Stephen Hickey, the former global head of leverage finance at Goldman Sachs, has joined private equity firm CVC Capital Partners as a partner. The hire is the second high profile appointment at the firm in the past month.

A spokesman for CVC confirmed that Hickey would be based in New York, acting as chief risk officer for the group while also chairing its newly formed global portfolio committee, overseeing investments and the development of the firm's business and products. The appointment represents something of a U-turn by Hickey, who in a memo circulated to Goldman staff in November 2011 stated that his departure was a retirement.