National Grid's newly separated gas distribution business has appointed a general counsel to lead its in-house legal team.

The gas distribution business – which was created by last year by National Grid's sale of a 61% stake in its UK pipelines to a consortium of overseas investors, a deal that valued the business at £13.8bn – has appointed Mark Cooper as its general counsel and company secretary.

Cooper took up the role in October last year after joining National Grid as a legal business partner in 2015. Prior to joining the energy company, he also spent time in-house at Rolls-Royce and IT company RM.

He will lead a new in-house team, which also includes National Grid solicitor Diane Bennett, who is now head of legal in the new gas distribution company, alongside head of assurance Brett Stevenson. They will also be joined by Xoserve general counsel David Howitt. Rachael Davidson will remain as UK general counsel, directly reporting to group GC Alison Kay.

Cooper played a key role on the separation and sale of the gas distribution network last year. The sale of a 61% share in the business to a consortium of investors, including Australia's Macquarie, the Qatar Investment Authority and Chinese sovereign wealth fund CIC, was announced last December.

Linklaters, Clifford Chance, Eversheds and CMS were among a raft of external advisers on the deal. Linklaters took the lion's share of the work for National Grid, fielding a team led by corporate partners Roger Barron and Jessamy Gallagher, who worked closely with National Grid deputy GC Mark Noble.

The new gas distribution company has inherited the same panel arrangements as National Grid's current panel. The panel is made up of Herbert Smith Freehills, Irwin Mitchell and Addleshaw Goddard, Eversheds, Linklaters, CMS Cameron McKenna and DLA Piper. The panel was reduced in August 2015 following a review.