A power shift towards Australia was seen at Ashurst last month when the firm announced its next global managing partner would be Sydney-based banking partner Paul Jenkins (pictured).
Jenkins will join chair and New Zealander Ben Tidswell at the helm, splitting his time between London and Sydney. Part of his role will include heading the executive committee, day-to-day management, partner performance and client management.
Others understood to have put their names forward for the role include London real estate head Richard Vernon and Hong Kong-based Robert Ogilvy Watson.
The news is a symbolic move for a firm that traditionally has always appointed London heads, but since its 2013 merger with Blake Dawson, Ashurst has had a number of changes, including adaptations to its internal structure, a renewed focus on financial institutions, energy and infrastructure, and a general shift towards being a more ‘global’ firm with a greater focus in Asia-Pacific.
‘There was a broad consensus that we needed more structure,’ said corporate, competition and tax division co-head Simon Beddow. ‘You need to be more joined up so the right people can be at the right places without cross-over,’ he added.
Jenkins assured partners there will be no change in the strategic direction of the firm. ‘I am very much aligned to the current strategy. I want to retain the strong collaborative culture, keep internal processes and structures as simple as possible, and encourage the entrepreneurial spirit for which the firm is renowned,’ he said.
Jenkins, who has a track record of running large divisions in the firm, joined legacy firm Blake Dawson in 1996 and became a partner ten years later.
Energy, transport and infrastructure partner Logan Mair said the firm is in ‘very safe hands’ while disputes head Simon Bromwich praised Jenkins’ ‘excellent judgement’ and calm nature. But some partners are more concerned about the firm’s overall position in the market and drift from a corporate/M&A-driven firm.
jaishree.kalia@legalease.co.uk