Ashurst has raised the proportion of women on its board to 40%, with the appointment of two new independent directors.

The two new additions are former JP Morgan investment banker Robin Lawther, who will also chair the firm's audit committee, and investment banker Wu Gang, who is currently a senior adviser to Rothschild & Co Hong Kong.

Lawther has previously held a number of other non-executive director roles, including at UK Government Investments, and also chairs the remuneration committee at Nordic financial services group Nordea.