Linklaters has overhauled its international board with five new partners gaining a seat on the board and the law firm creating a seat for southern Europe.

In London, partners Charlie Jacobs, David Ereira and Lynne Walkington have won positions representing the corporate, finance and commercial departments respectively.

In addition, corporate partner Pieter Riemer has been appointed for Benelux, while Lisbon senior partner Jorge Bleck takes the new seat for southern Europe – comprising Italy, Spain and Portugal.

Meanwhile, Andrew Carmichael, who previously represented London finance and projects, has relocated to Tokyo and now represents Asia, while corporate partner Ralph Wollburg has been re-elected for Germany.

All of the appointments, which took effect from 1 May, are for three years, though partners have the option of stepping down after one term. The board, Linklaters' main strategy and oversight body, comprises senior partner David Cheyne, managing partner Simon Davies and partnership secretary Oonagh Harpur, along with 14 members elected to reflect the geographic and practice spread of the firm.

The new additions replace outgoing board members Francois De Bauw (Benelux), Alan Walls (London litigation), Michael Kent (London finance) and Marc Harvey (Asia).

The firm is not replacing its Swedish member – former head of technology, media and telecommunications Ingvar Zander – instead rolling the position into a Emerging Europe, Middle East and North Africa group. Zander left this month to join Hannes Snellman.