media Investment Fund; First $3 Million Goes To Adify