Foot Anstey shuffles top brass; turnover tops targets

Foot Anstey managing partner Jane Lister is ­stepping down from the role, with the firm on course to achieve its five-year growth target 12 months ahead of schedule.

Lister will take up the position of senior partner from ;November, ;with responsibility for developing client relationships.

Foot Anstey’s current head of business and public sector ;services, ;John ­Westwell, will take over as ­managing partner from 1 November.

In 2005 the firm set itself the challenge of doubling turnover to £22m by 2010. At the 2007-08 year end it reported ;turnover ;of £19.4m, up 21 per cent on the previous year. Foot Anstey now anticipates ­topping its £22m target by the end of the current ­financial year.

Westwell said: “You can expect to see a lot of investment and growth in our Truro, ­Plymouth, Exeter and Taunton offices.

“In terms of the sectors we service it’s a mistake for us to go for every single ­sector we can possibly think of. Our key sectors for the business ;will ;include ­agriculture, media and leisure.”

Foot Anstey is set to ­relocate its Plymouth offices in 2009 and a year later will consider moving its Truro offices.

Westwell, who has been a Foot Anstey partner since 1996 and a member of its management board since 2000, ;said ;the ;firm remained committed to its Westcountry roots. “We won’t be moving eastwards,” he added.

The management overhaul comes as Foot Anstey further expands its client list, with the employment practice recently winning a place on the Odeon ­Cinemas panel.