Offshore firm Ozannes is to break with tradition by looking to expand into new jurisdictions following the appointment of Peter Ferbrache to senior partner.
The move follows the early retirement of current senior partner Roger Perrot, the last of four founding partners at the firm. Perrot originally planned to retire at the end of 2010, but has opted to stand down early and retire at the end of this year.
Former litigation head Ferbrache will take over as senior partner with immediate effect.
Until now, the firm has preferred to stay committed to its Channel Islands roots and has looked to grow only locally. However, there are now long-term plans to move further afield.
“We’re conscious of the fact that the world economy is not the healthiest but we moved into Jersey during difficult times,” Ferbrache told The Lawyer. “We’ve never been overly cautious, but we’re not reckless. These moves will be much further down the line.”
The firm is looking specifically at Singapore and Dubai, both of which are becoming increasingly popular destinations for offshore firms. Walkers was the latest firm to open in Singapore, launching in January.
Ozannes also has an alliance with trust structure group Legis, which feeds work to its lawyers. Legis’s move to the Isle of Man next month will also broaden the firm’s reach.
Ferbrache said the immediate emphasis would be on recruiting associates to the firm’s busy litigation practice. Last year, Ozannes recruited 35 people and David Moore became head of the corporate team, replacing Peter Harwood, who remains within the practice.
