Baker & McKenzie has appointed Tim Gee as its London head of corporate, replacing long-serving partner Michael Caro.

Gee, who previously headed the firm's global M&A group, will take up the new role on 1 May. He has been a partner at Bakers for 16 years, having joined the firm in 1984.

He was global head of the firm's M&A practice until October 2009, at which point San Francisco-based Shane Byrne took the reins.

Caro has headed up the London corporate group since 2005 and will retire at the end of June after 33 years at the firm.

The Bakers City corporate team counts SABMiller, Rio Tinto, Sony and Macquarie among its key clients. It houses 30 partners and 75 fee earners excluding trainees, who generate around 25% of the office's total revenue.

Gee recently advised private equity group EQT on its e969m (£835m) debt restructuring of Sanitec Group. He also worked on the £285m tie-up between Nike and Umbro in 2007.

Gee said: "There is clearly an uptick in work, particularly from the US and elsewhere overseas, handing us a number of interesting opportunities in addition to what we're seeing coming out of the UK. Revenue growth is certainly achievable, but just as important is boosting our brand recognition in the London market."

Last month, Bakers boosted its regulatory capabilities in the City with the hire of highly-rated Barlow Lyde & Gilbert partner Ian Mason. Mason, the former head of the Financial Services Authority's wholesale group in the body's enforcement division, became Bakers' second financial regulatory partner in the City.