Asia partner takes head of corporate role as firm names dedicated Southeast and North Asia heads

Norton Rose has made a number of top-level management changes, including the creation of a new deputy managing partner role for the Norton Rose LLP.

Global corporate chief Tim Marsden (pictured) has been handed the new role in the wake of the enlargement of Norton Rose Group following the firm's recent Canada and South Africa mergers.

In the new post he will help to develop the firm's international business and support managing partner and group chief executive Peter Martyr.

Marsden is succeeded as global corporate head by Asia chief David Stannard, with the appointment meaning that Hong Kong-based Stannard is the firm's first global practice group head based outside of London.

The firm said that the move had come in response to the increasing amounts of corporate work originating in the Asia region.

Stannard, who has been based in Asia with Norton Rose for almost 28 years, cited the amounts of Asian investment going into Australia, Canada and South Africa as a key driver for his appointment.

He said: "The move to appoint the first group head outside of London reflects the firm's growth outside of the UK. It also reflects the amount of work in the corporate practice which comes out of Asia."

Meanwhile, Singapore head Jeff Smith has taken responsibility for Southeast Asia, while Bangkok-based Phillip John has become head of North Asia.

Smith, who joined Norton Rose in 1994, has been Singapore head since 2008, while John, who will relocate to Hong Kong later this year, joined the firm in 2000 as Bangkok office head.

In addition, former London managing partner Deirdre Walker has taken over as global head of disputes, succeeding Antony Dutton, who has stepped down to focus on a new role on the firm's partnership council.

The firm said that the partnership council had been recast as a result of the new board and executive committee structures that were put in place following the Canada and South Africa mergers which went live on 1 June.

The new 10-member line-up comprises Jill Gauntlett, Louise Higginbottom, Mark Jones, Raj Karia, Tom Vita, Glenn Hall, Anne Lapierre, Cornelia Marquardt, Stephen Parish and Antony Dutton.