Quadrant Chambers has appointed Tim Gerrard to the newly-created role of chief executive.

Gerrard, who joined the set in March from Jersey-based trust manager Hawksford International, where he was chief operating officer, fills the new position 18 months after the early retirement of chambers director Gordon Armstrong.

Armstrong served as senior clerk and chambers director since 1984. During his time in office the set expanded from a small operation at 2 Essex Court, where it specialised in admiralty law, to a commercial chambers comprising 44 barristers at Quadrant.

The chief executive appointment follows a strategic review of the set and a decision to scrap the chambers director role. Gerrard will now take responsibility to develop and implement a strategy of expansion and growth, taking into account changes in the legal sector such as the developments ushered in by the Legal Services Act.

Gerrard commented: "Both market forces and regulatory change have brought new challenges, but there are also great opportunities for sets that are capable of embracing competition and of delivering the kind of consistent high service standards that drive successful businesses in other professional service sectors."

He added: "I have been given the mandate by the management committee to develop and implement a strategy that will enable Quadrant Chambers to set a fast pace in all aspects of this transition."

In 2008-09 the set grew its revenue to £21m, from approximately £15m the previous year.