Weil Gotshal & Manges Asia managing partner Akiko Mikumo has stepped down from her post, making Weil the latest global firm to undergo a major management transition in Asia.

Mikumo, who has been Weil's Asia managing partner since 2007, has retired from the firm's partnership to become a fellow at Harvard University's prestigious Advanced Leadership Initiative program, focusing on issues with social impact.

Weil Hong Kong partner Tim Gardner and Shanghai partner Charles Ching, who have been transitioning into leadership roles, will now manage the US firm's Asia operations, according to a statement.

Several global firms went through or announced leadership changes in Asia in 2017, as younger generation partners began to take the helm.

In May, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer named litigation partner Georgia Dawson as its new Asia-Pacific managing partner, as Robert Ashworth stepped down after a six-year term. Around the same time, Linklaters appointed Hong Kong-based finance partner Nathalie Hobbs as Asia managing partner, succeeding Marc Harvey, who returned to London after a four-year term.

At Norton Rose Fulbright, former head of North Asia Phillip John and former head of Southeast Asia Jeff Smith both retired, and Asia leadership was passed on to regional office heads Psyche Tai in Hong Kong, Yu-En Ong in Singapore, and Asia business strategy head Nick Merritt.

Meanwhile, Hogan Lovells has announced that Patrick Sherrington, who has been Asia and Middle East managing partner since 2013, will retire in 2018. Miami partner Miguel Zaldivar is slated to relocate to Hong Kong to succeed Sherrington.

Mikumo, who is an M&A lawyer, has been with Weil for 35 years. She moved to Hong Kong from New York in 2007 to launch the firm's second Asian office after Shanghai. Before that, she played a key role in launching the firm's London office and led the US practice there between 1998 and 2002.

Gardner and Ching both joined the firm in 2015 – from Latham & Watkins and Freshfields, respectively. Both are M&A lawyers with a focus on private equity deals.

Weil has three Asian offices – in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing. In 2015, Shanghai office founder and long-serving former China practice head Steve Xiang left to become chief executive of Hong Kong-listed film production company Huanxi Media Group.

Following Mikumo's retirement, Weil will have six partners across Asia.