Jomati lures Henderson Global Investors counsel as client relationship adviser

Jomati, the management consultancy launched by former Clifford Chance managing partner Tony Williams, is boosting its expertise with the hire of Henderson Global Investors legal head Benita Kumar.

Kumar joins Jomati to advise law firms on developing client relationship management programmes. She is the consultancy's third major hire this year, following the arrival of former ICI legal head Michael Herlihy in January and Barclays professional services head John Robinson in October.

"Client relationship management is still very new in our profession," Kumar said. "Other major service providers have a department dedicated to clients. I believe there's much work to be done to develop mutually beneficial relationships between major clients and their law firms."

She added that she was excited by the prospect of a new challenge and of working with Williams.

Kumar joined Henderson a decade ago as the company's first in-house lawyer and spent the last six years as head of legal. She is succeeded by David di Francesco, who has been promoted internally.