Clifford Chance (CC) is relocating partners Nick Munday and Tim Plews to Moscow and Saudi Arabia respectively as the firm moves to strengthen its international presence.

Munday (pictured), who officially transferred to Moscow on 1 April, will work to develop CC's cross-border litigation and arbitration practice in Russia, while also continuing in his role of London head of litigation and dispute resolution. He has been dividing his time between the two offices since January.

Plews, who has been involved in CC's Middle East practice for the last 15 years, is due to relocate to Saudi in the autumn, at which point he will step down from his role as co-head of the firm's London financial services and markets practice. Fellow co-head Chris Bates will solely head up the practice going forward.

Plews said: "We want to build our Middle East practice and strengthen our position in the market and our relationships with key clients. I have been working in London for the past 25 years and involved with our Middle East practice for the last 15 years, so it made sense for me to have a change and go out there and build our reputation.

"I am sure that more partners will join me in due course and we may also look at some point to some lateral hires to bulk up the practice."

Munday said: "Developing our cross-border litigation and arbitration practice in Moscow is a key strategic objective for the firm and I am very excited to be based here to head up this initiative.

"We already have a leading domestic practice and I look forward to working with the team here to build our capabilities and deliver a first class global litigation and arbitration service to all our clients doing business in Russia."