Allen & Overy’s Corporate Practice today announced the results of the management elections in the UK.
Head of Department, Richard Cranfield, has been re-elected unopposed for another four year term. Richard also remains in his role on the Steering Group of the Global Corporate Practice.
After a successful three-years, Managing Partner Susan Howard has come to the end of her term. Her return to full time fee-earning work will further increase the opportunities to work with her private equity and corporate clients.
Taking the opportunity to re-evaluate its management model, the practice has now appointed two new managing partners, with a client-facing and operational remit. Joint Head of Allen & Overy’s Financial Institutions Group, Mark Wippell, has been elected as Managing Partner – Clients. He will now assume responsibility for strategic client/business development and overseeing corporate business development activities in London. The role has a two year term.
Stuart Harray, partner in the Energy & Utilities Group, has been elected as Managing Partner – Operations. This entails assuming responsibility for financial performance, operational management, professional development and HR. The term will not exceed three years.
Both Managing Partners will continue with client work and to play an important role in their respective sectors.
Commenting on the elections Richard Cranfield said:
“On behalf of all of the practice, my thanks go to Susan Howard; over the past three years she has done a tremendous job for us. During her time, we have successfully undertaken a global restructuring of the Corporate Practice into product and sector groups, which has served to further improve client service and client development activities. We have reorganised our corporate business development activities and made significant enhancements to our global know-how and training delivery. We have also improved our ways of working and enhanced our support functions. Her achievements and contribution are even more impressive in light of the tight market conditions over the past few years.
By dividing the Managing Partner role into two, we are ensuring that both client and operational issues are pushed even further up the agenda. We welcome Mark and Stuart into their new roles. I am sure that they will play a significant part in delivering on our ambition to be the leading corporate finance firm in Europe.”
