With plans to expand CMS across the US, Asia and Africa, CMS Cameron McKenna's outgoing managing partner, Duncan Weston, is going to be busy in his new global role.

Stepping down as managing partner of CMS's UK arm at the end of April after eight years in the job, Weston will take up the newly created position of executive partner for global development from 1 May.

The role will see him trying to plug the gaps in the firm's international coverage.

While the CMS brand encompasses 60 offices around the world, it's a role that's likely to keep Weston busy as CMS has nothing in the US and is light in Africa and Asia Pacific. Across Africa it currently has offices in Algeria and Casablanca, while in Asia it is limited to Shanghai and Beijing. 

Speaking to Legal Week, Weston (pictured) admitted the firm has yet to develop a significant practice in these regions, in comparison to some of its peers.

He will now spend this summer composing detailed development plans – including timelines and budgets – for each region CMS wants to focus on, with the US particularly high on the agenda.

"The US initiative has been an important priority of the CMS strategy for a long time," says Weston. "CMS has subcommittees working on America, Asia and Africa – teams of partners who have spent time developing relationships in these areas."

One current partner at the firm comments: "The new role was designed for Duncan given his experience in business and management. The US is clearly the next challenge for CMS and there's been a lot going on behind the scenes."

Weston will present his plans for the firm's global strategy to various managing partners within CMS and the combined firm's executive committee for approval in the autumn.

He adds: "Discussions have been around for some time – we now need to pull them together and put timelines in place. In no way are we starting from scratch."

Last week CMS became the first international law firm to open an office in Iran post-sanctions, while in December Legal Week reported that CMS was in talks to extend its Asia-Pacific life science network into Japan, Korea and the Philippines. 

Commenting on his two terms as managing partner of CMS UK, Weston says the firm's global standing has already improved significantly.

"In the past, people have sometimes thought of us as a group of separate firms or associations rather than as all operating on a strong international platform. That's been the most important thing the firm has had to do in recent years, and we are now well positioned to remain in the global elite."

While Weston was managing partner, CMS UK modified its lockstep by introducing a four band system and also outsourced the bulk of its London back office work to legal services provider Integreon.

During his second term, PEP at the firm rose from £545,000 in 2010/11 to £802,000 in 2014-15.

Stephen Millar will take over from Weston as managing partner of CMS Cameron McKenna in May.