CMS Cameron McKenna has elected the head of its Central & Eastern European (CEE) network, Duncan Weston, as its new firm-wide managing partner.
Weston (pictured right) will take on the new role on 1 May, 2008, when Dick Tyler’s second term as managing partner comes to an end.
The new appointment, confirmed by a vote of the partnership last night (21 November), follows a hotly-contested management election at the top 20 UK law firm in which Weston stood against corporate partner Louise Wallace, property head Edward Benzecry, commercial head Nigel Moore and corporate partner Niall McAlister.
Weston, a private equity specialist, has been with Camerons since 1993, becoming a partner in 1996. During his time as head of the CEE practice he has overseen a number of developments in the region, including the 2006 merger with Hayhurst Robinson and this September’s opening of a new office in Kiev in the Ukraine.
The practice has been regarded as a success story for Camerons in recent years, becoming one of the strongest law firms in the region.
The process saw Weston appointed after gaining more than 50% of the votes cast after two rounds. It is understood that his manifesto was strongly linked to the CEE side of the firm.
One Camerons partner commented: “He was one of the obvious favourites. Duncan is a very strong orator and is well known for the CEE side of things, which he has made a real success of.”
The partner added: “He is very different to Dick. Where Dick is reserved and classily understated, Duncan is openly enthusiastic and jovial.”
Camerons senior partner Richard Price, who oversaw the election process, said: “Dick has done a terrific job. Duncan will be a great managing partner and I look forward to working alongside him to build on the significant progress we have made over the last few years.”
Price added: “He obviously has a huge interest in the CEE, having worked on that his whole time with us. I think international background is becoming increasingly important for managing partners, with many having now been based abroad for at least some of the time they were a partner – take Linklaters [where new managing partner Simon Davies is former Asia chief ] for example.”
Weston has been appointed for a four-year term, with managing partners at the firm serving a maximum of two terms.
Tyler will remain at the firm, and is still in talks with the firm about what he will do when he steps down. One option mooted would be to take on a role working on the ongoing project to integrate Camerons' European CMS network as part of the expanding CMS executive body.
Talkback: Is Weston a surprise choice? And where next for Camerons under its former CEE chief? Click here to have your say.
