Simmons & Simmons has appointed two new sector heads for its financial institutions and life sciences groups.

London financial services partner Charlotte Stalin will lead financial institutions, while Paris disputes partner Alexandre Regniault will head up life sciences. Both positions are effective from 1 May for a three year term.

Stalin (pictured) succeeds City banking partner Jonathan Hammond as head of financial institutions. She specialises in UK and European regulatory matters, and joined the firm as a partner in 2006 from Clifford Chance.

Hammond, who has been in the role since 2011, will continue to lead the firm's financial markets practice and chair the firm's innovation group.

Meanwhile, Regniault, who joined the firm in 2002 and made partner in 2008, succeeds Jacques-Antoine Robert, who has led the life sciences group since 2009. His focus is on arbitration, litigation and dispute resolution for pharma, medical devices and biotech companies.

Simmons' two other sector groups – asset management and investment funds, and TMT – will continue to be run by City corporate partner Colin Leaver and London TMT partner Alex Brown, respectively.

Managing partner Jeremy Hoyland said: "The firm's sector strategy lies at the heart of our business: by focusing on a small number of key sectors, we seek to deliver the best possible service to clients working within those industries."

Stalin added: "Simmons is embedded in the international financial and regulatory community and committed to innovation, and I look forward to building on Jonathan's work in the sector. In particular, I welcome the opportunities we will have to continue evolving our services in order to meet our clients' business requirements with tailored, commercial and cost-effective advice.''

Simmons is also preparing for an election to choose its next senior partner, as Colin Passmore approaches the final stages of his second term in the role.

Passmore, who was first voted into the senior partner role in 2011, was re-elected in August 2013 for a second term of a period of four years.

According to one partner at the firm, senior partners are currently limited to just two terms, although the possibility of Passmore running again has not yet been ruled out.