Bird & Bird has re-elected chief executive David Kerr for a further three years, while also appointing new chairman, Italian managing partner Massimiliano Mostardini.
Mostardini’s appointment marks the first change in leadership at Bird & Bird for nine years, with his predecessor Michael Frie having served as chairman for three successive terms.
Frie has acted alongside chief executive David Kerr throughout his tenure, with Kerr having held onto the chief executive position since 1996.
New chairman Mostardini joined Bird & Bird in 2003 and founded the firm’s Italian practice.
Since then he has been the managing partner of the firm’s Italian office and also co-heads the intellectual property group in the country.
Bird & Bird’s firmwide revenue rose 7 per cent in the first six months of the 2015/16 financial year, after confirming a 6.4m per cent turnover increase from €305.6m to €325.5m.
However revenue on a sterling basis was flat at £259m, with borrowings rising by 22 per cent last year after refinancing.
