Mayer Brown has recruited former Ashurst real estate chief Martin Wright to take up the first-time role of European real estate head at the firm.

Wright, who will join Mayer Brown's London office in January next year, has been a partner at Ashurst since 1997, where he headed the firm's real estate practice for several years.

The appointment for Mayer Brown follows the firm's hire of former CMS Cameron McKenna partner Chris Harvey, who joined in March this year to head the firm's real estate investment group.

Wright's move is the latest real estate departure for Ashurst after the firm's ambitions were questioned last year following a number of high-profile exits, including real estate head Simon Cookson and head of non-contentious construction Marc Hanson to DLA Piper and Berwin Leighton Paisner respectively.

At Ashurst, Wright advised on several large-scale urban regeneration projections, including redevelopments at Canary Wharf, Paddington, Stratford and Silvertown in London.

As Canary Wharf Group client partner, in 2005 Wright helped Ashurst win a role on the £2bn regeneration of Wood Wharf in London's Docklands. He has also led a team advising developer Sellar Property Group on restaurants at the Shard, as well as aspects of The Place and New London Bridge Quarter developments.

Mayer Brown global head of real estate Jeremy Clay said: "Martin has a wealth of experience in property investment and development. We already have a strong presence in London and his appointment will significantly add to that whilst enabling us to continue to develop our international capabilities."

The news comes after Ashurst took on long-serving Nabarro real estate dispute resolution head Iain Travers in September.