Clifford Chance (CC) has elected two new partners to its partnership council, with Italy banking head Giuseppe De Palma and Dubai banking partner Robin Abraham set to take up their new posts next month.

De Palma and Abraham will begin their three-year terms on the council as of 19 March this year, replacing New York banking partner Thomas Schulte and Amsterdam corporate partner Jeroen Koster.

They will sit alongside the existing members, who are: senior partner and council chair Malcolm Sweeting (pictured), global insurance head Katherine Coates, commercial litigation head Simon Davis, Asia head of disputes Martin Rogers and Frankfurt corporate partner Daniela Weber-Rey.

De Palma and Abraham have been partners at CC since 2000 and 2005 respectively. Schulte will continue as chair of the firm's audit committee.

The news comes after the magic circle firm slimmed down its partnership council in March 2010 from 12 members to seven, with seats now elected by the global partnership rather than on a regional basis.

The changes were made as part of a wider move to handle strategic performance at the firm and make exiting underperforming partners easier for management.

The partnership council at CC acts as an oversight body for the firm responsible for managing its reputation and values. It runs alongside the management committee, which is made up of 16 global practice and office heads and executive management in charge of the firm's strategic decisions.

Council members can run for more than one term.