Global professional services firm Aon has appointed a new general counsel, Darren Zeidel, following the departure of longstanding predecessor Peter Lieb.

Zeidel previously acted as Aon's deputy GC since March this year, and prior to that served as vice-president and global chief counsel of the firm's business unit, Aon Hewitt.

He also previously was GC for two Honeywell subsidiaries, Honeywell Aerospace and Honeywell UOP.

As general counsel, Zeidel will lead the firm's global law department and manage legal, compliance, regulatory and public affairs. In addition, he has also been named as the brokerage firm's executive vice-president and company secretary.

His appointment follows the recent departure of Peter Lieb, Aon's GC of 10 years, who left in June.

According to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Lieb himself is set to transition from his former role as executive vice-president, GC and secretary at Aon to the position of "special legal adviser" to the company's chief executive officer by the year's end, and then retire by the end of the following year.

Before joining Aon in 2009, Lieb had also served as GC at financial technology giant NCR Corp. for three years.

Earlier this month, food and beverage giant Kraft Heinz also named its new GC for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Thomas Loest, who joined from Kimberly-Clark.