Baker & McKenzie prepares to elect Conroy replacement
Baker & McKenzie is set to have a non-US-based chair when incumbent John Conroy stands down later this year.
John Conroy
Conroy, who has sat on the firm’s global executive committee since 1998, is not seeking reelection following two three-year stints at the helm. His replacement will be elected at the firm’s partner conference in October, but the process of finding Conroy’s replacement is already thought to be underway.
Possible candidates were tight-lipped on whether they had put their hats into the ring, but it is understood that no US or UK-based partners will be standing and that the new chair must have sat on the firm’s international executive committee.
Among the potential candidates are current committee members Jeremy Pitts, a banking and finance partner based in Tokyo, and Hong Kong-based Poh Lee Tan, current chairman of the firm’s Asia-Pacific operations.
Others include former committee members Rafael Jiménez-Gusi, based in Barcelona, M&A partner Eric Lasry in Paris, and Venezuela managing partner Roberto Mendoza.
All were contacted by The Lawyer but would not confirm whether they would be standing.
A spokesman for the firm said: “Consistent with our policy and past practice, we do not discuss externally the possibility of changes in our firm’s leadership or the process for effecting those changes.
“We announce changes in our global leadership each October on the occasion of our annual meeting and at that time engage in external discussions about the changes.”
