Norton Rose has re-elected Stephen Parish as chairman, with the banking partner set to take up a second three-year term from 1 May.

Parish (pictured), formerly the firm's global banking head, has been chairman since 2009, when he succeeded the firm's first-ever chair Paul Giles. Giles was also chairman for six years following the role's creation in 2002.

Since the latest election, Norton Rose has completed merger deals in Australia, Canada and South Africa; however, the chairman role specifically relates to the Norton Rose Group limited liability partnership (LLP), which includes its UK, EMEA and Asia businesses.

Parish said his next term will see him continue to focus his efforts on the growth of the business, especially promoting cross-referrals across the 43 offices in the wider group, while continuing to spearhead internal staff initiatives including his work on the firm's 14-strong diversity committee.

He told Legal Week: "My focus will be to ensure we make use of the opportunities we have with our incredible international platform. We have 43 offices dotted around the world and we just have to make sure we make the absolute most of that. The message is that there are connections to be made out there."

"The people side of the business has seen a number of initiatives over the past few years that I am very proud to have been involved in. As the group gets bigger it is important to ensure all of those people feel as engaged as they can be in the wider business. It is about getting the message out to partners that they are valued."

The appointment comes after Peter Martyr took up another term as Norton Rose Group chief executive as well as managing partner of the LLP on 1 January – the same date as the latest Norton Rose merger went live through the incorporation of Calgary-based Macleod Dixon into the firm's Canada arm.