Incumbent defeats Asia head Paul Li to win third term in leadership
A leadership contest at Simmons & Simmons has ended with senior partner Colin Passmore (pictured) re-elected for a third term, after six years in the role.
Passmore ran against the firm’s head of Asia, Paul Li. His new term will commence on 1 August, for a period of four years. He will continue to work with managing partner Jeremy Hoyland, who is halfway into his second term, which began in 2015.
Similar to his previous campaign in 2013, Passmore’s ‘very formal’ presentation reflected his belief that the firm needs a US merger and his reasoning as to why this has not been secured yet. He also spoke about what the firm can do to improve its profitability.
Hoyland said: ‘Colin is very good in a number of ways, but mostly in key client relationships. He has been driving the change in our client programmes, he is hugely ambitious and successful in building relationships, particularly with the big, institutionalised clients and putting the firm’s strategy at heart.’
‘It was always going to be Colin. He is very hands on as a leader.’
Another current partner added: ‘Colin is a very collegiate individual, extremely popular in the partnership as he is very supportive of other people. But mostly because he always puts the firm first.’
However, a former partner argued Passmore’s strong reputation eliminated competition.
‘Paul was there only to make up the numbers; it was always going to be Colin. He is very hands-on as a leader.’
While it was thought that the firm would have to change its partnership deed because Passmore was running for a third term, the relevant section allowed for discretion. Following a vote, the partnership decided Passmore should be able to run for senior partner without amending the deed, particularly as his first term from 2011 to 2013 was only two years long.
‘Simmons has a weird governance. It runs two, three partnership meetings every month and the partnership deed is set up in such an antiquated way. In all my years there, I only saw management not being able to pass something through once,’ another former partner added.
georgiana.tudor@legalease.co.uk