DLA Piper Australia appoints new practice leaders following two senior departures
DLA Piper in Australia has shaken up its management teams for banking and projects following the exit of two senior partners in the region. The UK firm has appointed Melbourne-based partner John Gallagher as its new head of projects and finance in Australia, whilst Sydney partner Onno Bakker will now lead the banking and finance group in Asia Pacific.
November 11, 2013 at 02:09 AM
2 minute read
DLA Piper in Australia has shaken up its management teams for banking and projects following the exit of two senior partners in the region.
The UK firm has appointed Melbourne-based partner John Gallagher as its new head of projects and finance in Australia, whilst Sydney partner Onno Bakker will now lead the banking and finance group in Asia Pacific.
Gallagher's appointment follows the departure of energy specialist Damien McNair, who was previously head of finance and projects for Asia Pacific but who left the firm last week to join Gilbert + Tobin as a partner in Melbourne, along with special counsel Luke Westmore.
Gallagher will work closely with the head of finance and projects for Asia Rob Caldwell, whilst partner Jane Hider will resume Gallagher's former responsibilities as head of finance and projects for the Melbourne office.
The firm is not expected to appoint a new practice leader for the entire region.
Bakker's promotion also follows the departure of a senior figure – the former head of banking and finance for Asia Pacific and Australia chair Tony Holland, who also left for Gilbert + Tobin last month.
Bakker joined the firm at the end of last year from Linklaters' Amsterdam office, where he was previously head of finance for the country. He previously worked at Clayton Utz in Australia before joining Linklaters in 2002.
DLA Piper entered the Australian market in 2006 through an alliance with local outfit Philips Fox, and currently counts five Australian offices located in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane and Canberra.
In January this year the firm's UK managing partner Andrew Darwin relocated to Sydney to become managing partner of the Australian arm.
It was among a number of firms which made redundancies at the end of 2012, whilst in July the firm announced it was downsizing its premises in Sydney by moving from 201 Elizabeth Street, where it occupied a 8,000 sq m space, to 1 Martin Place, where it took an office of 6,000 sq m.
Last week the firm also saw the departure of three specialist insurances partners and a team of 23 lawyers to Australian outfit HWL Ebsworth.
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