Macfarlanes replaces international chief

Macfarlanes ;has appointed a new chairman for its international practice group (IPG), replacing Charles Martin who became senior partner on 1 May.

Head of finance Julian Howard takes over the role, having served on the IPG for the past 10 years.

As ;IPG ;chairman Howard will oversee relationships with Macfarlanes' network of overseas law firms. The firm has links with a number of independent advisers in each jurisdiction it operates in, with established contacts in the US and Western Europe.

Howard said the firm was also building a network of friends ;in ;emerging economies, adding: "Along with the rest of the world, we're moving east. We have good relationships in India and ;China ;and ;we're building relationships in Latin America."

Howard ran Macfarlanes' Japan office for five years during the 1990s. The outpost closed when he returned to London in 1997.