Travers Smith has appointed partners to head its six key sector groups, two years after realigning the firm along sector lines.

The firm's corporate chief Spencer Summerfield will lead the energy and natural resources team, while head of commercial, IP and technology Tom Purton is overseeing the business services sector. M&A partner Edmund Reed will take charge of healthcare and head of private equity Phil Sanderson will head up retail, with private equity partner Paul Dolman leading on leisure and IP partner Richard Brown the new head of media. 

Travers' senior partner Chris Hale (pictured) leads the firmwide sector-based model, which was first launched in September 2011 and was part of the firm's strategy to both strengthen existing client relationships and attract new work.

Initially just five sectors were chosen to operate in tandem with the firm's practice group structure, with the energy and natural resources group added earlier this year.

Travers gave practice heads the option of being involved in the new model, but said that it was likely to be less relevant for certain departments. 

Each practice is expected to work in a different way under the new strategy. In the litigation practice, one partner has been assigned per sector in order to stay up to date on relevant changes affecting the sector and provide a better client service.

Hale said: "Over the last nine months we have been pulling together the new groups and have nominated co-ordinators. Each group is developing its own approach to the sectors. 

"In terms of where we go next it is a case of seeing how things evolve and how successful the strategy is to supporting the type of work we do."