Clifford Chance (CC) has appointed Matthew Layton as its new global managing partner.

Layton, who heads up the firm's global corporate practice, saw off competition from Paris managing partner Yves Wehrli and real estate finance partner Andrew Carnegie in the first round of voting which closed yesterday (27 November), to secure the appointment.

Layton had been widely tipped to win the elections to replace outgoing managing partner David Childs, whose terms draws to a close in May 2014.

Layton joined CC in 1983 and has been a partner in the corporate practice since 1991.

One of the magic circle firm's top rainmakers, Layton has taken lead roles a raft of high-profile deals, including representing Citigroup on its $4.1bn (£2.5bn) sale of interests in music company EMI to Universal Music and a consortium led by Sony, and the ultimately unsuccessful $45bn (£27.8bn) merger of EADS and BAE Systems.

Layton has held the role of global corporate chief since 2008, having won a second four-year term in the role last year.

Layton will head up the magic circle firm alongside CC senior partner Malcolm Sweeting, who took up a four-year term in January 2011.

Childs, who had served as chief operating officer at the firm since 2003, was first elected as CC managing partner following an uncontested vote in 2006.