Linklaters London former corporate head Stuart Bedford is set to join private equity firm LeapFrog Investments as general counsel (GC).

Leapfrog, which focuses on investments in emerging markets, was founded in 2007 and now has six offices across across Europe, Asia and Africa.

Bedford's move will be the second time he has moved in-house from Linklaters, after he joined BAE Systems in 1996 having trained and qualified into the real estate team at the magic circle firm.

He rejoined Linklaters as a managing associate in the corporate department in 2000, before making partner in 2005. He later spent four years in Linklaters' Singapore office, serving as Asia corporate chief, before moving back to the UK to become London corporate head in 2014.

During Bedford's time at Linklaters he has been involved in a number of key deals, including Brait's £1.9bn acquisition of New Look and its £1.3bn acquisition of Virgin Active. He also advised on Billiton's merger with BHP and has worked with clients including Carlyle and Temasek.

Bedford will succeed Tom Brunner as GC at LeapFrog. Brunner, who has been in the role for more than seven years, will stay at the company as a partner.

Bedford said: "LeapFrog is seizing the largest long-term investment opportunity in the world today – four billion emerging consumers, who are now on the grid thanks to mobile telephony. It is good business to invest in companies that deliver essential tools to these people and it also serves an enormous social need."

He will continue to work on a part-time basis for Linklaters alongside his new role.