Carlyle nabs JP Morgan’s leveraged finance stalwart

Private equity behemoth Carlyle has named Eric Mason as managing director in the leveraged finance group. Mason is currently managing director and co-head of JP Morgan syndicated & leveraged finance, Asia Pacific, and in his new role will build Carlyle’s leveraged finance business in Asia Pacific from his base in Hong Kong. The leveraged finance group manages more than US$8bn in 15 high yield, mezzanine and distressed funds in the US and European markets. Mason will begin his duties in June.

Mason has been with JP Morgan and its legacy firms since 1995 in New York, Singapore and Hong Kong. Since 1999, based in Hong Kong, he has pioneered many landmark leveraged finance deals across the region. He has been primarily responsible for structuring and leading the execution of financial sponsor related leveraged buy-outs (LBOs), high yield bonds and mezzanine debt. Prior to 1999, Mason held senior positions at Chase Manhattan Bank based in Singapore in global syndicated and project finance as well as global power investment banking.