Charles Russell's former managing partner James Holder (pictured) has taken up a new role as chairman of UK business and legal process outsourcing company Global BPO.

Holder, who stepped down as managing partner at Charles Russell in May this year, joined the outsourcer last month with a remit to help expand its client base and improve market perception of outsourcing.

He remains a member of Charles Russell's limited liability partnership, carrying out business development work on a part-time basis, but is no longer working from the firm's London office. Holder spent 24 years with Charles Russell including a four year term as managing partner.

He stepped down as part of a top-level overhaul earlier this year that saw the firm abandon the managing partner position in preference of a new chairman and chief operating officer who work alongside senior partner Patrick Russell.

Holder said: "There were two main reasons I decided to take up this role. First, having been a managing partner of a law firm I had a pretty good idea as to why law firms are reluctant to outsource when the economics so clearly say you should do it and, second, I had built up a network of friends in other law firms, which allows me to approach firms in a far more direct way. Now that I've taken up this role I hope that I can bridge the gap for firms that are reluctant to embrace the concept of outsourcing."

Global BPO was founded by two South African lawyers 11 years ago and carries out both business process outsourcing and legal process outsourcing for firms, sending the work to South Africa. The company recently entered into a joint venture with Australian outsourcer Catalyst, founded by former Slaughter and May lawyer Tim Surgenor, under the name Cape Clements Legal.