The two most senior partners in Europe at Cerberus Capital Management, the US buyout firm that is poised to lose control of car giant Chrysler, have left the company.

Ken Leet, a former strategic adviser to Ford Motor Company who also worked for US president George W. Bush, has left, two and a half years after the company hired him to strengthen its European business, according to a source familiar with the company. Jeff Lubin, who joined in 2005 to establish the European arm, has also left.