Allen & Overy's (A&O) head of US corporate finance, Jim Wickenden, has left the firm, with A&O appointing fellow finance partner Kevin Muzilla to take his place. 

Legal Week understands Wickenden left the partnership last month for personal reasons.

Wickenden joined A&O in April 2012 from legacy Herbert Smith. During his time at the magic circle firm he spent eight months in Hong Kong, where he was sent on a troubleshooting mission in November 2013 following the departure of one of A&O's most senior US partners in Asia, James Grandolfo, for rival Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy.

Wickenden worked in Hong Kong until June 2014 when he returned to London to continue heading the US corporate finance practice. Before joining A&O he spent 13 years at legacy Herbert Smith and also worked at JPMorgan and Cravath Swaine & Moore.

His role has now been filled by corporate finance partner Muzilla, who joined A&O in 2009 as part of a push by the firm into the high-yield market.

Muzilla was admitted to the New York Bar in 1991 and has worked on deals for companies including Vue Entertainment, Manchester United and Cable & Wireless.

Wickenden's exit comes alongside that of real estate partner Mark O'Neill, who has now also retired from A&O.

A spokesperson for the firm said: "We would like to thank Jim and Mark for their contribution during their time at A&O and wish them all the best for the future."

The departures of Wickenden and O'Neill follow a series of exits from the firm this year. Earlier this month sole Sao Paulo partner Bruno Soares left for rival Paul Hastings as part of a trio of departures.

Soares' exit left A&O with just one senior associate and one associate on the ground in Sao Paulo, according to the firm's website.

He was joined in the move to Paul Hastings by Latin America practice co-head Robert Kartheiser and New York partner Cathleen McLaughlin.

Last month A&O also saw real estate partner David Wilkie leave to rejoin his former Australian firm, Clayton Utz.