Linklaters and Simmons & Simmons have both turned to Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer for new finance partner hires in Europe.

Belgium banking and capital markets partner Charles-Antoine Leunen will join Linklaters' Brussels finance practice on 1 August, where he will mainly focus on transactional, project and infrastructure finance, insolvency work and company and debt restructuring.

He previously headed Freshfields' finance practice in Belgium, and has worked at the firm since 1999, where he was made up to partner three years ago. He also spent four years of his stint in the magic circle firm's London infrastructure team.