Masons picks new senior partner after role review

Masons has elected construction partner Martin Harman as senior partner after seven months of the role being vacant.
John Bishop stepped down from the role last November, after 12 years as senior partner, and it was decided that a review of the senior partner role was necessary.
Harman was the sole candidate for the job following a firmwide search, with consultations being conducted by
IT partner Iain Monaghan.
The consultations involved partners being asked to define the role of the senior partner. Monaghan concluded that the duties of the senior partner are twofold. The senior partner must act as an external ambassador for the firm and, internally, should be a guardian of the firm's values and someone that sits apart from management.
It was decided that Harman was the only man available and willing to do the job.
As chairman of the Department of Trade and Industry's international sports and leisure infrastructure sector advisory group and a member of a number of other professional bodies, Harman easily fulfilled the requirement for an ambassador for the firm. And as a partner of 26 years standing, Harman is immersed in the firm's culture. He launched Masons' Hong Kong office in 1982 and headed it until 1985. He was head of the construction and engineering practice until 2000 and head of the infrastructure practice from 2000 to 2002.
Elections have been held during the past three weeks to confirm his appointment. The firm's constitution requires partners to hold an election for the role despite there being only one candidate.