Stephenson Harwood has re-appointed its management team with Sharon White staying on as the firm’s chief executive while Roland Foord has been re-elected as senior partner.
The firm’s supervisory council has extended White’s existing term for a further two years with her original three year term due to expire in September this year. White (pictured) was first appointed as chief executive in 2009 and previously served as the firm’s London head of corporate for six years. She joined Stephenson Harwood in 1988 and was made up to partner nine years later.
The firm elected senior partner Roland Foord for a second term. He will sit in the position for three years, a reduction from the previous five year term. Litigation partner Foord won the vote after standing uncontested. He joined the firm in 1985 and made partner in 1989. He also currently leads the firm’s professional services and art law teams.
Foord replaced corporate partner Andrew Sutch in 2012 who stood down after ten years in the role to go back into full time fee-earning.
White said: ‘I’m looking forward to continuing to build our already successful firm, making it stronger and better positioned to meet the challenges of an increasingly competitive market. We have set out our vision for the next five years and we are focused on strengthening our capabilities, attracting and retaining the best people, and building stronger client relationships.’
The pair have overseen impressive year-on-year growth at the firm across their terms. In 2015/16 Stephenson Harwood increased revenues by 9% on the year previous from £145m to £158m. Profits per equity partner also increased by 1.4%, up by £11,000 to £774,000.
Last April the firm hired Ashurst corporate partner and board member Anthony Clare who left the firm after 14 years.
In January this year it was revealed the firm had picked up three King & Wood Mallesons private equity partners. UK private equity co-head Jonathan Pittal, one of four heavyweights that quit the firm in October, joined alongside Warren Allan and Gabriel Boghossian.
madeleine.farman@legalease.co.uk
