Clifford Chance (CC) has appointed Amsterdam head Jan ter Haar as its new Moscow managing partner, after current incumbent Michael Cuthbert announced his plans to retire from the firm at the end of the year.

Ter Haar has headed up CC's Amsterdam office since 2004, before which he led the local capital markets practice. The firm cited his strength in banking as a factor for his appointment as Moscow head, as it is a key focus for the office.

CC is set to overhaul its management structure in the region, with Moscow and Kiev coming under one remit and Bucharest, Prague and Warsaw under another. It is likely that one of the three current office heads will be given the wider remit to oversee the other offices as a separate region.

CC managing partner David Childs said that changes in the markets in Russia and the CEE have led to increased Western synergies and that it no longer made sense to run the offices as a single region.

The magic circle firm will also now hold an election to decide on a new head for its Amsterdam office. The vote will take place before ter Haar's relocation to Moscow at the end of the year.

Ter Haar has also previously been based in CC's New York office, prior to which he headed the firm's Frankfurt office from 1992-97, having joined the firm in 1980.

Cuthbert, who is also a capital markets partner, has led CC's operations in Moscow and Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) since 2004.

Commenting on Cuthbert's retirement, Childs added: "During his 28 years with CC, Michael has played a valuable role in building up the firm's business globally, not just in Russia and CEE but also in the US and in Africa."

CC downsized its 125-lawyer Moscow office by 20% last year in the wake of the market slowdown.