Milton Cheng, Baker McKenzie

Baker McKenzie has elected its Hong Kong managing partner to be the firm's next global chair.

Corporate partner Milton Cheng will be the firm's first Asian chair and will serve in the role for four years from October 17. He became a partner at Baker McKenzie in 1999.

He succeeds Jaime Trujillo, who has been acting global chair since October 2018 when the firm's late chairman, Paul Rawlinson, went on a leave of absence. Rawlinson passed away in April of this year.

Cheng said in a statement: "I am truly honoured by the trust my fellow partners have placed in me. I look forward to working with all of them and my colleagues across the world to build on the great work of my predecessors, to make Baker McKenzie the global law firm of choice."

Trujillo, who is head of the firm's Latin American practice, added: "We had a group of outstanding candidates for our next chair and the partners had a difficult decision to make. In choosing Milton we have someone who can take this great firm to the next level. I offer him my sincerest congratulations."

Cheng has been the chief executive overseeing Baker McKenzie's offices and businesses across eight countries in the Asia-Pacific region, alongside his office managing partner role.

A firm spokesperson said Cheng has no immediate plans to relocate from the Hong Kong office.

Legal Week revealed the three partners in the running for the global role earlier this month. Cheng, EMEA+ head Fiona Carlin, and North America CEO Colin Murray had made it through to the final stage of deliberations.

Trujillo, London management committee member Samantha Mobley, and Sydney-based technology, media and telecommunications industry and practice group global chair Anne-Marie Allgrove were knocked out in the early stages of the election process.

Upon his election to the chair role in 2016, Rawlinson set out his goals for the firm under his tenure, which included a greater focus on the firm's core areas and a push into transactional work, as well as the formation of a plan to financially integrate the firm.

Mobley recently told Legal Week: "Paul's arrival as the chair charted us on a new strategy to transform our firm… He set out a vision that would ensure it remains relevant as we go forward in an increasingly competitive marketplace."