Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has appointed Robert Ashworth to the role of Asia managing partner as current regional head Simon Marchant returns to the firm's City practice.

Ashworth (pictured) is set to take up the role on 1 February 2011. He is currently Asia corporate head, a role he has held since 2000, with the title set to disappear altogether from the firm when he starts as managing partner.

Marchant has been Asia managing partner since March 2009, when he relocated to Hong Kong to take up the role. The firm had been without a regional managing partner since 2006 after Perry Noble stepped down.

Ashworth has been appointed to the role for a four-year term.

He said: "I have worked in the region for the past 16 years so this is not new territory for me, and as a result it made sense for me to assume the regional managing partner role. Whilst we have already cemented a thriving presence in the region, this is an incredibly dynamic jurisdiction that is constantly changing, so we will need to make sure that we are always evolving to maintain a position at the forefront of the market.

"There are no plans for any further offices at present. However, China, Japan and South East Asia are areas of increasing interest. We will be watching for opportunities to develop the group further to meet clients' expectations."

Ashworth has been at Freshfields since 1985 and was made up to the partnership in 1997. He specialises in M&A, capital markets and securities work.