Insurance head steps up as Burns switches roles
The partnership at Clyde & Co has avoided a divisive leadership contest as global head of insurance Simon Konsta won an uncontested election to become the firm’s new senior partner last month.
The leadership change was sparked by incumbent James Burns’ decision in September to stand down from his role to become head of Americas from 1 November with Konsta taking up his position on the same date.
Konsta, who was elected for a five-year term, will chair the firm’s global management board and will work with Clydes’ regional boards, the current global management team and chief executive Peter Hasson.
Konsta led legacy Barlow Lyde & Gilbert into its merger with Clydes in 2011. He was elected as senior partner at Barlows in 2008 but settled for a place on the merged firm’s management board after Clydes’ former senior partner Michael Payton retained the position at the merged entity. Konsta has also been global head of the firm’s insurance practice group since 2013.
‘Konsta was just such an obvious choice. It would have taken a brave person to have stood against him.’
Head of the firm’s lawyers’ liability subgroup, Richard Harrison, said: ‘There are 180-odd equity partners, all of whom could have stood. There was no mood in the firm for there to be a contested election. Simon has been right at the heart of the firm and has been central to its development in recent years. His candidature was overwhelmingly strong.’
Projects partner Liz Jenkins added: ‘I don’t know why no one else decided to stand against him, but he was just such an obvious choice. It would have taken a brave person to have stood.’
At press time the firm was also holding further board elections but management board member Ben Knowles expects little change: ‘There’s not going to be dramatic change because that’s not what we need. We have a good strategy, it’s continually evolving.’
As the new head of the Americas, Burns will be based in the US and responsible for overseeing the further expansion and integration of Clydes’ business in Canada, the US and Latin America. He will remain on the global management board and continue to lead a number of global projects and act as a relationship partner for some of the firm’s largest clients. In addition, the firm’s chief strategy officer, William Isaac, will also relocate to the US.
madeleine.farman@legalease.co.uk