Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has made another change in management before the year ends, appointing head of the firm’s retail sector offering Claire Wills (pictured) as co-head of the firm’s financial institutions group (FIG).
London-based Wills will serve in her new role for four years with immediate effect, replacing banking partner Sean Pierce who will continue working on leveraged finance deals. She joins disputes partner Andy Hart, also in London, and corporate finance partner Christoph Gleske, who is based in Frankfurt, as co-head of the sector group.
‘We’ve [Freshfields] worked on more FIG deals by value than any other firm since the start of 2013 as well as representing key financial institutions on various industry investigations and highest profile cases around the globe,’ said Wills. ‘With the increasing breadth of our US FIG practice, our global offering to our clients in the FIG space will be even more convincing.’
Also making management changes is King & Wood Mallesons which has named Zhang Yi and Hayden Flinn as co-chief executives of its Hong Kong practice, while also making changes to its Hong Kong management team.
Yi and Flinn replace Stuart Fuller who covered the dual role of global managing partner of KWM and chief executive of the firm’s Hong Kong partnership since 2012.
As of the beginning of next year, Fuller will focus on leading the firm’s client and market strategy and work to align operations in a bid to become a top tier international law firm headquartered in Asia. Fuller will remain in Hong Kong and continue as global managing partner.
Yi and Flinn will be supported in their roles by practice leaders Richard Mazzochi (banking and finance) Paul Starr (dispute resolution) and Sheldon Tse (corporate and securities), Hong Kong chief operating officer Yvonne Murayama and Fuller as global managing partner.
jaishree.kalia@legalease.co.uk