Organization and Basis of Presentation

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2021

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Organization and Basis of Presentation

1. Organization and Basis of Presentation

    Effective on January 1, 2020, The Carlyle Group L.P. converted from a Delaware limited partnership to a Delaware corporation named The Carlyle Group Inc. (the “Conversion”). As a result of the Conversion, each common unit was converted into a share of common stock. Under the laws of its incorporation, The Carlyle Group Inc. is deemed to be the same entity as The Carlyle Group L.P. (the “Partnership”). Unless the context suggests otherwise, references to “Carlyle” or the “Company,” refer to (i) The Carlyle Group Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries following the Conversion and (ii) The Carlyle Group L.P. and its consolidated subsidiaries prior to the Conversion.

Prior to the Conversion, the Company recorded significant non-controlling interests in Carlyle Holdings I L.P., Carlyle Holdings II L.P. and Carlyle Holdings III L.P. (collectively, “Carlyle Holdings”), the holdings partnerships through which the Company and senior Carlyle professionals and other holders of Carlyle Holdings partnership units owned their respective interests in the business. In the Conversion, the limited partners of the Carlyle Holdings partnerships exchanged their Carlyle Holdings partnership units for an equivalent number of shares of common stock of The Carlyle Group Inc. As a result, in periods following the Conversion, the consolidated balance sheet and statement of operations of The Carlyle Group Inc. does not reflect any non-controlling interests in Carlyle Holdings, and net income (loss) attributable to Carlyle Holdings refers to the net income (loss) of The Carlyle Group Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries, net of non-controlling interests in consolidated entities. Additionally, at the time of the exchange, certain senior Carlyle professionals and certain of the other former limited partners of Carlyle Holdings who became holders of shares of common stock in connection with the Conversion were generally required to grant an irrevocable proxy to Carlyle Group Management L.L.C., which is wholly owned by the Company’s founders and other senior Carlyle professionals. As a result, the Company was a “controlled company” and qualified for exceptions from certain corporate governance and other requirements of the rules of The Nasdaq Global Select Market (“Nasdaq”). As of August 5, 2021, the Company no longer qualifies as a “controlled company” under the Nasdaq rules.

Carlyle is one of the world’s largest global investment firms that deploys private capital across its business through three reportable segments: Global Private Equity, Global Credit and Global Investment Solutions (see Note 15). In the Global Private Equity segment, Carlyle advises buyout, growth, real estate and natural resources funds. The primary areas of focus for the Global Credit segment are liquid credit, illiquid credit, real assets credit, and other credit such as insurance solutions and loan syndication and capital markets. The Global Investment Solutions segment provides investment opportunities and resources for investors and clients through fund of funds, secondary purchases of existing portfolios, and managed co-investment programs. Carlyle typically serves as the general partner, investment manager or collateral manager, making day-to-day investment decisions concerning the assets of these products.

On April 1, 2021, the Company sold 100% of its interest in Metropolitan Real Estate (“MRE”) and recorded a $5 million gain on the sale, which is included in other non-operating expenses (income) on the consolidated statements of operations. This amount is excluded from the Company’s segment reporting. The Company retained its existing investments in and commitments to the MRE funds, as well as its interest in the net accrued performance allocations in existing funds.

On August 31, 2021, the Company sold 100% of its interest in its local Brazilian management entity and entered into a sub-advisory agreement with the acquiring company, which will provide advisory services with respect to Carlyle’s Brazilian portfolio. The Company recorded a loss on the sale and related transaction costs of $4.7 million, which is included in other non-operating expenses (income) on the consolidated statements of operations, as well as a foreign currency translation loss of $14.7 million related to amounts previously recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income, which is primarily included in general, administrative and other expenses on the consolidated statements of operations. These amounts are excluded from the Company’s segment reporting.

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries. In addition, certain Carlyle-affiliated funds, related co-investment entities and certain CLOs managed by the Company (collectively the “Consolidated Funds”) have been consolidated in the accompanying financial statements pursuant to accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”), as described in Note 2. The consolidation of the Consolidated Funds generally has a gross-up effect on assets, liabilities and cash flows, and generally has no effect on the net income attributable to the Company. The economic ownership interests of the other investors in the Consolidated Funds are reflected as non-controlling interests in consolidated entities in the accompanying consolidated financial statements (see Note 2).