Chicago, September 13, 2007 – LAWFUEL – The Law Firm Newswire – International law firm Baker & McKenzie has appointed Chris Pierce-Cooke as its new Global Chief Operating Officer (COO). Mr. Pierce-Cooke joins Baker & McKenzie with more than 25 years of international management experience – including strategy consulting and management roles in Asia, Europe and North America – in addition to his background as a practicing lawyer and inside corporate counsel. Mr. Pierce-Cooke will be based in Baker & McKenzie’s executive offices in Chicago and report to the Chairman of the Firm’s Executive Committee.
In his new role, Mr. Pierce-Cooke will assist the Firm’s Chairman and the Executive Committee in developing the Firm’s management agenda; leading the Firm’s professional management; and implementing major initiatives to drive the Firm’s strategy and support the Firm’s lawyers in client relationship management and development.
“I am delighted to welcome Chris to our Firm. Chris’ legal background and global business management skills make him an excellent fit for Baker & McKenzie,” said John Conroy, Baker & McKenzie’s Chairman of the Executive Committee. “He joins our Firm at an opportune time – our performance, client positioning, and financials are the strongest in our history. I am confident that Chris will be instrumental in further enhancing our Firm’s operations as we work together to take Baker & McKenzie’s strategic performance to the next level.”
Mr. Pierce-Cooke began his career as a solicitor in London. He was a commercial, tax, property and litigation lawyer at CMS Cameron McKenna, formerly known as Cameron Kemm Nordon.. He then became inside counsel at British Aerospace before transitioning into various management roles within BA. He was selected to undertake a two-year rotation to jointly run British Aerospace’s Asia Pacific operations in Australia. Following this, he chose to remain in Australia and worked for Westpac Banking Corporation as well as two strategy consultancy groups.
More recently, Mr. Pierce-Cooke spent seven years, based in Philadelphia, as Worldwide Managing Director of Organizational Consulting Services for Right Management, a leading global provider of career transition and organizational consulting services.
Mr. Pierce-Cooke studied at the Law College in London, England in 1975, and received his BS with honors in Economics majoring in Accountancy, Economics and Law from the University College Wales in 1974.
Commenting on his new position, Mr. Pierce-Cooke said: “This is an exciting time to join Baker & McKenzie with its truly unique global platform, strategically focused outlook and eminent talent pool. I look forward to applying my experience to help further the Firm’s strategic goals.”
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For further details please contact:
Jessica Benzon, Global Press Office, Chicago at +1 312 865 2661 or jessica.s.benzon@bakernet.com
About Baker & McKenzie
Founded in 1949, Baker & McKenzie is a global law firm of more than 3,600 locally qualified, internationally experienced lawyers and 6,600 other professionals and staff in 70 offices in 38 countries. Global revenues for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2007 exceeded US $1.829 billion. John Conroy is Chairman of the Firm’s Executive Committee. (www.bakernet.com)
Baker & McKenzie International is a Swiss Verein with member law firms around the world. In accordance with the common terminology used in professional service organizations, reference to a “partner” means a person who is a partner, or equivalent, in such a law firm. Similarly, reference to an “office” means an office of any such law firm.
