Simmons & Simmons has opened a new office in Amsterdam as the City firm looks to move its Dutch financial markets practice from Rotterdam to the Netherlands' financial hub, it was announced today (29 January).

The office – Simmons' second base in the Netherlands – will be headed by financial markets partner Gerhard Gispen and will initially be staffed by 13 lawyers.

The firm's five-partner Dutch financial markets group is moving in its entirely to Amsterdam and will be accompanied by a number of tax advisers and notaries.

Simmons originally announced plans to set up shop in the Dutch capital in March last year.

The move represents a shift in strategy for the City firm after Simmons claimed the Dutch market was small enough to be serviced by a single operation in Rotterdam, which it secured through a merger with local outfit Nolst Trenite in 2002.

The new Amsterdam branch becomes the 21st office in Simmons' international network, with around 130 lawyers based in the Netherlands.

Dutch managing partner Alexander Steensma commented: "The Dutch branch of the firm has developed significantly in the last four years and by expanding to include an office in Amsterdam we are even better placed to meet the growing demand for high-quality, international service."