Trio of partners do battle for Linklaters' senior partner role
Three partners are set to compete to replace Linklaters senior partner David Cheyne after the magic circle firm’s international board reduced its original five-strong long list.
David Cheyne
The high-profile line up features global banking chief Robert Elliott, head of litigation John Turnbull and Antwerp-based European managing partner Jean-Pierre Blumberg. Former corporate head David Barnes and corporate partner Richard Godden have now dropped out of contention for the job.
A vote to decide on Cheyne’s replacement will take place in April, with the new senior partner taking up his position at the start of the next financial year.
Elliott and Turnbull have been mooted for the role for some time, with the former having unsuccessfully stood against Cheyne and former finance chief Giles White in 2006.
The firm has never previously had a non-London partner in either of its two most senior management positions, but sources dismissed the idea that Blumberg’s nomination was a token gesture for Linklater’s international offices.
One partner said: “He’s a quality guy and a serious player. Do I think he’ll win? No. But that’s not because he’s international. All three are quality blokes.”
Meanwhile, the senior partner race at CMS Cameron McKenna has stepped up with the four candidates issuing manifestos to the partnership. The quartet battling to replace incumbent Richard Price are former managing partner Dick Tyler, infrastructure partner Andrew Ivison, regulated industries head Robert Lane and consumer products head Louise Wallace.
The four candidates will speak at hustings at the City firm next week ahead of a vote next month.
Readers' comments (10)
Parsley | 10-Mar-2011 10:55 am
"sources dismissed the idea that Blumberg’s nomination was a token gesture for Linklaters' international offices"
Absolutely. I truly believe that London would vote for a foreign senior partner. Linklaters is such a remarkably cosmopolitan firm in that sense, isn't it? A veritable international patchwork family, all living happily together.
And those sources also assured me that the lost city of Atlantis is just off the Dogger Bank.
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Anonymous | 10-Mar-2011 11:03 am
After Wim Dejonghe (managing partner, A&O), this would mean a second senior appointment of a Belgian (Flemish) lawyer by a magic circle firm.
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John | 10-Mar-2011 12:35 pm
Genuinely good to see a range of non-Oxbridge candidates.
Proves once you get your foot into the city, it's talent and ability to bring in £££ that matters.
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Anon | 10-Mar-2011 1:20 pm
'Proves once you get your foot into the city, it's talent and ability to bring in £££ that matters.'
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Perhaps but that does not mean that well over half of all City trainees being privately-educated isn't despicable.
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Inteligencia | 11-Mar-2011 10:15 am
Presumably the person called Anon wishes to remain anonymous as they are embarrased by their stupidity : they have used a double negative in their attempt to be comtemptous of those who have had a private education. Is this indicative of their sub standard education undoubtedly received in the state sector ? Suggests a need for increasing the amount of private and selective education ( such as grammar schools perhaps for those without funds but with brains ).
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????????????? | 11-Mar-2011 11:40 am
And yet Inteligencia also has spelt the word 'contemptuous' incorrectly. Perhaps sub-standard education exists in the private sector too, assuming Inteligencia was so educated.
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Anonymous | 15-Mar-2011 12:36 pm
Intelligencia?
Hardly!!
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Anonymous | 16-Mar-2011 12:21 pm
Cat fight!
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Anonymous | 16-Mar-2011 4:46 pm
I believe we all also realise that the double negative in Anon's comment is absolutely correct. He/she is stating that it is despicable. Remove the "not" or replace the "isn't" with an "is" and you clearly get a meaning that supports the preponderance ot privately-educated trainees. Inteligencia [sic] may very well have proven that Anon's belief has merit. Har har.
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Class War | 18-Mar-2011 3:38 pm
Oh dear, handbags in this manner is so unbecoming.
The best people should rise to the top (with some exceptions, particularly if disliked by colleagues) and the wise will find more rewarding careers.
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