Pannones in north south split

THE LONDON and Manchester offices of Pannone & Partners have split to become separate profit centres.

But the 20-partner London office, which operated as Pritchard Englefield & Tobin until the firm's 1992 merger with Manchester practice Pannone March Pearson, will retain the Pannone name.

The split became official at the start of January, with the London team trading under the new name of Pannone Pritchard Englefield. The Manchester office name remains unchanged.

Pannone Pritchard Englefield partner John Rhodes says the firms will maintain a "loose association", sharing facilities including training.

Rhodes says there is also a possibility Pannone & Partners senior partner Rodger Pannone will act as a consultant to the breakaway firm.

He says the firm will retain the Pannone name "indefinitely", but control has been handed over to a management committee comprising partners David Glass and Anthony Harris.

"Inevitably there was a difference in profit between the two offices and it was difficult to manage departments at such a distance," says Rhodes. "Administration and organisational differences caused the breakdown in relations."