Aren LeeKong, Head of Direct Lending at Carlyle, is leaving the firm to pursue new "professional opportunities", according to a report by Bloomberg citing an internal Carlyle memo circulated to staff.

LeeKong also served as Vice Chairman of Global Credit, Chief Executive Officer of Business Development Companies (BDCs) and was a member of the firm's private investment committee.

LeKong took up the BDC role in September 2022, succeeding Linda Pace as part of a reshuffle of Carlyle's global credit division leadership team.

According to the memo, Justin Plouffe, Deputy Chief Investment Officer for Global Credit, will now assume leadership of both Carlyle's $10bn direct lending business and BDCs.