Osborne Clarke’s new managing partner Conrad Davies needs no-one to tell him he has big boots to fill. His predecessor, Ray Berg, was one of the highest-profile managing partners in the UK market and was instrumental in taking OC to the next level, domestically and internationally. But in Davies, OC has the right man to continue along Berg’s sector-driven growth path. As someone steeped in the firm’s identity since joining in 2005 from Jones Day (Davies is legacy Gouldens so knows a thing or two about firms with a unique culture), Davies has held a string of senior leadership roles over the years that have prepared him for the top job. He set up and built the firm’s corporate real estate practice, then led the real estate and infrastructure sectors, becoming head of the firm’s urban dynamics group.
Davies’ passion is delivering what clients really need to help them build a business, not just solving a legal problem. His role initially will focus on reiterating the same sector-focused, people-friendly message his firm has successfully created, ensuring that the “OC buzz” Berg helped create is maintained. His ultimate goal boils down to living and breathing OC’s strategy and encouraging every single person in the business to do the same. Don’t bet against him achieving this.