Following a consultation period, Allen & Overy (A&O) has introduced a new executive committee and client group in a bid to introduce more structure in the way it delivers services.
The firm’s executive committee, co-chaired by senior partner Wim Dejonghe and managing partner Andrew Ballheimer, will be responsible for developing and implementing the firm’s strategy and overall performance. Dejonghe, Ballheimer and representatives from practice groups, regions and the client group will meet for the first time in June.
The client group, chaired by Dejonghe, will be responsible for growth around industry sectors and the development of client relationships. Ballheimer also sits on the group alongside around 25 sector representatives and client relationship managers.
Partners on the executive committee include UK-based global finance co-head Philip Bowden, global international capital markets co-head Simon Hill and new US and Latin America senior partner Tim House. The board, which is already is place, will review and approve the strategy set by the executive committee. UK-based partners Angela Clist in securitisations and David Lee in infrastructure sit on the eight lawyer board.
Ballheimer said: ‘These are forward-looking changes that will allow us to use our global network even more effectively to deliver the services our clients want. They maintain the best collaborative strengths of our partnership while providing clear and accountable leadership.’
The firm also said it has enhanced its internal reporting of practice group, sector and client information on global lines. Support functions will also be run along global lines by May next year.
In other leadership news, earlier this month Simmons & Simmons re-elected senior partner Colin Passmore for a third term, after six years in the role. Passmore ran against the firm’s head of Asia, Paul Li. His new term will commence on 1 August, for a period of four years.
In March Travers Smith re-elected senior partner Chris Hale, after completing his first term of four years. Hale, who in 2013 amended the firm’s partnership deed to restrict his own term in the job, will retire from the senior partner post in 2019 after a further two-year stint. In the past, senior partners had a three-year term, but there was no limit to the number of terms one could complete.
madeleine.farman@legalease.co.uk
Executive Committee members
Wim Dejonghe – senior partner – UK
Andrew Ballheimer – managing partner – UK
Philip Bowden – finance – UK
Simon Hill – international capital markets – UK
Tim House – dispute resolution – US
Ian Ingram-Johnson – finance – United Arab Emirates
Astrid Krueger – M&A – Germany
Vicki Liu – finance – China and Hong Kong
Dirk Meeus – corporate – Belgium
Barbara Stettner – finance – US
