Kirkland & Ellis London senior partner Graham White has joined Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson to lead its City practice.

White, who will also head Fried Frank's European private equity practice, exits Kirkland after eight years at the firm, having joined from Linklaters in 2006.

White was appointed to head Kirkland's European operations in 2012 and was a member of the Chicago-headquartered firm's 15-person management committee.

His hire comes amid a push at Fried Frank to re-launch its City presence, which insiders at the firm acknowledge has failed to match the pedigree of the New York office.

The firm has not previously had a London head, though former senior partner Valerie Jacob, who joined Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer earlier this month, was de facto head when based between the City and New York.

Fried Frank chairman David Greenwald called White "a proven leader with years of experience handling large and complex buyout transactions for some of the world's most sophisticated organizations.

"Graham will further strengthen our team and better position us for continued growth."

In a statement, White said: "We share a comprehensive understanding of the business climate in which our clients operate and an unwavering commitment to providing insightful legal advice, which creates a great foundation for working together."

White is understood to have been one of the best-remunerated partners in Kirkland's City office, which earlier this year saw the addition of a group of Hong Kong partners – including Asia private equity head David Eich – who relocated to London.

White trained at Dickson Minto, before making partner in 1993, later joining SJ Berwin before transferring to Links in 2001, where he helped build the firm's private equity practice with Raymond McKeeve.

The pair joined Kirkland in 2006, with McKeeve leaving the firm just two years later.