Firm shakes up sector line-up and management in response to major market changes

Eversheds has revamped its sector line-up with the introduction of four new key industry groups, as the firm continues to shake up its structure in response to major changes in the markets in which it operates.

The overhaul, which comes after chief executive Bryan Hughes last summer set out the firm's new three-year strategy, has seen the creation of four new sectors – propcos; public sector; consumer; and diversified industrials – and has involved several management changes.

City corporate partner Robin Johnson will lead the diversified industrial group, which has been formed by the combination of the former industrial engineering; aerospace, defence and security; chemicals; and automotive sectors. The group covers a list of major clients including BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce, Tyco and Volvo.

Meanwhile, Birmingham food and drink partner Parmjit Singh will lead the new consumer sector, which brings together the food and drink; retail and leisure; and consumer goods sectors, with clients including Marks & Spencer, Selfridges and Next.

Propcos, which covers property investment, development and trade, will be headed by Birmingham real estate partner Gurjit Atwal, and has key clients including Land Securities, SEGRO and Taylor Wimpey. The public sector group will be led by London regeneration partner Stephen Manson.

The four new sectors join the firm's existing core sectors of health and life sciences; energy and natural resources; education; financial institutions; transport and TMT.

Managerial changes include David Watkins taking over as real estate head from Julie Stobart, who has succeeded Peter Halpin as client services director. The promotion means Stobart now sits on the firm's executive board and has primary responsibility for the delivery of client strategy.

Elsewhere, Paul Worth has taken the reins of the financial institutions sector from Pamela Thompson and Jonathan Guest. Worth was previously head of the financial services disputes team, a role which will be split on an international and UK basis between Matthew Allen and Anthony Davies respectively.

Other changes include Francois Barker taking over from London senior partner Anthony Arter as pensions head, while James Batham has succeeded Antony Gold as head of retail following Gold's recent departure. Real estate litigation head Paul Moorcroft will now head up the firm Edinburgh office, succeeding Colin McKay, while Helen Thomas has become the new sector head of transport.

The shake-up comes in the wake of a major restructuring that has seen Eversheds cut 116 jobs since January, with Hughes describing the firm's structure as "unsustainable" in the wake of "fundamental" changes in the market when announcing the cuts.

Hughes commented: "As a business, we continue to grow and evolve and these changes reflect both our sharpened market focus and the development of a new cadre of leaders."