CMS Cameron McKenna has elected Penelope Warne as its new senior partner, replacing Dick Tyler in the role.

Warne is the firm's first female senior partner. She will take up the four-year term in May next year. Warne is a board member and practice group manager of the firm's oil and gas group as well as the energy group.

She set up the firm's Aberdeen office in 1993 and spearheaded the firm's office launches in Edinburgh, Rio de Janeiro and Dubai.

Warne said: "My priorities are to ensure that our clients get an exceptional service and that our partners and staff thrive in a supportive and dynamic culture."

Tyler added: "It's been an honour to be in leadership roles for as long as 14 years. I am very pleased with what we've achieved. The firm and I are both ready for a change now."

Tyler was elected managing partner at the firm in 2000 and served for two terms before becoming executive partner for the CMS European network in 2008 and returning to the UK partnership to take up his current role three years later.

He took up his first term as senior partner after running against consumer products sector head Louise Wallace, banking and project finance partner Andrew Ivison and energy partner Robert Lane.

Warne will lead the firm alongside current managing partner Duncan Weston.