Royal property portfolio manager the Crown Estate has announced Rob Booth will replace Vivienne King as general counsel from 1 January 2016.

The Crown Estate’s managed assets are valued at over £13bn. Its portfolio of properties include London’s Regent Street, much of St James’ in central London and 340,000 acres of rural land.

The appointment follows the news that the Crown Estate is restructuring its business and creating a new executive committee.

The committee will consist of chief executive officer Alison Nimmo, chief financial officer John Lelliott, chief investment officer Paul Clark and chief operating officer Judith Everett.

Currently King holds the position of general counsel and director of business operations but following the restructure the two roles will be split. Under the new structure Booth will work as both the general counsel and company secretary and report directly to Nimmo.

It is unknown who will take up the position as director of business operation.

Booth joined the Crown Estate in 2012 from Herbert Smith Freehills where he was a solicitor for eight years, advising on commercial real estate, energy and infrastructure. He became the Crown Estate’s head of legal in 2014.

As head of legal Booth coordinated the company’s panel. Bond Dickinson and Burges Salmon both won places on the panel when it was announced last year.