Allen & Overy news, updates and analysis | Page 20 of 34

Allen & Overy (A&O) has announced the final addition to its management team, appointing corporate co-head Andrew Ballheimer (pictured) as its next global managing partner.

Ballheimer will replace Wim Dejonghe in May this year for an initial term of four years, as Dejonghe will move to the senior partner position after winning the election last week.

Corporate partner Ballheimer beat a credible bunch of candidates which saw banking co-head, Andrew Trahair, banking partner Michael Castle and Tokyo-based project finance partner Simon Black all campaign for the role.

For the senior partner position, Dejonghe outran dispute resolution head Tim House, banking co-head Stephen Kensell and Paris-based competition partner Michel Struys.

A&O retiring senior partner David Morley said: ‘I would like congratulate Andrew Ballheimer on his appointment as managing partner. He and Wim will be an excellent team and I am confident that, with the support of the partnership and everyone at Allen & Overy, the firm will continue to thrive under their leadership.’

Ballheimer started his career as an associate at A&O in 1987. He made partner in 1994 in the corporate practice and worked in both the Tokyo and New York offices of A&O before returning to London in 2003. Since 2010 Ballheimer co-headed of global corporate practice.

jaishree.kalia@legalease.co.uk

Allen & Overy (A&O) has opted for continuity in its generational leadership change by electing Wim Dejonghe (pictured), who is entering the last few weeks as managing partner, as its next senior partner.

Dejonghe, who is about to complete the maximum two terms as A&O’s managing partner, will replace retiring David Morley as senior partner on 1 May. He beat dispute resolution head Tim House, banking co-head Stephen Kensell and Paris-based competition partner Michel Struys to the post.

In keeping with the current management framework, Dejonghe has been given a four-year term. The move is similar to that of Morley, who after beating Dejonghe to the managing partner post in 2003, moved into the senior partner role four years later.

Dejonghe and Morley have held the top jobs at A&O since 2008, overseeing strong growth in profitability and outperforming its Magic Circle rivals following the financial crisis.

That form continued last year when A&O leapfrogged Linklaters to become the second largest Magic Circle firm as revenue rose 4% to £1.28m. Its Big Four rivals – Clifford Chance, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Linklaters – all failed to muster anything more than 1% growth. The firm also closed the gap in profits per equity partner (PEP) with historically more remunerative firms Linklaters and Freshfields, with PEP rising 8% to £1.21m.

Morley leaves A&O after 36 years in the firm, having had a successful stint as global head of the Magic Circle firm’s banking practice before becoming managing partner.

Morley said: ‘I would like congratulate Wim on his appointment to lead the firm as senior partner. I am confident that, with the support of the partnership and everyone at Allen & Overy, the firm will continue to thrive under his leadership.’

Kensell’s fellow banking co-head, Andrew Trahair, remains in the race to replace Dejonghe as managing partner. The other contenders are banking partner Michael Castle, corporate co-head Andrew Ballheimer and Tokyo-based project finance partner Simon Black.

The firm’s next managing partner is to be announced next week.

tom.moore@legalease.co.uk

 

 

 

 

Allen & Overy (A&O) has confirmed eight candidates for its upcoming management elections which are to take place in February.

A&O’s elections replacing current senior partner David Morley and global managing partner Wim Dejonghe will take place in February 2016 with the results being announced at the end of that month.

Both Morley and Dejonghe will complete their terms of office on 30 April 2015, with Morley retiring from the firm having completed two terms as senior partner.

As reported in October, candidates for the Magic Circle firm’s senior partner role include disputes head Tim House; co-head of the firm’s global banking practice Stephen Kensell as well as Dejonghe who has the option to seek election to succeed Morley as senior partner having completed two terms as global managing partner. Michel Struys, a partner in the EU and competition department based in the Paris and Brussels offices is also a candidate.

Up for the managing partner’s seat are corporate co-head Andrew Ballheimer; banking co-head Andrew Trahair; and City banking partner Michael Castle. Tokyo based M&A, Energy and Infrastructure specialist Simon Black has also made the candidate list.

Earlier this year, after a three-way contest, frontrunners Edward Braham and Christopher Pugh won Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer’s leadership election with Braham confirmed as senior partner, while Pugh will sit alongside Cologne-based Stephan Eilers as joint managing partner.

jaishree.kalia@legalease.co.uk