Allen & Overy has introduced five regional diversity and inclusion (D&I) partners across its network, the firm announced today.

The partners were appointed by the board and will lead the firm's D&I efforts in their regions in a bid to "foster a global culture of inclusion", according to the firm.

A&O's head of global restructuring, partner Ian Field, has been appointed as D&I partner for the U.K.

He said in a statement: "We have made significant progress on our D&I agenda in recent years but there is a lot more that can be done. Tailoring our efforts at a local level will help us move forward with our D&I aims at a faster pace and to address the deep cultural changes that are needed to make progress."

In other regions, the board appointed: Amsterdam-based white collar and litigation partner Hendrik Jan Biemond for Europe, New York finance and restructuring partner Elizabeth Leckie for the Americas, Hong Kong banking and finance partner Fiona Cumming for Asia Pacific, and Johannesburg banking partner Kathleen Wong for Africa and the Middle East.

Each new D&I partner will take on their new roles alongside their existing practices and will work with a dedicated D&I team on new initiatives for the network.

Tackling the issue has become a key part of firms' outlooks in recent years. Last year, Eversheds Sutherland rolled out targets to improve the black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) makeup of its U.K. workforce.

Baker McKenzie also set a target to boost the number of BAME employees in its London office.

Most recently, Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis unveiled a D&I-focused panel of 22 firms in a bid to enforce their own and their panel firms' commitment to diversity and inclusion. The company said it would withhold 15% of the total amount billed if the firms do not comply with the minimum D&I requirements.