Freshfields names new head of global private equity practice

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has appointed Cologne partner Ludwig Leyendecker as the new head of its global private equity practice.

Leyendecker replaces London partner Chris Bown and Hamburg partner Nils Koffka, who have reached the end of their four-year term as co-heads of the group.

Koffka will now take over as co-head o the global infrastructure and transport group (ITG) from Ed Braham, who was recently named global head of M&A. London corporate partner Nick Bliss will continue to head up the ITG group alongside Koffka.

Ted Burke, Freshfields' chief executive, said: "Chris founded the private equity group and, together with Nils, turned it into a real strength of the firm. Edward, along with Nick Bliss, founded the ITG group, and it has become a major focus area for us."

"We are confident that Ludwig and Nils, in their new roles, will be able to build on these very strong foundations."

The magic circle has 13 sector groupings running across eight practice areas, covering consumer and healthcare, financial institutions, energy and natural resources, leisure and real estate, among others. Each group has one or more partner heading it up for a fixed term of four years.

Last May Laurie McFadden and Dirk Hamann were appointed co-heads of Freshfields' energy and natural resources group after Simon Marchant was appointed Asia managing partner.

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