Ashurst has set out further details of its new management line-up ahead of its full financial integration with its Australia arm, with managing partner James Collis taking the role of global managing partner and the senior partner position set to be phased out.

Legacy Blake Dawson managing partner John Carrington has been appointed as managing partner Australia, while an agreement has also been reached over the composition of the new 14-member global board, which will comprise partners from both legacy firms.

The Ashurst senior partner role, which is currently held by Charlie Geffen, will be replaced by an elected chairman and vice chairman, from legacy Ashurst and legacy Blakes respectively. Blakes – now known as Ashurst Australia – is currently chaired by Mary Padbury.

The board will include four elected legacy Ashurst partners, an elected Asia partner and three elected legacy Blakes partners. All votes on the elected roles are set to take place later this year.

The board is completed by Collis, chief financial officer Brian Dunlop, as well as two independent members – Robert Gillespie, the former director general of the Takeover Panel, and Commonwealth Bank of Australia chairman David Turner, who earlier this year joined the boards of Ashurst and Ashurst Australia respectively.

The firm is also introducing a new global business structure, which is divided into four categories, each of which will be co-led by Ashurst and legacy Blake Dawson partners.

The four divisions are:

- Corporate, commercial and competition, headed up by Phil Breden in Sydney and Stephen Lloyd in London;
- Disputes, intellectual property and employment, led Simon Bromwich in London and Lisa Ritson in Sydney;
- Energy, resources, real estate and infrastructure practice, led by Mark Elsey in London and Geoff Gishubl in Perth; and
- Finance, led by Paul Jenkins in Sydney and Laurent Mabilat in Paris.

Two client partners have also been named, with Brisbane-based Tony Denholder and London-based Logan Mair responsible for the development and implementation of the firm's global client strategy. Singapore-based partner Mathew Bubb will continue in his role as Asia managing partner. Anne Cregan will take up the role of global pro bono partner in Sydney.

Padbury said: "These announcements are a significant step along the path to complete financial integration which we started when we first announced our intention to merge in 2011. We are already very much operating as one firm and the new governance and management structure we are putting in place will help maximise the benefits of integration by ensuring we are best placed to serve global clients and get our global teams working together as effectively as possible."

Partners from both sides of the firm are set for an October vote on full financial integration. A full merger will require a 75% majority of both the UK and Australia partnerships, with the combination set to see the firms combine legally as one partnership with a shared global profit pool.