Monday, May 12, 2014

Carlyle CFO Returns to NASDAQ

WSJ reported:

Carlyle Group LP on Monday said it had appointed Curtis L. Buser to take over as the firm's financial chief on an interim basis following the departure of Adena T. Friedman, who left to become co-president of NASDAQ Group OMX Inc.

Mr. Buser, 50 years old, will continue acting as Carlyle's chief accounting officer, a position he has held since September 2004. Before that, he worked as an audit partner with Ernst & Young LLP, Carlyle said. Ms. Friedman, 44, meanwhile, resigned Friday to leave for Nasdaq after a three-year tenure as Carlyle's CFO. 

She is slated to start at Nasdaq on June 12 and is considered the "leading candidate" to ultimately succeed Robert Greifeld as chief executive of the exchange company.

Friedman served three years time under Carlyle's co-founding triumvirate and was instrumental in taking The Carlyle Group public.  Carlyle unit holders may wonder about Friedman's surprise leaving, but co-CEO David Rubenstein said in a statement:

“We are sad to see Adena go but understand this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for her to serve as their president and to be the leading candidate to some day run Nasdaq OMX.” 

Carlyle lost their first woman on the PEU's management committee.  I'd love to hear her "once in lifetime" experience working with policy making billionaires.

There's employment retention and the Freudian version.  I'd wager Carlyle's co-founders have issues with both. 

Update 5-15-14:  Another high level Carlyle exec left after serving a three year sentence.