Ince & Co international senior partner Jan Heuvels (pictured) is relocating from London to the firm's Hong Kong office next month.

Heuvels, who has held the leadership role since January 2015, has steered Ince through a challenging period for the firm, with revenues falling from £86.4m in 2013-14 to £76.2m in 2015-16, while merger talks with firms including Hill Dickinson have proved unsuccessful.

However, in its last set of financial results, the firm announced a 16% increase in revenue to £88.5m.

Heuvels said: "My relocation to Hong Kong is simply about playing to our strengths. Our established presence in Asia, coupled with our focus on sectors of strategic importance to clients with interests in the region, give us a strong foundation for future growth. I will be responsible for helping to drive that growth, while maintaining my role as international senior partner."

Ince Hong Kong managing partner David Beaves said: "We are excited about the growth prospects that this presents, not just in Asia, but across our international network, and look forward to Jan's relocation."

Ince opened its Hong Kong office in 1979 and subsequently launched in Singapore in 1991, Shanghai in 2000 and Beijing in 2012. According to its website, the firm now has eight partners in Hong Kong, four in Singapore and two each in Beijing and Shanghai.

Ince restructured its partnership in 2015 in a bid to bring the firm's poor financial run to a close. The firm also launched a new strategy, which aimed at reducing its dependence on disputes work by boosting its transactional practice.

As international senior partner, Heuvels works in tandem with London-based chairman Paul Herring, who was also appointed to the role in January 2015.