True, Green comes as a double act with managing partner Simon Bromwich, who will also be satisfied with his last year’s work. But when it comes to getting Ashurst properly represented on the world stage, improving the financial performance to facilitate this and taking the toughest decisions (including de-equitisations), all themes of the past year, then Green is your man.

Ashurst’s profit for the 2005-06 financial year rocketed by 23 per cent to £701,000 compared with the previous year’s £567,000. And right at the end of the year Green confirmed that Ashurst was overhauling its international strategy to focus on ramping up its Asia presence. The radical break from the firm’s traditionally Eurocentric strategy will eventually see it launch an office in either mainland China or Hong Kong. And when it does, it will be Green who cuts the ribbon.