Clifford Chance (CC) has appointed Singapore managing partner Geraint Hughes to head its India group after the previous post-holder, Chris Wyman, retired from the firm last month.

Wyman (pictured), who spent 25 years as a banking partner with CC, had been seconded to CC's local best friend firm AZB & Partners in Mumbai for the last 16 months in a bid to tighten links with the firm.

CC and AZB agreed to sign a formal alliance at the start of 2009, referring work to each other on a non-exclusive basis.

Hughes, who will remain in Singapore for the time being, is a partner in CC's banking and finance practice and specialises in commercial, corporate and financing aspects of infrastructure deals including oil and gas projects, power projects, mining, water and transportation.

CC senior partner Stuart Popham, said: "Geraint will follow the highly successful Chris Wyman as our practice head for India and I have every confidence that he will be as successful."

In July this year, Popham headed a British delegation visiting India to discuss the entry of UK firms into the closed legal market.