Addleshaw Goddard‘s general counsel (GC) Simon Callander is leaving the firm for a role as GC and company secretary at UK fashion retailer SuperGroup.
Callander (pictured) first joined Addleshaws less than two years ago from Olswang, and has also previously held positions as interim UK GC at Equifax and head of business services at Towers Watson. He trained at legacy Denton Wilde Sapte and went in-house to Ernst & Young before joining Watson Wyatt as GC EMEA and then later global head of commercial law.
Callander will start at SuperGroup in May and leave Addleshaws at the end of this month. It is understood that the firm will appoint someone internally to the role.
His specialities include major commercial contract negotiation; business process analysis and review; litigation and risk management’ corporate transactions and post transaction integration and operational leadership and management.
He replaces SuperGroup’s former GC Lindsay Beardsell, who took the group GC role at the newly merged Ladbrokes Coral Group after three years at Supergroup.
Callander’s departure is likely to be a blow to Addleshaws which has embarked on a series of merger discussions over the last year. The firm is due to merge with Scottish firm HBJ Gateley in June, and is also understood to be in merger discussions with US firm Hunton & Williams and German outfit Luther.
In January, Addleshaws re-elected managing partner John Joyce uncontested for a second term. Joyce, who was appointed into the role in May 2014 for a three-year term, will stand for another four-years beginning in May, following recent changes to the firm’s partnership deed that extended the terms of both managing partner and senior partner by a year.
An Addleshaws spokesperson said: ‘The SuperGroup opportunity takes Simon’s career in a new and different direction and he goes with our thanks and very best wishes.’
kathryn.mccann@legalease.co.uk
Read more: ‘Welcome to the John Joyce show: Addleshaws’ head aims to push national firm centre stage’
