Allen & Overy (A&O) corporate partner Seth Jones has been appointed as secretary of the Takeover Panel, becoming the latest City partner to take up a secondment at the regulator.

Jones will take up a two-year placement in September, replacing Ashurst corporate partner Tom Mercer, who is now returning to his firm.

Jones will be the fifth A&O partner to be appointed to the role, the two most recent being Richard Hough in 2000 and Mark Gearing in 1992.

He has advised on a wide range of corporate transactions including public and private M&A and joint ventures. He also has a broad international experience, having spent three years in A&O's Dubai office.

Commenting on the secondment, Andrew Ballheimer, global co-head of the corporate practice at A&O said: "Despite the slowdown in M&A activity, UK levels picked up in the second quarter of 2013. Seth has a couple of very interesting years ahead.

"Seth is the fifth A&O partner appointed to this position, a testament to the firm's strength and expertise in the public M&A field and to the firm's commitment to provide the highest quality advice to clients."

The Takeover Panel supervises takeovers and merger transactions, to protect target companies from hostile bids. The panel rotates the secretary role every two years, with a string of City corporate partners having spent previously spent periods of time in the role, including Linklaters' Nick Rumsby, Baker & McKenzie's Robert Adam and Slaughter and May's David Watkins.